History of Elm Grove School Number 8
About 1890 a school was organized near the head of Big Elm Creek with six or eight students enrolled.
By means of donation from the citizenship, a one room building was erected. Because of the numerous groves of elm trees
surrounding the building, the school was named Elm Grove.
The first few schools were small because this was principally a ranching country. Later the ranches were cut up
into farms and the school began to grow as the farms were settled. By 1905 the school was one of the largest one-teacher
schools of the county, having between seventy and seventy-five pupils. A few years later the people began to move away
and again the school was small. Many of the farms were combined and turned into ranches, and, by 1912, the country was
again mainly given over to ranching. At this time it was necessary for the convenience of the remaining students, to
move the school building nearer the geographical center of the district. So the trustees moved the building to its
present site.
Although being in a very remote location, this school has been very fortunate in securing good teachers. All the
teachers have given satisfaction and each school year has been very profitable, hut perhaps Mr. W. D. Herring was the
most successful teacher, especially considering the fact that he had seventy-three pupils under him. During his teaching
was organized the first literary society that Elm Grove had, and this did both the pupils and the district an unlimited
amount of good. Miss Analou Estes should also be mentioned, having taught four very successful terms here. It was during
her teaching and partly through her influence that the taxes were raised to fifty cents and State Aid first obtained.
During the year 1921-22 the school has had the further good fortune of having had the services of Miss Alice Fuller,
who, though young and inexperienced, has rendered most efficient service. This district has had a very hard struggle to
keep a school alive, and has undergone many hardships, but all the people have worked and are still working for the good
of the school, thereby making it possible, to have one of the best one-teacher schools in the county.
Class Roll
SECOND GRADE
John Dee Whisenhunt
Louise McWilliams
Fannie Mae Whisenhunt
Walter Smith
Fred Smith
THIRD GRADE
Fred Perry
Ruby Perry
SIXTH GRADE
Cramer Reynolds
Lloyd Perry
Ceorge Whisenhunt
Druciebel McWilliams
Amba Tedford
SEVENTH GRADE
Ray Perry
Forest Reynolds
Fay Perry
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