Site of Graham School

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll pass it along just the same. Now, out here in Garza County, they'll tell you that being second doesn't mean much. But being second in a county that didn't have much of anything yet, well, that's a different kind of story altogether.

This is the site of Graham School, and it's got more chapters than you might expect from a patch of West Texas ground. It starts in 1904, when a school was established here and called Graham Chapel School, named for a local settler by the name of Newt Graham. A school was built on land given by Joe McMahon, and McMahon didn't just donate the land and walk away.

He served as one of the early trustees, alongside J.F. Maxey and J.I. Wilbourn.

Three men, one school, and a whole county of kids who needed educating. That first building did its work, and then in 1915, a second building went up. Things kept movin', as they tend to do.

Come 1930, Graham Chapel School consolidated with Gossett School, and when those two came together, something new rose on this spot. A brick building, named simply Graham School. And here's the detail that still gets mentioned with a little pride: it had the first gymnasium in the county.

First one. In the whole county. Then 1957 brought another consolidation, this time with Post School, and Graham School's run as a school came to a close.

The building found a second life as a community center from 1959 to 1963, and then it was razed. In 1964, a new center was erected right here in its place. One piece of ground, a whole lot of buildings, and the second school in Garza County.

Sometimes second place leaves the longest mark.

What the marker says

Second school in the county. Established in 1904 as Graham Chapel School; named for local settler Newt Graham. A school was built on land given by Joe McMahon. Early trustees: McMahon, J.F. Maxey, and J.I. Wilbourn. Second building was erected 1915. Upon consolidation with Gossett School in 1930, a brick building was constructed here and named Graham School. It had first gymnasium in the county. It consolidated 1957 with Post School. The building was used as a community center 1959-1963, and was then razed; the present center was erected in 1964. (1969)