Grapeland School, Then and Now

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By Teresa Holloway
Messenger Reporter
GRAPELAND – An old log building, once located where the Baptist Church now stands, served the Grapeland community as a schoolhouse until 1892. Research indicates the first teacher was N.A. Hickey.
In 1892, a fancy, two story frame building became the Grapeland School. The building was located on College Street where the home of Dan Pennington was once stood.
The 1901 version of the Grapeland Messenger bragged the school was one of the best in the county. The school offered commercial business courses as well as standard academics and had an faculty of about ten people.
The first student to graduate from the tenth grade in Grapeland was Cleo Murchison in 1904-05. In 1907, the Grapeland school was again complimented by the Messenger for its excellence. Three of the graduates of the class passed the State Examination for the first Grade Certificate.
The old frame building burned in 1912 and a new brick school was constructed by Herbert Leaverton and Eugene Walling in 1914 at the site of the present high school.
One of the major events at the old school was a visit from Buster Brown, who was selling and advertising his new line of shoes. The personality spent a well-lauded couple of days in the Grapeland area before moving on to other parts of Texas, but he left behind some very happy, star-struck children of all ages.
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