DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Carver School Grounds in Kinney County. Now, every community deserves a place to learn. But sometimes — and this is one of those times — earning that place takes longer than it should, and the path there winds through history you don't want to forget.
When the U.S. Army disbanded Fort Clark's Seminole-Negro Indian Scout Detachment on September 30, 1914, the Seminoles were required to relocate to Brackettville. No detachment, no base housing — just a community finding its footing in a new place.
They held school in their church. Think about that for a moment. Their church.
That's where learning happened while the rest of the world sorted itself out. Then, in March 1919, the Brackett Independent School District purchased new grounds from a man named J.F. Maddux — purchased them specifically to provide a site for a, quote, colored school for Brackettville's Seminole-Negro Community.
The property came with a two-story limestone structure, the old Maddux homestead, built way back in 1870. That building became George Washington Carver School. Now here's a detail worth savoring.
The first floor — classrooms. The second floor — leased to the black masonic lodge until 1923. One old limestone building carrying more than its share of the community's weight.
But limestone and good intentions don't hold up forever. By 1930, the structure was condemned as unfit and unsafe for school purposes. That second story?
It came down in 1944. The first floor was remodeled inside, stuccoed on the outside, and put back into service for the primary and elementary grades. And the high school students?
They got a brand new building, completed in early 1944 — built by the 162nd Engineer Squadron of the 2nd Cavalry Division, then stationed right there at Fort Clark. At that time, Carver School was the only accredited black school between San Antonio and El Paso. Let that stretch of Texas geography sink in.
The story doesn't end with the schoolbell. In November 1965, the Brackett Independent School District deeded the school grounds to the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association. That original stone schoolhouse — the one that started life as the Maddux homestead in 1870, that held classrooms and lodge meetings and weathered condemnation — has since served as a meeting hall and cultural center for the Brackettville Seminole Community.
Juneteenth celebrations. Seminole Day each September. The 1944 building, the one the engineers built, now serves as classrooms for the community Headstart Program.
A building condemned as unfit. A community that refused to be.
What the marker says
When Fort Clark's Seminole-Negro Indian Scout Detachment was disbanded by the U.S. Army on September 30, 1914, the Seminoles were required to relocate to Brackettville. They held school in their church until new grounds were purchased by the Brackett Independent School District in March 1919 from J.F. Maddux for the purpose of providing a site for a "colored school" for Brackettville's Seminole-Negro Community. The old Maddux homestead, a two-story limestone structure built in 1870, served as the building for the school, which was named George Washington Carver School. The first floor was used for classrooms while the second floor was leased to the black masonic lodge until 1923. In 1930, the structure was condemned as unfit and unsafe for school purposes. The second story of the building was thus removed in 1944 and the first floor was remodeled inside and stuccoed on the outside. The building was again used as classrooms for the primary and elementary grades while high school classes were conducted in a new building completed in early 1944 by the 162nd Engineer Squadron of the 2nd Cavalry Division then stationed at Fort Clark. At the time, Carver School was the only accredited black school between San Antonio and El Paso. The Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association was deeded the school grounds by the Brackett I.S.D. in November 1965. The original stone schoolhouse has since served as a meeting hall and cultural center for the Brackettville Seminole Community, including local Juneteenth celebrations and Seminole Day each September. The 1944 building now serves as classrooms for the community Headstart Program. (2009)