Old Pakan School

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about the Old Pakan School out in Wheeler County, Texas. Now settle in, because this one traveled a long way to get here. We're talkin' about a story that starts somewhere in Slovakia, takes a detour through Chicago, and ends up on the Texas Panhandle plains.

That's a route you don't see every day. The man at the center of it all was Sam Pakan, Senior, born in 1875, a Slovak emigrant who made his way to the New World and found enough success in Chicago to do something bold. In 1904, he bought land out here in Wheeler County.

Think about that for a moment. A man from Slovakia, who'd made good in a big northern city, looked out at the Texas Panhandle and said, this is the place. Now Sam Pakan didn't come alone for long.

Ten other Slovak families followed him out here, and together they did what tight-knit communities have always done when they mean to stay. They pooled their funds. And in 1907, they built the first school.

Not a church first, not a courthouse, a school. That tells you something about what these families valued. The school took the name of the man who'd led the way, Sam Pakan, Senior, who lived until 1929.

And those families put down roots deep enough that when the marker was recorded in 1967, old settlers were still there. The Linkeys. The Mertels.

The Pakans. The Macinas. The Hrnciars.

The Smiths. The Cadras. Names that crossed an ocean, survived Chicago winters, and dug into Texas soil.

The Panhandle doesn't give itself to just anybody, but it held onto these folks just fine.

What the marker says

Named for Sam Pakan, Sr., (1875-1929), Slovak emigrant. Success in Chicago enabled him to buy land here, 1904. Ten other Slovak families joined him and pooled funds to build first school, 1907. Some old settlers remaining include Linkeys, Mertels, Pakans, Macinas, Hrnciars, Smiths and Cadras. (1967)