THE MARCH OF TIME IN MONAHANS

(The following article and pictures were found in "The Monahanian" - the first Monahans High School Annual, 1937.  Special thanks to Editors:  Thurman Hunt & Frank Stompfli and Business Manager:  Lloyd Lewis for a wonderful account of the history of our school system.)

    Before civilization built its steel trail across West Texas, the strip of sands, in which Monahans is now located, was considered an uninhabitable wasteland.  The white man, in his push westward, hurried with what haste he could over the dry sand hills, little dreaming that two precious liquids flowed beneath them.  The red man alone knew that water in abundance was concealed here, and neither white man nor red had knowledge of the oil that lay beneath the sand.

    When the instinct of the red man urged him to strike the white invaders, the sand hills offered him refuge from his pursuers, soldiers from Fort Davis and rangers from the Big Bend country, who little suspected that any life could survive in a region apparently unsupplied with water.  In these barren hills, the Indian could push back a few feet of sand and make a well around which to camp in comfort on the exact spot where at least one unsuspecting wagon train perished from thirst.

    In time, however, the red man's secret became known and an enterprising Irishman, named Pat Monahans, dug two wells in the desert and established an authentic oasis.  With the coming of the railroad in 1881, these wells became increasingly important and Pat Monahans' name was perpetuated in the name of the little town which grew up around his wells and the railroad station.

    Gradually the community began to grow.  Grass was good, and the cattleman moved in with his herds, fencing and family.  The first school was opened in a little house, then in 1898 the first school building was erected.  This building -- one room and a porch -- was located just south of the Ballard Hotel.  In 1900 the one teacher and 36 pupils who occupied this building were photographed.  (below)

The teacher was Miss Annie Carr, sister of Mr. Van Carr; she is standing in the extreme background to the right of the post.  The pupils in the picture kneeling on front row are Myrtle Duvall, Minnie Moore, Joe Crumbie, Unknown, Dewey Qualls, Willoby, Jim Moore, and Edith Overby.  Kneeling or seated on the second row are J. B. Underwood, Mintor Boyd, Brilla Boyd, Rena Williams, Unknown, Ora Ham, Eddie Ham, Lou Ella Moore, Jake Qualls, Unknown.  In the third row standing to the left of the post is Ben Qualls, and to the right of the post are Carey Wilson, Watson Crumbie, Laura Hill, and Italy Beckham.  In the first row on the porch are Elmer Hill, Cora Willoby, May Woods (Grammar School Geography in hand), Lizzie Hill, and Fred Qualls.  Standing behind them are May Underwood, Willoby, Armond Overby, Myrtle Holman and Clarence Hill.  On the last row are Cora Beckham, Miss Annie Carr (teacher), and an unidentified girl.

   In 1901 or 1902 a second teacher was needed, so the porch was boxed in and a partition erected to form two rooms.  Later an L extension was added to the south and a third teacher employed.  (picture below)

    When the enrollment of the school outgrew the building, other facilities were provided, the original school was sold, torn down, and moved. 

    In 1911 a new school was erected just north of the old school.  This building was a two story frame structure with an entrance hall and two class rooms below, and a combined class room and auditorium above.  This building became a community center in the truest sense of the word; in it school, parties, church services, dances, weddings, and elections were held.

    Until 1911 the school cared for pupils from the first through the ninth grades, but when the school was moved into it new quarters the tenth grade was added and , in the spring of 1911, the first formal graduation exercises took place on the stage of the new auditorium.  It was sixteen years later before the eleventh grade was added to the curriculum.

    During this period the school had, for several years, one of the most loved teachers, in its early history, Mrs. Mederias, who left a lasting impression on the mind of the community.  Mrs. Mederias is shown in the picture below with the pupils and teachers of the school in 1916.

    In 1925 oil was discovered in Ward County and a period of almost phenomenal growth set it.  Almost over night the town was changed from the sleepy little village displayed in the picture below 

to the bustling oil town shown beneath it.

    Within a few months the school enrollment doubled itself and in 1927 a new brick school building was erected on South Minor Street.  It contained six class rooms and an auditorium.  When the new building was opened, the faculty was composed of five teachers, and the eleventh grade was added.  The picture below shows the entire school during the first spring the new brick building was occupied.

    The photograph below shows the first and second grades of 1927.  It is of particular interest since the present Junior class (of 1937) was in the first grade of 1927.  Among those in School:  Stanley Wright, Melford Harrison, Aiene Hayes, Alene Casey, Jackie Terrell, Ed Long, Doris Tatom, and Mary Lee Smith.

    Artie Jordan was the first grade teacher of this group as per her granddaughter, Pat Paylor (Davis) class of 67.   Her husband --  J. B. Jordan was considered the first official superintendent (1927 - 1928).

    About 1928 the first school band was organized in Monahans, with Rosie Ray as director.  This first band picture (below)

shows this band on the occasion when the first train ran over the newly laid Texas and New Mexico Railroad.

    This band picture (above) shows the band in 1932-33 with Mr. Charles Eskridge, director.  It was comprised mainly of sixth and seventh graders who in 1937 were in the high school band.

    The band picture (above) is the band of 1933-34.

    By 1936 the school had again out grown its quarters and a new building program was launched.  With the aid of a federal grant, a new $135,000 high school building, containing twenty-eight classrooms, an auditorium, and gymnasium was erected.  (below)  A. E. Lang was the superintendent and W. T. Powell was the Principal.

Teachers included:  C. A Schofield, C. G. Walker, Holly Sansom, Betty Watson, Melba Rae Thurston, Mary Marie Briant, Mrs. F. A. Robinson, M. R. Thomas, and W. A. Andrews.