History of Bluff Creek District Number 14

Bluff Creek School District is situated in the Southwestern part of Taylor County, embracing the upper Bluff Creek Valley and a portion of the mountains that surround it.

The first white settlers arrived here in the fall of 1877, bringing with them practically nothing hut their courage. They had hardly made themselves secure in their new environment till they began to make plans for providing elementary education for their children. The first school house was built in 1881, a rude structure of boxing and strips about twenty feet square, but, considering the fact that this material had to he hauled from Fort Worth on ox-wagons it was a veritable mansion. This old building was used for a school house last in 1904, when it was sold for a barn, and a typical one-room country school house of fifteen years ago took its place. In 1917 the old building was remodeled and another room added, making the present building, modern in lighting, heating, and ventilating, and fairly well equipped.

A Mr. Grant, one of the early settlers, as teacher, opened the first school in the spring of 1882; but died before the term was completed and the work was finished by his son, Jesse. About twenty pupils gathered from what is now Moro, Valley Creek, and Bluff Creek communities-were in attendance upon this school. The schools of these early days were usually of three-months' duration and were taught in the summer. The three 'R's" and spelling formed the course of study. Town-ball was the chief sport.

In 1917 Bluff Creek increased its tax to fifty cents and became eligible for State Aid; with this help it has been able to maintain a good average two-teacher school. Upon one occasion it held an enviable place in the county contests, being surpassed only by Abilene and Merkel in the number of points scored. This year 1921-1922, it won the silver cup offered by Mr. Ocie Hunt of Bradshaw for the schools of this section, in a spelling contest with Bradshaw, Guion, Drasco, and Moro. Katy Herrington, the representative of the Bluff Creek School, did not miss one of the one hundred seventy-five words given for the test.

The class of school work offered at Bluff Creek is probably far from ideal, but we can say at least that none of the many illiterates who live in Texas hail from our district. We can say further that not one of the many who have taken the elementary training we offer has turned to a life of crime. All are breathing free air and many are useful citizens in the communities in which they live. This record school should give us courage to continue the good work started by our fathers; it should inspire new ideals for greater and better things; it should make us dream new dreams to be realized in a school second to none in points of equipment and instruction. May we ever hold high these ideals of good citizenship early imbued into our community-ideals which are in a large measure, responsible for our non- illiterate, non-criminal record. -W.R. GRIFFITH

Class Roll

Reference: The Buffalo Trail, 1922, yearbook of Taylor County Schools

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