History of Friona Independent School District

      History began for Friona Schools when Miss Roxie Witherspoon came from Hereford in 1908 to teach in a one-room building located in the center of the block where the present elementary school and cafeteria are located.  She averaged from 15-18 students that year.  Clyde Goodwine recalls that desks were homemade and accommodated two students each.  Unlike many schools, Friona held a full nine 
month term from the beginning.

       During the 1911-1912 term, a new two story red brick building was constructed on the same site at a cost of $12,000.  Friona's first graduates, Clyde Goodwine, Fred White, Elvin Gischler, Dempsey Wynn, and Ethel Sutton Moyer,  graduated in this building in 1916.  Fred White was valedictorian and Ethel Sutton was salutatorian.  Also, in 1916, Friona's first girls basketball team was organized.  Members of the team were: Florence Schlinker, Orma White, Mina Powell, and Fern Taylor.
            

        In 1921, the  school building was destroyed by lightning.  A temporary frame structure was quickly built by mob citizenry, that is, everybody brought their hammer and saws and went to work.   The Rockwall Lumber Company was the only lumber company at that time and provided the materials needed to rebuild the school. This hastily built building, again supplemented by the use of the Congregational Church, furnished school facilities until the new $52,000 building was completed in 1924.  A $35,000 addition was built in 1928.   
    

        The members of the first boy's basketball team were:  Clyde Goodwine, Fred White, Dempsy Whnn, Elwin Gischler, and Harry Sherrieb.  Roscoe Parr, Milton Sanders, Bill Buyer, Elwin and Estin Crews, R.V. Tommy, Aubry Galloway, Johnny and Pool Hodge, Ralph Staley, Paul Taylor and Harold Schlenker were members of the first football team.  During a team meeting in the 1922-1923 term,  the football team chose the name Chieftains and the colors of red and white to represent Friona's teams.  Bill Buyer suggested the adoption of the name Chieftains and the rise of red representing the red blooded fighting original Americans and of white representing the true, honest, and clean life in athletic activities.  Around 1922, basketball, football, and track became part of the regular school program, as well as the vocational programs, Home Economics and Agriculture.
        

        In 1923, the Friona School District voted to consolidate with the adjacent district and became an independent school district the following year.  John White, T.J. Crawford and J.A. Guyer were three of the first trustees of the new district.
        

         In August  of 1928, F.W. Reeve purchased ten school buses for transportation.  However, Harold Schlenker deserves credit for driving the first regular school bus route.  The Rhea District fixed up a Model A touring car with a "tarp" over the top.  Harold regularly and without fail brought his brothers, sisters, and other children to the Friona School.  The Schlenkers lived 20 miles from Friona.  All of the distance was trail road. Friona paid Harold while he went to school.   The whole country was learning.  Parents were informed that they could legally and economically have their children transported to school with tax money.

     Friona School Teachers
1908-1920

Friona I.S.D.'s Superintendents

      Most of the information on this page has been reprinted from A History of Parmer County Texas, 1st Edition, Volumn I, by the Parmer County Historical Society, copyright 1974 and from Prairie Progress, 1st edition, by the Parmer County Historical Commission, Copyright 1981.

       I invite you to add to this living document so that a complete and accurate history can be maintained.  Please contact Judy Rhodes.

Maintained by Judy Rhodes

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