Barnett School
Barnett School #85
Hornett
FM 1377 and CR 502
Blue Ridge, Texas
The Barnett community was located 2 miles southwest of Blue Ridge. In 1890 the school had 51 students and 37 in 1891. In 1897 Miss Margaret Webb was a teacher at the school. She had been educated at the school. In 1901 Miss Laura Reed was the teacher. In 1905 Miss Lissa Barnett was the teacher and the attendance was 69. In 1908 and 1909 Miss Effie Reed was the teacher. The school had a 5-month term that year with about 55 pupils. In 1909 Barnett district was planning to erect a new frame school building 3 ½ miles southwest of Blue Ridge. Miss Maggie Wall was the teacher for the school. The school had 12 male and 13 female students. By 1912 it had 69 students and 69 in 1925.
In 1918 the County Superintendent of Schools said this about Barnett School:
“We are very glad to know that this district expects to build a new house for their next school. Some of the preliminaries have begun. The new house will be a two-room house with all modern equipments. One good thing for this school is that it has in the person of Mr. J. A. Barnett who is a big land holder in the district and a very earnest friend for the school. Mr. Barnett, while he is living at Blue Ridge, knows that the extra tax that he will be called on to pay in this district because of the new house will be more than met by the good that he can do the children who live there and have there only chance for an education in the home school. I earnestly hope that other land owners in Collin County will take up the slogan for better schools. I believe that this in only justice to those who cultivate the soil. The enrollment of this school is 60, but the attendance has been cut down because of much sickness. Mr. W. W. Jones and Miss Esta Lucas are teachers. We are delighted with the outlook for this school.”
In 1920 the Barnett School was in debt. A chicken broiling, ice cream, and box supper was held to raise money for the school. One hundred fat hens were donated for the event.
In 1935 new seats were brought up from Temple for the school. The trustees had gravel hauled for walks at the school. The school consolidated with Blue Ridge in the 1940s and in 1950 the Barnett School property was sold by the trustees of the Blue Ridge Rural High School.
