Site of Conaway School

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, friends, and I'm just along for the ride. Now settle in, because this one starts small, the way most good Texas stories do. C.P. and Mattie Conaway opened a community out here in Mitchell County in 1891.

Just settlers, carving something out of nothing. And for a few years, that was enough. But then 1896 rolled around, and somebody had to do something about the children.

So C.P. Conaway put up a one-room building south of his own ranch house. That first session ran three months.

Nine pupils, from three families, sitting on homemade benches, writing on slates, dipping their drinking water from a bucket. Three months. Nine kids.

One room. That's where it began. Four terms in, Conaway moved the school a mile north.

Larger area to serve, more folks needing it. And then 1906 arrived, and with it, many farmers settling nearby. So Conaway gave the new site outright, helped raise three hundred and seventy-five dollars, and with the labor of the patrons themselves, a new schoolhouse went up.

As enrollment kept climbing, three more rooms were added. That building served the community for years, hosting not just lessons but church services and all manner of community gatherings. Then came 1929, and fire destroyed it.

Just like that, gone. But the community didn't fold. They replaced it with a four-room brick structure, complete with an auditorium.

And that bucket and dipper? Replaced too, by a proper water system running off a well and a windmill. The school kept growing.

Teachers, doctors, lawyers, religious leaders, many of them took their first steps toward those lives right here at Conaway School. The peak came during the ten-months term of 1933 and 34, when enrollment hit one hundred and fifteen. After 1936, the upper grades were transferred by bus to Westbrook.

Consolidation was completed in 1939. And in 1947, the building was sold and dismantled. What C.P. and Mattie Conaway started with nine children and a bucket of water had, by the end, sent generations out into the world carrying something more.

What the marker says

In community opened in 1891 by settlers C.P. and Mattie Conaway. First 3-months session was held in 1896 for nine pupils from three families, in 1-room building placed by Conaway south of his ranch house. After four terms he moved school a mile north to serve a larger area. Pupils sat on homemade benches, wrote on slates, dipped drinking water from a bucket. In 1906 many farmers settled nearby. Conaway gave this new site, helped raise $375; and with patrons' labor, a new schoolhouse was erected. As enrolment increased, three rooms were added. This building was destroyed by fire in 1929 and replaced by a 4-room brick structure with an auditorium. A water system using a well and windmill also replaced the bucket and dipper of earlier days. Throughout the years the school building was used for church services and other community activities. Many successful people, including teachers, doctors, lawyers, and religious leaders, began their courses of study at Conaway School. Peak enrolment of 115 was reached during the 10-months term of 1933-34. After 1936 upper grades were transferred by bus to Westbrook; consolidation was completed in 1939. The school building was sold and dismantled in 1947. (1972)