Harper Independent School District

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Harper Independent School District out in Gillespie County. Now settle in, because this one's about a school that just flat refused to quit. It all started in 1884, when four men, Frank Harper, J.A.

Rogers, E.C. Hopf, and W.P. Bowers, sat down together to figure out how to give the growing Harper community a proper education.

That kind of meeting doesn't make headlines, but it starts things. Mary and J.A. Rogers, Jr. sold two and a half acres to the school trustees, and in 1885 a one-room frame school went up, built with donated labor and materials.

Neighbors building something together, one plank at a time. By 1906, the voters of Harper stepped up and established the Harper Independent School District officially, and a new limestone school building was completed to mark the occasion. Then, starting in 1908, Harper began absorbing other local schools, the first being Pocket School District No. 34.

And that word, absorbing, tells you something about the direction things were heading. Between 1908 and 1912, though, the trustees were fighting a different kind of battle. Monetary shortfalls hit hard, and the school year was shortened several times because the money simply wasn't there.

Several times. But here's the thing about Harper. Through creative management, determination, and community donations, the school always reopened.

Always. Mary D. Rogers sold additional acreage for school expansion in 1930.

Then in 1940, several more schools consolidated with Harper, and additions to the building, completed by 1942, were constructed through the federal Works Progress Administration, the WPA. In 1943, five acres purchased from Ed Kensing allowed even more room for student activities. And speaking of activities, the 1940s brought something worth a smile.

Harper introduced six man football, played on cleared pasture land or in the rodeo arena of the community park. Now that is Texas education in full bloom. At several points across all those years, the district was asked to join up with Kerrville or Fredericksburg.

Every single request was denied. Harper was once one of dozens of rural schools scattered across Gillespie County. Today it stands as one of only three remaining school districts in the entire county, serving portions of Kerr, Kimble, and Mason Counties as well.

From a one-room frame building to a four-county presence. Some schools just know who they are.

What the marker says

In 1884, Frank Harper, J.A. Rogers, E.C. Hopf, and W.P. Bowers met to organize a school for the growing Harper community. Mary and J. A. Rogers, Jr. sold two and a half acres to school trustees, and in 1885 a one-room frame school was built with donated labor and materials. In 1906, voters established the Harper Independent School District and a new limestone school building was completed. By 1908, Harper began absorbing other local schools, with the first being Pocket School District No. 34, and continued to be the leader in education in the area. Between 1908 and 1912, trustees continually faced monetary shortfalls and the school year was shortened several times due to lack of funds. However, through creative management, determination and community donations, Harper schools always reopened to serve the community. Mary D. Rogers sold additional acreage for school expansion in 1930. Several schools consolidated with Harper in 1940, and additions to the school, completed by 1942, were built through the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). In 1943 five acres purchased from Ed Kensing allowed expanded student activities. The school introduced a number of new activities in the 1940s, including six man football played on cleared pasture land or in the rodeo arena of the community park. At several times throughout its history, the school district was asked to join the Kerrville or Fredericksburg districts, but all requests were denied. Harper Independent School District was once one of dozens of rural schools in Gillespie County. Today, it is now one of three remaining school districts in Gillespie County, serving also portions of adjoining Kerr, Kimble and Mason Counties.