Redland School

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Redland School, out there in Angelina County. Now settle in, because this one starts with a survey line and ends with a legacy that outlasted the school itself. In April of 1846, a local engineer by the name of William Gordon Lang was assigned to survey Angelina County.

That's where our story takes root. Lang and his wife, Nancy Martin Bonner Lang, settled the area in 1854, and once a family like that puts down stakes, others tend to follow. One of those who followed was William Manson Perkins.

Early on, settlers held private lessons for their children. Nothing formal, nothing fancy, just neighbors making sure the next generation could read and cipher. Then, after the Civil War, the first area school went up on William Perkins' property.

One room. Split log seats. And classes ran for exactly three months, only in the fall.

That was the whole school year. That was it. That school relocated to the Davisville Road and took the name Liberty School District Number 34.

Then in 1903, Liberty School moved again, this time to a new location on Old Nacogdoches Road, where church services were also held on Sundays. The building doing double duty, as buildings in Texas often do. By 1914, the school had grown to a two-teacher, three-room facility, and still that wasn't enough.

A new two-story brick building was constructed, and in 1924 the name changed to Redland School. That name, and that building, marked something different. Enrollment kept climbing.

New structures were added to the campus. And by the 1950s, Redland School wasn't just keeping up, it was leading. The State of Texas chose it to learn new teaching methods.

Audiovisual equipment came in, visual aids, the whole forward-looking spread. Meanwhile, out on the fields and courts, Redland students were earning championships in baseball, volleyball, and basketball. Inside, they were involved in homemaking, 4-H, music, American Red Cross, cheerleading, and pep squad.

From split log seats to a school that the state of Texas looked to as a model. That's a long road from William Perkins' property. Then came July 25, 1970.

The Redland Independent School District closed, consolidated with the Lufkin Independent School District. The district was gone. But here's the thing about a school that spans from a one-room post-war building all the way to championship banners and state-recognized teaching programs.

It leaves something behind. The legacy and contributions of Redland School live on through its alumni and their families, and a marker on the side of a Texas road making sure nobody forgets how it all began.

What the marker says

In April 1846, local engineer William Gordon Lang was assigned to survey Angelina County. He and his wife, Nancy Martin (Bonner) Lang, settled this area in 1854, and other settlers soon followed, including William Manson Perkins. Early settlers held private lessons for their children until the first area school was built on William Perkins' property after the Civil War. In this one-room structure with split log seats, classes were held for only three months, during the fall. This school relocated to the Davisville Road and was called the Liberty School District #34. In 1903, Liberty School moved to a new location on Old Nacogdoches Road, with church services held there on Sundays. By 1914, the school had grown to a two-teacher, three-room facility, and still a new buildling was needed. A new two-story brick building was constructed, and the name changed to Redland School in 1924. Enrollment continued to increase and new structures were added to the campus. By the 1950s, Redland School excelled in the arts and was a leader in effective methods of education, chosen by the State of Texas to learn new teaching methods, receiving audiovisual equipment and other visual aids. Students at Redland School also participated in athletics such as baseball, volleyball and basketball, earning many championships over the years. Other activities included homemaking, 4-H, music, American Red Cross, cheerleading and pep squad. On July 25, 1970, the Redland Independent School District closed when it consolidated with the Lufkin Independent School District. Although the school district no longer exists, its legacy and contributions live on through alumni and their families. (2018)