This week’s article is taken from Mattie Dellinger’s Box 744 with date unknown. (Note: Believed to be written about 1964 per statements made in article.)

The Garza School land for the benefit of Shelby County schools was acquired for the county in 1879, when O.M. Roberts was governor of Texas. There were 2,000 acres in the original grant, and it was patented to Shelby County by the state of Texas on March 10, 1879.

By the year 1964 there were only 1300 acres left of the original 2,000 acres because some of it had sold. These acres are being leased and the county schools receive income each year from the land and oil leases.

The first record of a school in Center at the present location was when S.W. Weaver surveyed the townsite of Center in 1869 and at time there was mention of a furniture factory, a blacksmith shop and the E.T. Smith hotel, (where the First National Bank is located). The record further states that a log schoolhouse was constructed on the present location of Center Elementary School with T.E. Bourney as the first teacher.

According to a book published by J.B. Sanders on Center schools, O.R. Hooper, Shelby County Judge, deeded 4 blocks of land on which “the old and the new schoolhouse is located”. This deed was made to W.P. Wilson, E.S. Hicks, and E.F. Carnahan, as trustees of Center School Community No. 29. This action was authorized by the Commissioners Court on the same day.

In the Shelby County deed records on file in the Clerk’s office on page 438 of Vol. 56, the Center Schoo leased to the Knights of Honor, the upper floor of the NEW school building for 99 years for the sum of $1,000. At that time, it was common practice for a lodge to be above a school or church, this deed set forth the stipulation that all rights and ownership shall revert back to the school should said lodge demise or cease to function as a lodge.

No records were left of the Center University, located where the present Center Elementary School is now. (The school is just off the square). This University was created by an act of the Texas Legislature, but we know that it was operated because of records, receipts and citizens now living who remember the University.

The late W.C. McLendon had a receipt issued by Center University on November 3, 1892, to Willie McLendon for his incidental fee for the first quarter in the amount of 25 cents. It was signed by F.P. Marshall.

The trustees for the Center University in 1893, 94, 95 were: W.G. Paxton, Pres., A.G. Brooks, L.G. McLendon, P.G. Swearingen, Drury Fields, B.F. Bridges, John Sanders, and M.J. Harvey.

In the meantime, the town of Center was incorporated by an election with a total vote of 77....70 voted for and seven against......this election was on January 9, 1892... (Vol. 2, pg 280)

There has been very little information printed relative to the early days of Center schools and historians have pieced bits of records and attempted to preserve all history of the Center schools.

During the year 1903-1904, Prof. A.E. Day, Superintendent of the Center schools, published a 78-page booklet, “Catalogue and Announcement of Center High School.”

This book has been the most informative that we have on the early days of Center and our schools.

It states that the population of Center in 1903 was 1,500, with the assessed valuation of $326,000 and the tax rate 75 cents. There were 12 white and 2 negro teachers. The school term had been extended to 9 months. The value of grounds and buildings for both white and negro was $15, 250 and the school furniture for both was valued at $2,179.

In this book, we found a comparison between the years 1900 and 1903. In 1900 the school property was valued at $3,000 for four room school building in miserable repair, no appliances, ungraded school, and inferior courses, two to four teachers, four to five months of school, no local tax and scholastic enumeration 170.

By 1903 the school buildings and grounds were valued at $18,718, including the new 12 room school building (this was Center School building number 3, located at present elementary site). There were 12 teachers, 9 months of school, a tax of 75 cents per $1,000 valuation and enrollment of 526. Literary, music, expression, business college, and teachers' courses were offered.

On March 19, 1899, the Center Independent School District #48 was created by a vote of the people and the above deed was made to the new organization. A slate was a school necessity in those days and one of the special pieces of equipment at our school was a $45 microscope.One of the items stressed in the book that the Center School could teach “you to write legibly.”

Students were called to and from class by the beating of a march on a snare drum. School dismissed in the same manner. It is a known fact that Superintendent A.E. Day brought the first progress to Center schools. He served first as a superintendent from 1900 to 1910 and then again from 1921 to 1924. His daughter, Miss Nellie Mae Day, lived across the street from the Center Elementary School and for many years taught piano lessons to school students.

Supt. Day rode over the town in his buggy at night and any youngsters caught on the streets were given a very stern talking to and sent home. Unusual cases, such as smoking, chewing tobacco, or using vile language were given punishment. Occasionally students were given special permission to date.

The Center High School progressed steadily until 1907 when it became necessary to build a new building. The new $20,000 red brick two story building was started on September 3, 1907, with the Masonic Lodge of Center in charge of the ceremonies for tearing down of the proud old edifice that was removed for newer units of education. The cornerstone is now erected on the grounds of the Center Elementary School along with the bell that was sounded for classes for several generations.

Center’s population in 1907 was 3,500 and the school had 14 teachers with the superintendent’s salary, $2,000 per year. The class of 1907 of which Oscar Rushing was a member was the last to graduate from the old building and the 1908 class held graduation exercises in the Christian Church while the school was under construction. Miss Trudie Nicholson was a member of this class. The first class to graduate from the new two-story brick was the 1909 class of which Claude Barron was a member.