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Submitted by:
Kay Cunningham

ERA OF ANNEXATIONS
AND
BUILDING

     ANNEXATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION OF STUDENTS. In April 1942, Albert M. Tate, deputy state superintendent of the State Department of Education (Texas), became superintendent of Marlin's schools. It became his destiny to lead Marlin's educational institution in probably the most crucial period in Marlin's history-an era of rapidly increasing scholastic enrollments and uniting of school for more comprehensive and efficient education. At first, Superintendent Tate's duties were somewhat routine-but heavier and more varied services were "just around the corner."

    

     In April 1943, newspapers reported that the art department of the schools, instructed by Miss Lillie Mae McKinley, arranged a colorful and impressive display of creations of elementary pupils. The display brought wide approval. Drawings were in crayons, water colors, block printing and various designs and colors. Some were made at home by the pupils, including self - portraits, portraits of parents and other members of families; some were scenes, including one of Marlin's oil mill, other buildings and sites; and some were conventional illustrations of Biblical events and personalities, including creations from the Book of Revelation. The news- papers also reported that the art department purchased $1,418 worth of War Stamps. Miss McKinley said the pupils manifested pride in their work and enthusiasm for it.

    

     School board minutes of June of that year (1943) carried a resolution of appreciation of and commendations for Miss Agnes Peyton who had served her Alma Mater as teacher and principal for over 43 years, presumably more than any other person. She had retired and in an appearance before the Marlin Rotary Club as honor guest, she said that she cherished with great pride a satisfaction she had in having "a hand in training you, the successful doctors, lawyers, business men and helpful citizens of our community." The quality of her services and citizenship commanded the many felicitations and commendations she received from Rotarians and people of Marlin.

    

     Within three years after he became superintendent, Mr. Tate and the board of education were aware of increased enrollments and needs for expansion. The board directed that an architect be called to look over the needs of the schools and make recommendations. In October 1945, the board's building committee, B. C. Bratton, Cecil R. Glass and J. E. Parton, reported that an architect, Arthur Thomas, had been to Marlin and was ready with his report and recommendations. In the meantime, the board of education had sensed interests of other schools in Marlin's program and invited trustees of all schools east of the river to meet with it for discussion. Following a series of meetings and conferences, the board called for a $300,000 bond election and the election carried in June 1946. Immediately, a building program got under way, Mr. Thomas having been officially selected architect in August 1946.

    

     In November 1946, Superintendent Tate was authorized to purchase surplus war property from the Hearne (Texas) Prisoner of War Camp and arrange for transportation of the buildings to Marlin "to be used for school purposes." With these materials and available funds, the Negro elementary school building on Commerce street was constructed. Previously in 1945, the board had sold a building of Independence School District (Negro) and money there from had been added to the building fund. P. A. Lindsay, Marlin contractor, was contractor for the Commerce street building.

    

     In the same building program, an inter-communications system was installed in the white schools in 1947. Superintendent Tate said the value of the system in efficiency cannot be over-estimated. It made it possible for departments and personalities to communicate with one another without the necessity of making personal calls or sending messengers.

    

     ANNEXATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION OF STUDENTS. Superintendent Tate said early in his administration it became evident Marlin Independent School District could serve more efficiently, especially, children of the rural areas, if other schools were "annexed" to the Marlin educational system. He said, "Considerable study and planning convinced us of the wisdom of procuring these better educational advantages to all school districts in the vicinity of Marlin. Talks were made to people of the districts and invitations extended for them to join an improvement program. Attention was called to Marlin's facilities to provide more comprehensive and economical education-that smaller districts could give only a 'skimpy education diet'-."

    

     In August 1947, the board of education let it be known officially that it favored annexations of other schools and emphasized the advantages of doing so. Annexations became popular and, under a broad program, in 1947 Schools of Rockdam, Springhill, Elm Grove, Old Zion, Barganier and Taylor Chapel were annexed; in 1948 those of Blue Ridge, Rosedale, Grady, Lamar, Reagan Independent District, Eloise, Stranger and St. Paul; in 1949 Alto Springs, Eureka and McClanahan; and in 1952, Criswell, Alexander and Highbank. In the period, 1942 to 1959, the area of Marlin Independent School District increased from 23.16 square miles to 307.6; and its tax valuations increased from $3,676,409 to $9,912,775.

    

     To get children to and from schools (rural areas), it was necessary to supply buses. At first, transportation by bus caused problems, because most roads were difficult and parents were apprehensive of having their children ride on buses. Eventually, these problems vanished and people gladly voted for annexations.

    

     In 1959-60, the average number of white children traveling to school on buses numbered 461; of Nego children, 236. The total number riding buses was 697. In the1958-59 school year, school buses carried children 1,001.1 miles each day, a total of 172,192.5 miles for the session. With the help of state aid, the cost per pupil to Marlin Independent School District was only 27.35 cents, including costs of fuel, oil, bus maintenance and depreciation and salaries of drivers. Superintendent Tate said, "It was found that students of the rural areas began graduating in about the same proportion as those of the urban area, whereas formerly most of them terminated their education at the end of the ninth and tenth grades.”

    

     Along with annexations and getting pupils to and from Marlin came needs of buildings and equipment, in and with which to teach and train the children and youth. Details of financing the huge building program, dates of building the various structures, by whom and so on are unnecessary here. However, a few details are interesting.

    

     In July 1948, Floyd Cole, Marlin contractor, was employed to build an Industrial Arts building on Green street. It is a comparatively small building, housing classes in industrial arts and the schools' maintenance shop and equipment

    

     AUDITORIUM AND OTHER BUILDINGS. In the building program of 1950, original plans called for demolition of the elementary school building, erected in 1903 as an all- purpose building. The building was converted into the present {1959-60) auditorium, popularly known as the "elementary school auditorium." The auditorium relieves wide use of the gymnasium as an assembly place, originally de- signed for a combination of auditorium and gymnasium. The auditorium accommodates school assemblies of all sorts and, under school supervision and requirements of the board of education, the citizens of Marlin and vicinity.

    

     Also to be noted is disposition of school buildings of schools annexed to Marlin schools. Late in 1951, eight former school buildings-those at St. Paul, Bradshaw, Eloise, Eureka, Rose- dale, McClanahan, Alto Springs and Rockdam Road-were sold. Others were sold or moved and a few were still standing on their respective sites in 1959.

    

     In April 1951, Harry B. Stallworth, Jr., school engineer and instructor, was directed to go ahead with plans for building a homemaking addition to Booker T. Washington (Negro) School. His plans were accepted and the building was ushered into service that same year.

    

     In March 1955, buildings for the seventh and eighth grades of Negro children in South Marlin were demolished to make way for new structures. The building committee of the board of education, Cullen J. Rogers, Tom Gallaher and George Langford, supervised construction of the new building.

    

     In 1956 an architect's plans, recommended by Mr. Stallworth, for building more structures on the school site at Capps and Carter streets, were consummated. Garner Poole, Marlin electrical contractor, acquired the contract for the electrical work and fixtures. Later in same year, Superintendent Tate purchased an additional 100 chairs for the Booker T. Washington schools.

    

     Early in 1958, following passage of a bond election for school improvements, another building program got under way. A spacious lot on Houghton street, south of the railroad and bounded on the east by Bryden street, part of the W. J. Finks homestead site, was site of erection of several buildings, some of them ready for use at the beginning of the 1959-1960 school year and some later in the year.

    

     In January 1959, the board of education purchased for the schools the Bartlett property on the north side of Kendrick street from Mrs. E. B. Holloway, nee Madeline Bartlett, and other Bartlett heirs, upon which other buildings were erected and ready for use by the start of the 1959-1960 school year. One of the buildings was for the junior high school and an- other for expansion of the elementary school.  At the same time, a 12-room building was erected in South Marlin for use of the Booker T. Washington schools. The approximate value of all properties of Marlin Independent School District in 1960 amounted to $1,154,000, $84,000 of which was the value of lands.

    

     SUNDRY SCHOOL FACTS, 1942 TO 1960. In May 1949, the Lamar school building located north of Marlin was moved to the school site and converted into a room for vocational agriculture, a section of it used for shop purposes.

   

     In August 1950, in line with building programs, Superintendent Tate was authorized to purchase 500 chairs for the Negro schools and 250 for schools for white children. Later, Superintendent Tate purchased an additional 100 chairs for the Negro schools.

    

     In October 1949, the board of education authorized establishment of a drivers' education course in the schools. The course was established after the superintendent, at the board's direction, made a study of its needs, or value, and had reported favorably to the board.

    

     In February 1958, the schools' 5-acre tract of land north of the city limits, formerly used for vocational agriculture purposes, was leased for ten years to the Marlin Lions Club for youth recreation purposes. The lease provided that improvements on the premises would become the property of Marlin Independent School District at the end of the lease; and the District reserved the right to sell the land under rules enumerated in the lease contract. The acreage, which became popularly known as "Lions Field," became popular for youth activities, particularly in summers.