History of Anson ISD
The face of education in Anson has changed much since its humble beginnings in 1882. Nowhere has that change been more evident than in the buildings in which it took place. You will be taken on a tour of the facilities, traversing more than a century in the process. Along the way, you may fondly recall days gone by, discover something interesting, or simply come to appreciate what you have in the present. So sit back an enjoy this portrait in wood, brick, and mortar.
The first school taught in the town section of Anson was opened in April of 1882 and closed in July of the same year. It was taught in the residence of R. M. Huie, which was located on the first lot south of the First Baptist Church. In 1956, the Johnny Moore Magnolia Station was located there. E. G. Jones, of St. Louis, Missouri, was the teacher. The next school was also taught by Mr. Jones, assisted by his wife, in their home, which was located near the Methodist Church. Unfortunately, no photos of this home could be found. The first school building was erected on Block 55, Lot 4, which in 1933 was a property of the Joe Grace Estate (Western Observer, May 1933). The decision to build this school was made at a mass meeting in the Buie Law office during the summer of 1883. Enough money was raised by public subscription to build one room. The Masonic Lodge agreed to build a room for their own use, to cover the building, and to furnish the lot. The structure was put up by volunteer labor, and Mr. Jones also taught this school. The drawing below comes from a 1947 issue of the Western Observer.
By 1889 a larger building was needed, so a wooden structure was erected on the lot where later the Ward School would stand. Its value was $5,000 and was paid for by the taxpayers of the district. It was out of this building that the first class was graduated. In 1904 this second school building was sold, moved to the site of Anson's first hotel, the Tipton Inn, and given a veneer of brick. It became known as the Ansford Hotel, which stood until it burned in 1943.
The first class was graduated from Anson High School on May 15, 1897. The first graduates were Lola Hale, Allie Maxwell, Lelia Morris, Effie Neville, and Nannie Thompkins. The principal was C. E. Evans.
When the 1889 school was moved, a new two story brick structure was built in its place. It was used for all grades until 1910 (Western Observer, November 8, 1956).
In the year 1910, a new high school building was erected on Commercial, three blocks south of the square. (The area on which it stood serves as the faculty parking lot for the present high school.) The building was a long, two-storied red brick structure, adorned in front with four white Gothic columns (Hi-Jester, 1949).
In 1929, at a cost of $32,000, the original unit of the Ward School (along with a gymnasium) were constructed (Western Observer, November 8, 1956). The photo to the left was scanned from a 1939 Hi-Jester.
In 1935 and 1936, wings were added to the Ward School.
The High School Auditorium was constructed (Western Observer, November 8, 1956). The auditorium was built at a cost of $30,000, 45% of which was furnished by the Public Works Administration. The auditorium was officially opened on December 31, 1936. Fifty-two seniors from the class of 1937 were the first to hold their graduation exercises in the new building (Hi-Jester, May 11, 1937). It was demolished in 1997 to make room for the present auditorium/band hall/administrative offices complex.
In 1948, a $250,000 school bond was passed for the construction of a new elementary school (photo not available) and the remodeling of the high school. Remodeling of the high school occurred in the summer of 1948. (The picture to the left is of the high school with the Auditorium to the side). An open house was held on October 12, 1948. The contract for the new elementary school was awarded on March 21, 1949. Less than a year later, on January 30, 1950, the elementary held its open house.
According to the plaque just inside the front entrance, the present high school was constructed in 1968. To the left is a photo that shows the remains of the 1910 school building, with the recently completed new school in the background.