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Historic Old Country School House To Be RetiredOld Kincaid School at 2504 59th St. served as courthouse and hlt;ONE OF the Harris children. Mrs. Emma Claiborn said. “How well I remember — people coming-in to the schoolhouse bringing us clothing and food to help us get started again.’*She has fond memories of the old Kincaid school where “the kids came on horseback, some in wagons and others hitchhiking in the mud with long black stockings and black bloomers.’’“And how we loved our lunch — especially cold biscuits and cold bacon,’* she reminisced.SOME OF HER schoolmates who are living today include Fred Leimer Jr., Fred W. Schaper and former tax assessor and collector Gus F. Jud.But the schoolhouse had to be partitioned to accommodate Father and Mother Harris and their three sons and one daughter.Here they lived in what the east enders considered “the wilderness.” Judge Harris continued to serve as the law and also he served as a school trustee.Hard to believe now, because this part of the island is fast becoming the metropolis of Galveston, but then was just “way down the end of the island.”THE CHILDREN went to the new school and the Harrises went back into the dairy business right in their own back yard.The storm of 1919 struck the island and the Harris house was filled with mud. This led to the decision that it should be raised and so it was.It was to this house that couples came to be married by the judge and Mrs. Harris who played the piano provided the wedding music.In the east end lived Ver-gie Thurmond who caught the fancy of Fred W. Harris and in 1934 they were married and she moved west and joined the Harris household.“I THOUGHT I had mov-Bt TERRY MacLEODNfWS-TltiaUNI STAFF WAITIBThe dean of the country school houses is headed for its execution and with it will go a segment of the color and lore that was part of the west end of Galveston.This is the old Kincaid Country School situated at 2504 59th Street which in its dayp has served as justice court, a place where young couples w*ere married, and as a home for the Harris family, as well as a place when* youngsters learned their three RsIt was the pride of the west enders — a two - room country school where kids attended through the seventh grade and had its beginningin 1900 when the west end of the island had grown to the size it needed a school of its own way down there.'*BUT IN THE spring of 1915 this part of Galveston was to see a new school, an impressive structure built about 70th and Stewart Road to be known as the Island Rural School and now serves as one of the buildings for the Island School.The building was completed but the county ran short of funds and needed $1,000 with which to equip this newschool.John R Harris, who since 1901 had been the law west of the island, bought the Kincaid schoolhouse. He and his family lived “way down” thesix - mile road engaged in the He served as justice of the peace for 36 years.LITTLE DID he realize that with the purchase of the vacated schoolhouse he was making a home for his family, for when the hurricane of September 1915 came, all the belongings of the family were destroyed as well as their home and their cattle.The family made its way to the schoolhouse where it set up housekeeping.When they got into the house they found one horse wdio was a first class “ham actor” and this saved its life. He was perched atop the stage and there he protected himself from the rising waters during the hurricane.w sheer spiralspinsits own fashion story in textures for Spring! even more captivating in enlightened colorst $]95Mail orders filled promptlyMrs. Fred W. Harris will trade old school for this homeed out in the country,” she mused and while she admitted the street car rides way out there were so long she enjoyed them because it gave a chance to get caught up on the doings of her friends.Judge Harris died in 1937 and his son Fred was appointed to fill the unexpired term of his father and then re - elected for the eight succeeding years.“We were left alone in the house and here we lived with the dream of on day building a modern home just like we want,” she said.But the dream didn't materialize soon enough for her husband died in 1962.“THE HOUSE is old and full of memories but must be torn down,” Mrs. Harris said, “and I am going on with the plans we made together.”Next door is a modern buff brick home which is nearing completion and this will be home for Mrs. Harris shortly.Obviously moved by the fact she was deserting the old house which had been home to her and her husband for 31 years she said, “I want tobe sure and take this with 1 me,” as she caressed a small round table, “iuwas in front | of this that Father Harris 1 and then my husband mar- | ried so many people.The old Kincaid School will f meet its doom at the hand of | Bill Zingleman, whose mother | learned to read and write in 1 the now decadent building. *
Newspaper Details
Galveston News Tribune
Galveston, Texas, US
Mon, Jan 11, 1965
Page 39
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 26 Aug 2023
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