The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-03-26
Stricken School
Was u. S. Richest
Located in the Heart of East
Texas Oil Fields.

Henderson, Textile London
Consolidated school, wrecked in
the horrible explosion which
blotted out the lives of hum
dreds of children instantly, is
believed to have been the finest
rural school of its type in the
United States. In the heart of
the East Texas oil fields, it is
located in one of the wealthiest
sections of the world.
The blast itself is believed to have
been caused by explosion of natural
gas from the seven oil wells on the
school campus.
The school district encompasses
some thirty square miles with an
assessed valuation of 16 million dol
lars. The community sprang up al
most over night following the dis
covery of one of the most productive
oil fields known.
Quickly Paid For.
With "black gold" flowing from
its own wells, the school plant had
no difficulty in raising the several
hundred thousand dollars spent in
its construction. It is not only debt
free but its original value has null
tiplied many times.
In 1881, when wealth gushed out
of the ground for the communities
of London and New London, the
schools serving the two villages
were merged and the present dis
trict set up.
The school lies midway between
the two communities. a.
The site of the disaster scene can
readily be located by drawing line
from Tyler, a city of $4,000, largest
in the district, to Henderson.
1,50O in Eight Grades.
The wrecked school had an en-
rollment of $500 students, from the
fifth grade to the third year of high
school. .....
The building had been constructed
in units, the first of which was built
in 1884. The completed structure
contained 80 classrooms and an au-
ditorium large enough to accommo-
date half of the total enrolment.
Equipped to teach stenography,
music, manual training, and sew
ing, as well as academic subjects,
it was the proud boast of the COM
munity that it's institution was as
fine as could be found in any rural
section of the country.
At one side of the main building
stood the gymnasium, and at the
other stood a grade school for chi
dren from the kindergarten to the
fifth grade. The home of the super
itendent also stood on the school
grounds.
All Are FireproOf.
All Of the buildings were of fire.
proof construction and ample size.
The grade, or grammar school, was
a two story brick building about 100
by 125 feet.
The main building had two story
unit in the center, about so feet wide
and so feet deep, which housed the
auditorium and various laborato-
ries, and wings on either side.
These wings, each 80 feet deep and
IS feet long, gave the building
frontage of 100 feet.
From a high window Of the school
one could look out across a plain
dotted almost solidly as far as the
eye could reach by oil derricks.
Thousands of these rear their smut
covered skeletons from so to 100 feet
in the air.
Smooth Dirt Roads.
Broad dirt roads, of the sort listed
on road maps as first class c grade,
are the main highways here. They
are almost as smooth as glass, and
at this time of the year are dry.
bitches are three feet deep on each
side and the shoulders, in some
cases, are edged with asphalt or
gravel.
Under the scorching sun that
beats down with sitting force nine
months out of the year, the houses
and other wooden structures are
like finder boxes, dry as dust and
ready to burst into flames at the
slightest spark.
Practically no building is more
than two stories high. Many of the
Office buildings, stores, and even
the banks in the villages are only
one-story affairs.
Despite the dirt roads and bare
earth, nearly everyone in the school
district is well-off financially be-
cause of the oil.
The people ride in expensive cars,
for the most part, to their enter
tainment in Dallas, Houston, Fort
Worth, and Shreveport.