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A county-wide public school district was established soon after Hutchinson County was created in 1901. As more people began to settle in the area, regional school districts were formed. Common School District No. 8 was established in the northeastern corner of the county in 1902. The first schoolhouse, located on land owned by Benjamin Calvin Holt, was a one-room structure built in 1903. This two-room schoolhouse was constructed in 1916 with lumber and other building materials hauled in from Texoma, Oklahoma. The simple wooden structure exhibits classical revival style detailings, especially in the gable entrance. Other features include oversized windows and decorative wood shingles. Regular school classes were held here until 1935, when students began attending school in Spearman. The building, however, remained a community gathering place. The site of worship services, weddings and funerals, it has also hosted community activities such as quilting bees and local theater productions and continues to serve as an election polling place. The school buildings and grounds were deeded to the Holt Cemetery Association in 1949. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1989 |
