Spearman Reporter Headlines

100 Years Ago – 9/7/1923

Work of Construction Begun on Spearman’s New School

Bone Construction Company Have Begun the Erection of Spearman's New $75,000 School Building – 1923-24 Term Opens September 17 – All Teachers Employed
Spearman is to have that new school building. Every day brings new evidence of that fact. The Bone Construction Company have a crew of men, under Foreman Coffee, here on the job and they are going about the work making a beginning in a business-like way. Monday morning was the day set for the beginning of construction, but the Board of Trustees of the Spearman Independent School District were that morning presented with two petitions which were acted on before any work was done. One petition asked the Board to not construct the building so that it would face the northwest, but to set it straight with the world. The other petition asked the Board to negotiate for lots near the Glover residence in the south part of town and to have the new building constructed thereon. The Board acted favorably on the last petition which killed the other one. The Board secured about eight acres of land at the new location, which they believe will be better for the school, in that it will give plenty of room for playgrounds and be away from the dangers of automobiles. Excavating for the basement was the first work on the job and this will be completed by Saturday night. Mr. Coffee, foreman of the construction, has a crew of men ready to go and the work will be rushed as speedily as is consistent with superior workmanship.
Superintendent Wilcox informs us that everything is being whipped into shape for the beginning of school on Monday, September 17. The teachers have all been employed and have been notified to appear next week. Following is the faculty of Spearman School for the 1923-24 term: A.H. Wilcox, Superintendent and Vocational Agriculture; O.L. Savage, Principal, History, and Athletics; Miss Ethel Deakin, Mathematics; Miss Alma Siler, English; Miss Della Landers, Sixth and Seventh Grades; Miss Anna Whittenberg, Fourth and Fifth Grades; Miss Almira McComas, Third and Fourth Grades; Miss Erma Bentley, Second and Third Grades; Miss Ethel Crawhorn, Primary. Miss Voda Baldwin is the teacher at the Hansford school and Miss Apperson will teach the Micou school.
Students wishing to register or discuss the work for the coming year will find the Superintendent at the school building next week, any day. Prof. Wilcox informs us that he is particularly anxious to meet those boys who are expecting to take Vocational Agriculture, and he is also anxious to meet all the boys who are interested in athletics. He wants the latter to meet him at the school building next Monday afternoon. It is intended to organize a good football team at the beginning of the term. There is no reason why Spearman Hi should not have a winning football team this year. The material is here and with the proper coaching they can be organized into a mighty good team. Prof. Savage, the athletic coach, will be here Monday afternoon to take charge of the football boys.
HURRAH for Spearman Hi – the best school north of the Canadian River in Texas, and as good as any south of the river.

THE WOMEN FOLKS ARE INTERESTED
Mrs. J.H. Buchanan, superintendent of the culinary and needlecraft departments of the Hansford County Fair, was in the city Thursday and reports that interest in these important departments is waxing warm and she expects some strong competition and splendid exhibits at the Fair. Mrs. Buchanan requests the Reporter to announce that articles for exhibition in these departments will be received at the offices of A.F. Barkley in Spearman, beginning with Saturday, September 15, and will be cared for at this place until such time as they can be moved to the new garage building of R.W. Morton, which will be used by the ladies during the Fair. The management of these departments are fortunate indeed to secure such a splendid place as the Morton Garage building for the display of the exhibits in these departments. The building is brand new, spotlessly clean, there are large show windows, and the location is ideal. Departments “G” and “H”, Culinary and Needlecraft, will attract much attention at the Hansford County Fair, September 20 and 21.

W.M. Lieb, R. Cookston, L.C. Henderson and others from the Lieb settlement were in Wednesday trading and attending to business matters. Mr. Lieb says his community will be at the Fair strong this year and will make strenuous efforts to take away a number of the prizes. Mr. Lieb was tied up in court last year and did not get to attend the Fair. Mr. Cookston recently held a sale of his belongings and is making preparations to move to the state of Washington.

75 Years Ago – 9/9/1948

Hansford County School Enrollments Skyrocket

Gruver Schools Reach All Time High Enrollment of 266 Students for First Day of 1948-1949 Scholastic Year
Eclipsing all previous records for first day enrollment; Supt. Lawrence Brotherton of the Gruver school reported a total enrollment of 266 students on Monday of this week. Last year’s first day enrollment was 232 students. The peak for the year was 241 students.
Enrollment at Gruver was divided as follows:

1st Grade 25 students, 2nd Grade 39 students, 3rd Grade 20 students, 4th Grade 25 students, 5th Grade 24 students, 6th Grade 25 students, 7th Grade 20 students, 8th Grade 26 students.
Freshman Class 15 students, Sophomore Class 14 students, Junior Class 15 students, Senior Class 18 students.
An undetermined number of students of the Gruver district will report for studies at the Guymon, Oklahoma high school next Monday.

Spearman Schools Record Total Enrollment 484 Students In First Day’s Registration September 7
Setting an all time for enrollment despite the fact that a sizable group of students from the Holt community who have attended school in Spearman for 17 years transferred to Morse, the total first day enrollment at Spearman reached 484 students, according to information from Superintendent Hartman.
Enrollment by grades and class was as follows:

1st Grade 63 students, 2nd Grade 48 students, 3rd Grade 38 students, 4th Grade 39 students, 5th Grade 41 students, 6th Grade 35 students, 7th Grade 66 students, 8th Grade 34 students.
Freshmen Class 32 students, Sophomore Class 32 students, Junior Class 30 students, Senior Class 26 students.
With band being offered this year and all available classrooms crowded to capacity it is understood that the local school board is negotiating for the purchase of additional buildings from War Surplus at Pampa. No official announcement has been made, however.

Will Have 60 Pupils in School Band
Supt. Hartman stated this week at so far 32 pupils will make up the Senior band, and 28 from the intermediates, making a total y 60 band students this year. This is the first band Spearman Schools have had in many years.

MORSE – PRINGLE NEWS
September 6th, Labor Day. Labor, work, so say the school children going back to school. But for many, it is the end of a long, long holiday, and do you know, it's only a little while until Thanksgiving.
Community Red Letter Days: Sept. 1, Bobby Boynton, Dena Jo De Bord; Sept. 2, Lem Meaders; Sept. 4, Sharon Parks, Bert Harrison; Sept. 5, Ben Gillispie; Sept. 9, Allen Dixon Thuett; Sept. 10, Kenneth Alexander; Sept. 13, Bob Wright; Sept. 19, Anne Boney Woodruff, Hazel Davis, Lavoe S narks; Sept. 16, Roy Womble; Sept. 25, Mrs. Besse Henderson; and Sept. 29, Mrs. L.N. Lanners.
The Dixons celebrated Mrs. Pearl Dixon's birthday this week Elva Jean Thuett and Allen Dixon were home for the event.
Jim Ownbey severely injured his foot Friday when some wheel rests which he was using with a plow fell on him. He was taken home to Canadian Saturday for X-Ray and probable treatment. Extent of the injuries was not determined but it is supposed that at least some of the bones in his foot were broken.
Mrs. W.C. Eaker, the former Nancy Ownbey of this community, is visiting the Jim Ownbey and Robert Ownbey homes this week. She is accompanied by her infant son, James Linus. The Eakers live in Alton, Illinois, where Dr. Eaker is a physician.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Paul and daughter of Los Angeles, California, spent a week in the M.W. McCloy home recently. Mr. Paul is a nephew of Mr. McCloy. An interesting note comes when we are reminded that Mr. Paul used to attend school at the old school known as Centerville School in this community.
The Morse Methodist Church has organized a Junior Children’s Department with Marvin Lee Williams as Superintendent and Josie Marie Coffee, song leader. The cradle roll class has been moved to the basement under the supervision of Mrs. Desmond Kelly. They have a new song-box and toys and other equipment. The primary group meets with Mrs. H.B. Parks and the Juniors with Mrs. C.R. Hankins. This young group meets in a general assembly for songs and prayers before going upstairs to join the adults for church.
Word comes of the marriage of Harlan Terry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Terry, recently.