Bethel—A
Colored School
Located
south of Bells. The school house was located in Joseph Marvin
Survey No. 769 on 220 acres formerly owned by Harry Gilliam.
(source : Grayson County Common Schools)
“Bethel—A
Colored School,” in Black Land, Red River
Bethel
District #48 was located about three miles southwest of Bells, Texas.
The school was built on land near the Baptist Church. This
land was purchased for $14.00 per acre in 1892. Later, in 1936, a
new school was built west of the old school. A one-teacher
school, it was name for the Bethel of the Bible where in a dream Jacob
had a vision of anges ascending and descending a ladder to and from
Heaven.
Trustees were G.W. Andrew, J.W. Hall, Pete Galbreath, York Goodman, and Arthur Galbreath.
Lou Vicy Hall attended the old school and went on to Denison High School.
(Note : Perhaps means Terrell High School in Denison; Denison High School was not integrated until the 1970s)
She
graduated from Prairie View College and returned to teach five years in
the old school house and thirteen years in the new Bethel school.
Her pupils took part in interscholastic activities.
The water fwas from a water well.
Bethel school was integrated with the Bells Independent School.
In the last ten years, the old wooden school house was purchased by Mrs. Pat Hubbard property and moved to Whitewright.
(Note: If anyone knows where the old Bethel school building is located, please email and/or send a photograph of it plus it's location in Whitewright.)
