Gloyna School

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about the Gloyna School, out there in Lee County. Now settle in, because this one's about a little building that did a whole lot of work. It starts back in 1893, when a man named F.

Soder deeded two acres of land to school trustees. Two acres. That's not much ground, but it was enough to plant something that would last fifty years.

The school opened under the name Hannes School No. 43, and that was that, for a little while. Then, in 1900, a man named Christian Gloyna came along and bought the surrounding land. The school got a new name to go with its new neighbor.

The Gloyna School. In 1909, the operation grew official in a bigger way, becoming Gloyna Common School District No. 17, and when they drew the boundaries of that district, they weren't stingy about it. Almost ten thousand acres fell within those lines.

Ten thousand acres, and at the center of it all, one room. One room where German families in this community sent their children to learn, and where those same families gathered for religious activities, because out here, a building that could hold a congregation wasn't something you wasted. By 1911, twenty-four students were attending class regularly.

Not a crowd by any measure, but every one of those kids was somebody's whole world. In 1923, a larger building replaced the original structure, which tells you the community believed it had a future worth investing in. But futures have a way of shifting.

Enrollment dropped in the late 1940s, and in 1950, Gloyna School was annexed by the Dime Box School District. Fifty years of service, from 1893 to 1950, out on the Texas prairie, one room at a time. The marker calls it a reminder of the vital role of rural education in Texas' past, and you know, it's hard to argue with that.

Some legacies don't need a lot of acreage. Just two will do.

What the marker says

Established as Hannes School No. 43 in 1893 when F. Soder deeded two acres to school trustees, the Gloyna School was renamed in 1900 when Christian Gloyna bought the surrounding land. The facility became Gloyna Common School District No. 17 in 1909, and encompassed almost 10,000 acres within its boundaries. The one-room school also was used for community religious activities. Twenty-four students attended class regularly by 1911. A larger building replaced the original structure in 1923. Enrollment dropped in the late 1940s. Gloyna School was annexed by the Dime Box School District in 1950. The 50 years of service provided to this German community by Gloyna School is a reminder of the vital role of rural education in Texas' past. (1999)