One local woman turns to a broken-down schoolhouse as a way to save endangered history

By Stewart Smith/Staff Writer

Evelyn McDaniel is working to preserve a little piece of Walker County's history. With little more than some research and the assistance of Preservation Texas, McDaniel has launched an effort to help save one of the county's oldest remaining schoolhouses.

The San Jacinto Schoolhouse was recently named by Preservation Texas as one of the 13 most endangered properties in the state of Texas. The schoolhouse, originally located off FM 1791 on Walker Loop in southwest Walker County, was established in 1900 for grades one through seven. The original structure was a large, one-room wooden structure. The building was expanded and relocated to its current location in 1912 to accommodate more students.

In 1927 the school was classified as an intermediate and high school and began to include high school grades. The two-story building was then torn down in 1948, and then the three-room building that currently exists was constructed.

In 1961, the San Jacinto School building was deeded to the West Sandy Community Center of Walker County and used by the community for dominoes, musical entertainment, voting and a variety of other activities.

Now, since Preservation Texas nominated the building, McDaniel has started a grassroots campaign to raise funds in order to restore and maintain the schoolhouse. McDaniel hopes by doing so she can help to preserve a bit of the past and help people appreciate a part of Walker County's history.

"It has a real significance in our historic heritage," she said. "It was the only means of education in that particular part of the county. I think people could benefit by using it in some way and preserving its history and giving it a useful purpose in this day and age. We are our history, and as a preservation advocate, I think it is important that we try and preserve as many of these as we can and put to use in today's world."

Her campaign to help restore the schoolhouse has only just begun, though McDaniel said she hopes to focus on it more intensely as soon as a plan is established on what work needs to be done.

"So far we've basically just began with research and talking with local citizens. Right now I am just beginning to try to find out some resources on how to get funds and all kinds of things," she said.

According to Julianne Fletcher, Preservation Texas' executive director, there are many buildings just like the San Jacinto Schoolhouse all across Texas that require restoration and preservation. This one was picked for inclusion on the endangered properties list because it's a representation of other buildings across Texas.

"We thought that this one was a good example of what is happening all over rural Texas," Fletcher said. "It represents a lot of other schools like it, and we want people to know about those other buildings out there that should be used as other things or preserved as a school."

Fletcher encourages people to become involved in this effort because of what the schoolhouse means historically.

"You have a choice. You can ultimately let this building go to a landfill, or you can choose to let people allow the past to be remembered by the built environment that is on a landscape," she said. "We would like to it see remain rather than rid ourselves of our past and a reminder of past. It provides a sense of place.

"People need to remember and have identity with their community based on what they see around them. That's what makes this part of Texas special."

Stewart Smith is a reporter at The Huntsville Item. He can be reached at (936) 295-5407, ext. 3052 or by e-mail at ssmith@itemonline.com