Womble School
Womble School #131
CR 466 at CR 499
Climax, Texas
The Womble School was a one room rural school located northwest of Climax, Texas. The building was an abandoned school moved from the Johnson Community south of Altoga, Texas in 1910. The school was commonly called Mississippi.
In 1871 the school was taught by John Wiley, and the house was south of the present Womble Gray Yard and about ¾ mile east of the present Verona School House. A log house, puncheon floor, clapboard roof, with a log left out of one side to make the crack act as a window, fireplace for heating, house about 16 feet square, with door on east, fireplace in west, split log benches. Children got water when they wanted it, no rules about that; drank out of a gourd; no black board; had to say speeches every Friday – everyone did- had no books, but our school had books to learn speeches from and sometimes several would say the same speech. Teacher would set copy for us to learn to write. Later this house was converted into a residence by the late J. J. Womble.
Charles Chafin worked for a Mr. Cook in the McKinney, Texas area before taking a job as a farm hand for Andrew Caleb Womble in 1896. He worked for Mr. Womble for two years and in 1989 married Julia Ann Womble and moved to his own farm, located near Climax, Texas. Julia Ann was the daughter of Andrew Calib Womble and Mary L. Bowman.
Charles and Julia were the parents of five daughters. Their first born, Alma, died at age 3 months, the other four lived to maturity. They were Myra, Edna, Ona and Leo ("Tot'). In 1906, Julia became an invalid and the Chafin family moved to Tioga Wells, Texas hoping the mineral baths would restore her health. Julia died in 1908 and the family moved back to their home at Climax, Texas.
Charles, realizing he had four daughters to educate and no school near, went to work to correct the situation. The abandoned Old Johnson Schoolhouse was located across the Sister Grove Creek from land owned by Andrew Caleb Womble. Mr. Womble offered to donate land for the school building if it could be moved across the creek. Charles, with the help of other civic minded men living in the area, was able to get the school moved. Those helping in this endeavor were: The Millers, Lewis 's, Stewart's, Recer's and Dr. Charles Hayes. Because of their efforts, the Womble School District #92 was established in 1910 and was used until it was consolidated with the Princeton, Texas schools. In 1925 Womble had 41 students.
Johnson School (Mississippi) first appears on the list of Collin County school districts, in 1892. It had 38 students. In 1899 it had 43 students and 35 in 1900. Miss Henrietta King was the teacher in 1901. That year the Mississippi School District had 3 black students, who were transferred to a colored school. District #131 was skipped in the records in 1905 and by 1923, all of his daughters were married, so Charles retired from farming and moved to Altoga, Texas where he purchased the Dedrick Christian, General Store and Post Office. The Post Office continued in operation until the early 1940s when it was closed by President Roosevelt in favor of Rural Free Delivery out of McKinney, Texas. Charles operated the General Store until his death in 1958.
The County Superintendent of Schools said this about Womble in 1918:
“The Womble was the first school of the county during last year to vote bonds and plan for improving the house. They have made the old one practically new and added another room and each one is well equipped and modern throughout. The Rural School Inspector was very favorably impressed with the outlook for this school when he visited our county. The house is practically complete. Ome delay because scarcity of labor. They will get State aid. The enrollment is over 60. The teachers are R. M. Anderson and Miss ________ [sic] and the work is progressing nicely. The children are greatly encouraged because of the new surroundings.”
Some of the teachers that taught at Womble School were Miss May Wilson, Mr. Grover Priest and Mrs. A. A. Borum. Womble School had 27 students in 1940. The school building was sold in 1948.
CR 466 at CR 499
Climax, Texas
The Womble School was a one room rural school located northwest of Climax, Texas. The building was an abandoned school moved from the Johnson Community south of Altoga, Texas in 1910. The school was commonly called Mississippi.
In 1871 the school was taught by John Wiley, and the house was south of the present Womble Gray Yard and about ¾ mile east of the present Verona School House. A log house, puncheon floor, clapboard roof, with a log left out of one side to make the crack act as a window, fireplace for heating, house about 16 feet square, with door on east, fireplace in west, split log benches. Children got water when they wanted it, no rules about that; drank out of a gourd; no black board; had to say speeches every Friday – everyone did- had no books, but our school had books to learn speeches from and sometimes several would say the same speech. Teacher would set copy for us to learn to write. Later this house was converted into a residence by the late J. J. Womble.
Charles Chafin worked for a Mr. Cook in the McKinney, Texas area before taking a job as a farm hand for Andrew Caleb Womble in 1896. He worked for Mr. Womble for two years and in 1989 married Julia Ann Womble and moved to his own farm, located near Climax, Texas. Julia Ann was the daughter of Andrew Calib Womble and Mary L. Bowman.
Charles and Julia were the parents of five daughters. Their first born, Alma, died at age 3 months, the other four lived to maturity. They were Myra, Edna, Ona and Leo ("Tot'). In 1906, Julia became an invalid and the Chafin family moved to Tioga Wells, Texas hoping the mineral baths would restore her health. Julia died in 1908 and the family moved back to their home at Climax, Texas.
Charles, realizing he had four daughters to educate and no school near, went to work to correct the situation. The abandoned Old Johnson Schoolhouse was located across the Sister Grove Creek from land owned by Andrew Caleb Womble. Mr. Womble offered to donate land for the school building if it could be moved across the creek. Charles, with the help of other civic minded men living in the area, was able to get the school moved. Those helping in this endeavor were: The Millers, Lewis 's, Stewart's, Recer's and Dr. Charles Hayes. Because of their efforts, the Womble School District #92 was established in 1910 and was used until it was consolidated with the Princeton, Texas schools. In 1925 Womble had 41 students.
Johnson School (Mississippi) first appears on the list of Collin County school districts, in 1892. It had 38 students. In 1899 it had 43 students and 35 in 1900. Miss Henrietta King was the teacher in 1901. That year the Mississippi School District had 3 black students, who were transferred to a colored school. District #131 was skipped in the records in 1905 and by 1923, all of his daughters were married, so Charles retired from farming and moved to Altoga, Texas where he purchased the Dedrick Christian, General Store and Post Office. The Post Office continued in operation until the early 1940s when it was closed by President Roosevelt in favor of Rural Free Delivery out of McKinney, Texas. Charles operated the General Store until his death in 1958.
The County Superintendent of Schools said this about Womble in 1918:
“The Womble was the first school of the county during last year to vote bonds and plan for improving the house. They have made the old one practically new and added another room and each one is well equipped and modern throughout. The Rural School Inspector was very favorably impressed with the outlook for this school when he visited our county. The house is practically complete. Ome delay because scarcity of labor. They will get State aid. The enrollment is over 60. The teachers are R. M. Anderson and Miss ________ [sic] and the work is progressing nicely. The children are greatly encouraged because of the new surroundings.”
Some of the teachers that taught at Womble School were Miss May Wilson, Mr. Grover Priest and Mrs. A. A. Borum. Womble School had 27 students in 1940. The school building was sold in 1948.
