1889 TERRITORIAL SCHOOL / 124 E. 2nd / PO BOX 4101 / EDMOND, OKLAHOMA 73083 / 405-715-1889
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T E R R I T O R I A L
S C H O O L
T E R R I T O R I A L
S C H O O L
On a summer day in 1889, Jennie Forster
marched into Brown's Lumber Company and
ordered enough lumber, on credit, to build a
school house for the new village of Edmond,
Oklahoma Territory. The Ladies School Aid
Society, consisting of 15 women, had been
formed and the ladies were determined to
have a proper school for the local children.
Jennie (Mrs. George) Forster was the
president of the society. Among the
other members were Mrs. L.G. Wahl,
Mrs. C.A. Dake, Mrs. Frank Kiedrowski,
Mrs. E.W. Erisman, Mrs. H.H. Moose,
Mrs. Peter Wilderson, Mrs. J.J. Shen,
Mrs. Alvin Ricketts, Mrs. John Pfaff,
Mrs. Henry Morrison and Mrs. F.S. Peck.
The women set to work immediately to
earn the money to pay back the lumber
bill. They badgered their husbands, as
well as the other town merchants and
citizens. Mrs. Forster joked in later years
she was sure the businessmen "felt like
running out the back door when they saw
me entering the front door."
marched into Brown's Lumber Company and
ordered enough lumber, on credit, to build a
school house for the new village of Edmond,
Oklahoma Territory. The Ladies School Aid
Society, consisting of 15 women, had been
formed and the ladies were determined to
have a proper school for the local children.
Jennie (Mrs. George) Forster was the
president of the society. Among the
other members were Mrs. L.G. Wahl,
Mrs. C.A. Dake, Mrs. Frank Kiedrowski,
Mrs. E.W. Erisman, Mrs. H.H. Moose,
Mrs. Peter Wilderson, Mrs. J.J. Shen,
Mrs. Alvin Ricketts, Mrs. John Pfaff,
Mrs. Henry Morrison and Mrs. F.S. Peck.
The women set to work immediately to
earn the money to pay back the lumber
bill. They badgered their husbands, as
well as the other town merchants and
citizens. Mrs. Forster joked in later years
she was sure the businessmen "felt like
running out the back door when they saw
me entering the front door."
The ladies had other fund-raising ideas, the first being
an ice-cream social featuring blackberries, ice cream
and lemonade which raised $25. Several of the women
wove rugs to sell and they held other socials, dinners
and suppers. The town pulled together and by August
of 1889 the new school house was completed on one
of the six future school house lots.
By the end of the first school year, all the money for
the lumber had been paid back and most importantly
The Thanksgiving Game DInner to benefit the project
raised enough money to finish paying the school
teacher, Miss Ollie McCormick, for the school year.
A tuition didn't have to be collected from the students,
making this a free public school.
The first class of 19 students reported September 16,
1889. By the end of the term there were 37 pupils. By
summer of 1899 the town had outgrown its little school
house. Ten years to the month of when it was built, the
structure was sold and remodeled into a home, which
it remained for almost 100 years.
an ice-cream social featuring blackberries, ice cream
and lemonade which raised $25. Several of the women
wove rugs to sell and they held other socials, dinners
and suppers. The town pulled together and by August
of 1889 the new school house was completed on one
of the six future school house lots.
By the end of the first school year, all the money for
the lumber had been paid back and most importantly
The Thanksgiving Game DInner to benefit the project
raised enough money to finish paying the school
teacher, Miss Ollie McCormick, for the school year.
A tuition didn't have to be collected from the students,
making this a free public school.
The first class of 19 students reported September 16,
1889. By the end of the term there were 37 pupils. By
summer of 1899 the town had outgrown its little school
house. Ten years to the month of when it was built, the
structure was sold and remodeled into a home, which
it remained for almost 100 years.
M A K I N G T H E C A S E F O R R E S T O R A T I O N
Through the passing years most people forgot about
the school and many were convinced it no longer
existed. There were a few, however, who believed the
school house was still on the old school lots on East
Second Street . . . part of the boarded up Sander's
Camera Shop.
The Edmond Historic Preservation Trust had considered
the school house as a future project from its beginning
in 1982. Local historian and Trust member Lucille Warrick
finally convinced the Edmond City Council members that
not only did the school house still exist but possibly was
the last remaining original 1889 structure in town. In 1997
the council gave the Trust the go-ahead to "investigate,
acquire and preserve" the historic structure.
the school and many were convinced it no longer
existed. There were a few, however, who believed the
school house was still on the old school lots on East
Second Street . . . part of the boarded up Sander's
Camera Shop.
The Edmond Historic Preservation Trust had considered
the school house as a future project from its beginning
in 1982. Local historian and Trust member Lucille Warrick
finally convinced the Edmond City Council members that
not only did the school house still exist but possibly was
the last remaining original 1889 structure in town. In 1997
the council gave the Trust the go-ahead to "investigate,
acquire and preserve" the historic structure.
Once again a group of concerned citizens, led by a strong-willed
woman, went to work on the 1889 school house. Immediately research
was begun to prove to the nay-sayers that this was, indeed, the original
school house. It was a great day when the inside walls of the old
camera store were taken down and the original blackboards, painted
on the walls of the old school, were revealed.
April 15, 2007, following years of hard work, the official dedication
of the building was held. In the fall of 2008 a class of students from
Russell Dougherty Elementary School walked two blocks down the
street and through the front doors of the old school to begin a day of
instruction in the manner of 1889.
The children of Edmond were attending the town's first school house
once more.
woman, went to work on the 1889 school house. Immediately research
was begun to prove to the nay-sayers that this was, indeed, the original
school house. It was a great day when the inside walls of the old
camera store were taken down and the original blackboards, painted
on the walls of the old school, were revealed.
April 15, 2007, following years of hard work, the official dedication
of the building was held. In the fall of 2008 a class of students from
Russell Dougherty Elementary School walked two blocks down the
street and through the front doors of the old school to begin a day of
instruction in the manner of 1889.
The children of Edmond were attending the town's first school house
once more.
School restoration 2003
Ladies School
Aid Society mural
Aid Society mural
Workmen and school sign
School
classroom
classroom
Student chalk board
1889 Territorial School
and flag pole
and flag pole