March 3, 2019 - Excelsior ISD celebrated their first school reunion with memories of its 120 year history along with ringing of the bell at the marker dedication on February 23, 2019.
The First United Methodist Church Hand Bell Choir rang in the beginning of the Spring Dedication Ceremony with the National Anthem at Excelsior Common School No. 47 for its marker unveiling ceremony as the State of Texas declared Excelsior Common School No. 47 a historical site in recognition of its over 120 year history!
Benny Russell, a 1959 graduate of Excelsior ISD and Excelsior School Board President, welcomed everyone, "Its certainly good to have everyone here and [we] appreciate you coming out. We wish we could have had a little bit better weather but that's okay. We are here to celebrate this morning for the first time with Excelsior's reunion and the dedication of this historic marker."
Dr. Debrah Worsham was charged with reading Senate resolution #141 from Austin, "I am here to bring you greeting from State Representative Chris Paddie and also Senator Robert Nichols." It was read on February 7, 2019 before the Senate.
Whereas, the Senate of the State of Texas, is pleased to recognize Excelsior School for the important role it has played in the history of Shelby County; and
Whereas, Excelsior School traces its roots to the 1890s when it was established as one of approximately 90 common schools in Shelby County; and
Whereas, through the years the school has prepared countless students to meet the demands of higher education. It's graduates have benefited from the individualized instruction and support they've received in its intimate setting and have gone on to continue their education to become valued professionals and respected members of their communities; and
Whereas, today, Excelsior School serves students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. The school is well known throughout the region for accepting transfer students who can thrive in its smaller classes and its atmosphere of kindness and encouragement; and
Whereas, for more than one hundred twenty years Excelsior School has been an important part of the fabric of life in Shelby County and it is truly fitting that it receives special recognition.
Now, therefore, let it be resolved, that the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th Legislature hereby commend the students, the faculty, and staff of Excelsior School on their commitment to excellence in education and extend to them best wishes for continued success; and be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be prepared for the school as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
Dr. Worsham finished the reading of the resolution and then presented it to Benny Russell who accepted it on behalf of Excelsior School. She also presented the school with a Texas Flag from Senator Robert L. Nichols which flew over the Capital of the State of Texas in recognition of Excelsior School day at the Texas State Capital.
Also speaking at the dedication ceremony was Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian who gave a quick update on the oil and gas industry in Texas and finished with, "Paul Harvey said that to know rural Texas, if you dial the wrong phone number and still can talk for 30 minutes and that's what we have in Excelsior. You have people who care." He talked about community and about how important the support for one another a community gives is. He had two daughters who attended Excelsior and he said the aspect of a supporting community is what makes Excelsior work.
Elizabeth Abernethy, the Executive Director of Region 7 Education Center spoke next. She said, "There is nothing that can compare to an education in a small school." "As you sit here today and you think about your memories, you think about the blessings that you've received and your family has received because of Excelsior ISD. I'm sure those memories grip your heart and your emotions." Following her praise of Excelsior ISD and its community, Abernethy said she was very honored to have the opportunity to present a resolution to the school from the board of directors of the Region 7 Education Center.
Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison spoke next giving recognition of Excelsior for being the only Common School in Shelby County to survive which was a testimony of its strength and dedication by the community to the school. Judge Harbison's opening was "Excelsior is the heart of this community bringing family and friends together." Her speech gave honor and praise to the people of the Aiken community and the school system.
Colleen Doggett represented the Shelby County Historical Commission. She acknowledged all the work which had been done by Laura Harris to meet the State Historical Commissions guidelines for the historical designation and marker. Doggett then introduced Laura Harris who gave the timeline for Excelsior School with the assistance of Barbara Scates. The Excelsior timeline was read mingled in with world history events which is listed below.
Excelsior World History - Meanwhile, back in Aiken:
1900 - The first school building was built. Everyone in the community worked on it. According to Laura Harris' grandfather, Euel Hopkins, his father was among those who built it. The building had 2 mud chimneys.
1901 - William Henry and Allie Wheeler donated one acre of land to Walnut Grove #47 school.
1909 - In a deed dated November 23, 1909, Walnut Grove School #47 acquired one acre of land from William Henry Wheeler and his wife, Allie, for $22.
1910 - The trustees for Excelsior were: W.E. Chandler of Waterman, J.M. Windham, and J.H. Beck.
1911 - The teachers at Excelsior were W.S. Wheeler and Thomas Covington.
1912 - C.C. Hooper was listed as a trustee for Excelsior.
1913 - P.C. Stokes was listed as a teacher at Excelsior with 61 pupils.
1916 - Another building was erected on the Excelsior School grounds. Earliest referred to as a school classroom, then, the lunchroom, and now "the white building."
1917 - Addie Mae Shipp and Corine Hughes were listed as teachers at Excelsior. J.F. Hopkins, C.B. Harrell, and J.H. Windham were listed as trustees.
1933 - White Rock School consolidated with Excelsior School.
1940 - While making a phone call at the clerk's office in Aiken, Euel Hopkins happened to see the deed to the acre of land sold by William Henry Wheeler to Excelsior School lying on a desk. Being about lunch time, Hopkins took the judge to his father's house (James Franklin Hopkins) for lunch where he arranged for not only his business to be done but also for the 1909 deed to be registered on September 24, 1940.
1941 - The trustees were E.L. Hopkins, C.N. Barbe, L.B. Dillard, P.R. Adkison, H.S. Stephens, and Jo Fancher. The discussed repairing the toilets or having to move them. It is now a state requirement to supply running water to the building. The Halloween Carnival cleared $21.30. So they bought a 20 foot piece of tin for $2 to make a slide.
1942 - Excelsior made $43.50 on the cake walk.
1944 - The school board said that they would hire Mrs. Eula Russell for principal if they could not find a man for the job.
1947 - In Aiken, the trustees talked about building a girls' toilet and paying the hand to do it. They began work on the newest building.
1948 - Eula Russell was the Principal, apparently they could not find a man for the job. The teachers were Fernella Eddins, Cornelia Lawson, and Ella Holt.
1955 - The original 1900 Excelsior school building was sold to L.T. Graves and moved off the property. Excelsior moved into the new school building.
1957 - Charlsie Wheeler was hired to teach at Excelsior, bringing her four children, including 4-year-old Susan. With no daycare, she wandered about the school at will. The four-year old pops up in group pictures and was a favorite of the older girls at school. Most students finished Excelsior in 8 years but it took Susan 10.
1958 - At Excelsior, the teachers this year were Ella Holt (1-2), Charlsie Wheeler (3-4), Cornelia Lawson (5-6 teacher/principal), and Bo Barbie (7-8). With the addition of Bo Barbe, the 4th teacher, the cafeteria was moved from the new building to the old white building where we not only got good meals but we also performed plays and learned music from Mrs. Nara Hughes.
1959 - Grigsby School consolidated with Excelsior.
1975 - Alva and Beula Head leased to Excelsior School, 1.65 acres for $25 a year for as long as a public school is operated on the adjoining property known as Excelsior School.
1976 - The 560 acre Pinkston Lake was completed. According to a report made in Mrs. Wheeler's or Mrs. Brown's class, Randy Fountain said that Possum Crawford dug a big hole and had a washing machine down in the hole that overflowed and that's how Pinkston became a lake. Mamaw Rachel Fountain kept lots of funny things her grandchildren said growing up. Jill Fountain Parker, I'm sure Randy will thank you later for telling this.
1977 - A small plane was experiencing mechanical problems and was about to make an emergency landing on Highway 7 in front of the Russell's house. Lofton Warr pulled out in front of it and it crashed into a tree in Mr. Bobby and Mrs. Cleo Russell's front yard.
1978 - The trustees of Excelsior School #47 voted to change from the status of being a common school to an Independent School District and be under the control of the Texas Education Agency in Austin. Excelsior was the last common school in the county of the 90 common school districts that had existed in the county since 1880. Cornelia Lawson was promoted from Principal to Superintendent of Excelsior ISD following this ruling. At the time, she was one of only a few women superintendents in Texas. Most of Excelsior's oldest records were lost in a fire after 80 plus years. They had been moved to Center and housed in the Co-op building.
1981 - A plane crashed in Joy Chandler's mother's pasture. One more plane crash, and Aiken will have to put in a landing strip.
1985 - Ginger Russell graduated the 8th grade at Excelsior and enrolled in Lon Morris College the next year as a 14-year-old freshman.
1990 - Charlsie Wheeler retired after a 36-year teaching career at Excelsior.
1998 - Mr. Johnny Lewis became Superintendent of Excelsior School.
1999 - A tornado hit Aiken, completely destroying Evelyn Russell Eddins' house and scaring the daylights out of the students and teachers at the school.
2010 - Mr. Johnny Lewis retired and became a part-time Superintendent/Principal. Mr. Wayne Mason joined the Excelsior Administration as a part-time Superintendent/Principal.
February 23, 2019, Excelsior ISD received a historic marker and had its 125th year reunion.
Excelsior School Reunion Homecoming Queens
Four ladies attending the dedication ceremony were introduced as some of Excelsior's earliest students - Marceline Crenshaw, Maxine Stephens Malnar, Verna Sue Stephens Farris, and Faye Bush Hooper. They each spoke about their school experiences. Laura Harris and Barbara Scates then announced the four ladies to be the homecoming queens of the Excelsior School reunion and presented them with tiaras.
Current Excelsior teachers Alice Howard and Mila Smith both shared memories of watching Excelsior grow over the years.
Howard referenced the growth of Excelsior saying, "They built us a brand new building and gave us supplies and all of this could not be done without our wonderful school board the people that pay their property taxes out here, and all the people that are transferred here. I have had some of the best students, some are challenging students, but I love every one of them. They have been a joy to know and a joy to know their parents."
Smith gave appreciation to everyone for coming to celebrate this wonderful day before everyone dismissed to go outside to the front of the school for the marker dedication. Smith said, "Its been my pleasure to encourage young minds here at Excelsior now for a total of 27 years. I've seen my students go on to achieve fields in areas from medicine and law, to education, to owning, managing, or working in a variety of businesses, and to successfully raising and supporting their own families. My goal as an educator has always been to encourage my students to be lifelong learners and I'm proud to say that the majority have done exactly that."
At the marker unveiling, City of Center Mayor and Shelby County Historical Commission representative David Chadwick said, "The words we've heard today reflect a long journey for this school. It reflects an attitude that has made this school what it is. We've heard family, we've heard friends, we've heard neighbors, we've heard 'the best place I've ever worked,' 'I got my education,' and we see what has bloomed from the labor of this." Chadwick with the assistance of Barbara Scates, Laura Harris, and Benny Russell removed the cover to reveal the Excelsior Common School No. 47 historical marker.
Members of the community then enjoyed taking turns ringing the school bell in celebration. Appreciation was given to Brandon and Tera Jordan for the bell which is a part of Excelsior school and the oldest item at the school.
Excelsior ISD is currently working to restore the old, 1916, Excelsior School Building which is located behind the current school. The building has served many purposes including the school, the cafeteria, a classroom, and a community gathering place. It is in need of some 'tender love and care' to preserve its past and renew the many memories. Donations can be mailed to Excelsior School Alumni, 11270 State Highway 7 West, Center, Texas 75935.
