
The Pampa School Building at 126 West Francis
A two-story tan brick building at 126 West Francis was completed in 1920 at a cost of $50,000. The building contained rooms for the eleven grades of the Pampa school system and an auditorium on the second floor. The school board members, who were also members of Pampa Masonic Lodge #966, were Nels Walberg, president; L. C. McMurtry, secretary; P. C. Ledrick, L. H. Greene and J. M. Daugherty, Jr. On Tuesday, August 3, 1920, after a called meeting of the Masons, a procession was formed and proceeded to the school building where the cornerstone was laid. The school board member who was to be the main speaker got so nervous that he could not say a word. Some of his friends said it was just as well that he did not speak because no one except his wife was ever able to understand what he said.

Eloise Lane

Eloise Lane
Miss Virgin, one of the teachers, was instrumental in convincing the students that green and gold would be the most appropriate colors for the school. She got her idea from the green and gold wheat growing on the farms. With Ray Wilson as editor-in-chief, the Pampa High School class of 1920-21 produced the first annual, “The Harvest,” dedicated to the board of trustees. H. R. Silvey was the superintendent and the teachers were Ms. Martin, Ms. Waitman and Mr. Scoggins. The PHS class of 1921 was composed of Otis Carruth, president; Ruby Henry,secretary; Gladys Pipkin, Wilma Chapman, Alton Scoggins, Julia May Barnhart, Lois Barrett, Kathleen Rider, Eddie Crow, Margaret Schmidt and Ray Wilson. Post-graduates were Jack Vincent, Ruth Barrett and Noble Roberts. The class motto was “We finish to begin.” The colors were green and pink and the flower was a pink rose. From 1920 to 1930 the population of Pampa increased by 959 percent, attri- butable to the oil and gas industry. By 1923-24 some of the lower grades were transferred to the red brick building at 309 N. Cuyler. About 1925-26 frame buildings facing Cuyler and Browning were constructed to provide additional classrooms. The east wing of the high school building was constructed in 1928 for junior high grades and a west wing was added to the high school on June 2, 1930. The auditorium was made into classrooms and PHS students practiced and presented programs in the auditorium at the north end of the second story of the City Hall. Graduations were observed at various churches.
Pictorial Pampa (ca 1931) shows a picture of the buildings that occupied Pampa’s “Million Dollar Row” civic center: the new Schneider Hotel, City Hall, Courthouse, High School and the new Combs-Worley office building. The growth of Pampa was at a standstill during the Depression and Dust Bowl days, but conditions improved in the late l930s. The Works Progress Administration began work on a new high school building at 111 East Harvester in 1939 (date on fence), and Pampa High School met in the new building in 1941-42 (picture in 1942 Harvester). The building at 126 West Francis then became known as Pampa Junior High School. For several years it was occupied by grades 6-7-8 and in 1951-52 by grades 7-8-9. At some time grade 6 was bused to a Cabot building while new elementary school buildings were constructed. Robert E. Lee Junior High (now Pampa Middle School) at 2400 Charles was ready for occupancy in the fall of 1957. The building at 126 West Francis was closed in 1973 and torn down in 1975. The land on which it stood became a parking lot in 1976 when the First National Bank (now Bank of America) opened a ten-lane motor bank at Cuyler and Francis. Although the Pampa school building at 126 West Francis is gone, its corner- stone remains in the White Deer Land Museum. In 1975 it was donated to the museum by the Pampa Independent School District. The time clock which rang in the halls of Pampa Junior High is also in the museum.
Over 200 Articles, written by Eloise Lane, were published in the Pampa News. These articles may be accessed by clicking on each section below. A list of articles will be revealed that are linked to a page containing the text of the article.
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Articles 1-20
- Origin Of The "White Deer" Name
- The Log House On White Deer Creek
- Obtaining The Land
- The Lands Organized
- Cattle Brands Tell Story
- Ghosts And All
- Southern Kansas Railroad
- Fire Guard Dam
- When The Railroad Came
- The Sutton RR Station
- Post Office At Pampa
- The Bell Family
- J.C. Short
- Pampa 1892-1902
- Pampa Laid Out In 1902
- Crystal Palace Founded
- Gray County Organization
- Organization - Continued
- Gray County - Lefors
- McLean - The Largest Town
Articles 21-40
- Gouge Eye
- The "Mother Road"
- German Family Reunion
- Desks From Hopkins
- Grandview School Begins
- The Oil Money
- History Wall Painted
- Boydston Or Boydstun?
- Ontario???
- Laketon - Early Farming
- Laketon - Continued
- First Couple To Marry
- Hoover
- Water Well Drilling
- Kingsmills Visit Pampa
- George Tyng Left
- Tragedy In Utah
- T.D. Hobart - Manager
- M.K. Brown Arrives
- Rider Livery Stable
Articles 41-60
- The Pioneer Cottage
- Pampa's First Doctor
- Doctor Makes House Calls
- A Red Cross Nurse
- Pampa's First School
- Hobart Went To London
- Cemetery Began In 1904
- First Business District
- C.P. Buckler Arrives
- Five Barrett Brothers
- Influence Of The Santa Fe
- Trains Still Roll
- John V. Thomass - Teacher
- Cattle-loading Center
- Rolla J. Sailor & Arrowheads
- A.H. Doucette Arrives
- Lands Are Advertised
- The Holland Hotel
- Wheat Left Pampa
- First National Bank Begins
Articles 61-80
- Pampa News Begins
- First Denominational Church
- 2nd Office Of WD Lands
- J.N. Duncan Arrives
- Nels Walberg Sells…
- Dormer Simms
- Fourth Of July Celebrations
- Pampa's First Cars
- Pampa In 1907-08
- J.S. Wynne Family Arrives
- Gray Count State Bank
- Baptist Church Organized (Under Construction)
- Joe & Lizzie Bowers
- Threatened By Prairie Fire
- Library Began In 1907
- J.R. Henry
- Sir Gordan & Lady Cunard
- Three Vicars Brothers
- Dodd Grain And Produce
- December 29, 1991
Articles 81-100
- D.C. Davis Family
- Long Christmas Celebration
- First Christian Church
- Facts About Pampa
- Buster Brown
- The Last Hanging
- Bones Hooks
- The "Red Brick" Is No More
- The Purviances Family
- The Dr. E. von Brunow Park
- Boards Of First Headquarters
- Mary Jane Purvis
- Cook - Adams Addition
- Nativity Scenes
- Clyde Carruth
- The Mine Tragedies
- Additions To Pampa
- Third Family In Pampa
- Frank Dittmeyer
- Bricklayer Indian Jim
Articles 101-120
- A.A. Tiemann
- First Movies And Lights
- Pampa Incorporated
- Mark And Sara Fletcher
- Annie Baker Daniels
- Pampa's Business District
- Birthday Tea Of 1919
- Former Pampa Minister
- John Mack Patton
- The First Brass Band
- Early Graduating Class
- "How We Met"
- F.P. Greever Is Assassinated
- George Tyng's Father
- L.H. & Lula Greene
- John & Lena McKamy
- Robert & Mary Yeager
- "Dear Old PHS"
- Supt. Believed In People
- William A. & Ruth Green
Articles 121-140
- Jason A and Alice Poole
- Wayside School
- Pampa Football Begins
- The Pampa School Building
- Rev. C. E. Lancaster
- Panhandle Lumber Co.
- Will Wilks & Mora Hughey
- An Unusual Valentine
- Charles A. Tignor
- O. A. Barrett
- Poppies In Flanders Fields
- Barnard & Williams Families
- 4th of July Celebrations
- Cuyler Street Underpass
- The King Family
- Kretmeier and Baer Families
- Stephen B. Oates
- Phebe Worley
- Organization of Gray County
- First Courthouse
Articles 141-160
- Pampa Laid Out in 1902
- Pampa in 1902
- W. R. Kaufman
- The Pampa Country Club
- Living In Pampa in 1902
- Pampa Buildings of 1902
- May Foreman Carr
- Scaffers - Early Residents
- Nita Luna
- Former Sub Debs Reminisce
- PHS In 1932
- PHS Appreciated
- The Forth Worth and Denver
- From Pampa to Childress
- The Origination Of "Taps"
- The Warners
- J. C. Studer
- Floyd, John and Otto
- Our American Flag
- Stories and Memories
Articles 161-180
- Museum in Pampa?
- The Franklin Farm
- The Franklin Family
- Beryl Wayne Vicars
- Historian Made Cookies
- The Pioneer Cottage
- The Orginial Swastika
- Library Clerk
- Women's Clothing Store
- Jon and Pat McConal
- Whitey Walker Gang
- How Rudolph Began
- Gwendolen Avenue
- Jerry Kerbow
- Two Paintings
- Second Part - Paintings
- Bones Hooks
- Original Nativity Figures
- Why "V" Instead of "U"
- Pampa Incorporated