COURTNEY SCHOOL 1877 - 1928
The first school at Courtney Flats was a subscription school taught by school master by the name of Cain or Payne. In an interview with early pioneer settler Tom Dorsett, contained in the Pioneer Papers of the Oklahoma Historical Society, Dorsett recalls that the settlers built a log school located on Bill Bourland's farm (ca. 1877). The school lasted 3 months. The next school Tom attended was the McGee school. While unsure of the details, it is believed that the McGee school was probably subscription utilizing the same school building and taught by a member of the Sam Houston McGee family that resided at Courtney Flats during that period. The school was located near the geographic center of Courtney Flats. It was noted that the school later burned. As the population increased across the Flat by the late 1870s and early 1880s a school was located on the east end near Courtney Towne, and, most likely another school on the west end of the Flat (pre-Petersburg).
Courtney School Fall of 1899. Ethel Raines front row 6th from right. Children living at Courtney at this time include: Clarence & Effie Dennie, Lucinda Fortner, Nevie, Gussie, Harley, & Frank Hudson, Rubin, Myrtle, & Maggie Crenshaw, Mandie & Willis Rolls, Edith, Susan, Viola, & Sarah Davis, Frankie & Mandie Blankenship, James, Albert, & Emma Kensey, Clarke, Claude, Willis, & Blanche Pitas, Hattie & John Taylor, Daisy, Walter, & James Eubanks, Hoppe, Bishop, & Winston Yeary, George, Ruth, Edward, & Pearl Cooper, Sam, Lillie, & Charley McGauky, Lee, Sarah, Amanda, & Jesse Mason, Monroe Crow, Susan, John, Mary, & Minnie Kirby, Edgar & Dick Bossett, Susan Barrett, Robt, Minnie, Will Fought, Myrtle, Lee, Melvine, & Fannie Shiplet, George & Will Cook, Burnard Gilkey, Lilly, Conley, & Manuel Lavada. Note: boy in front on his knees wearing a hat is in the Courteny school photo dated 1907. From the Emma Cook Carnahan photo collection.
Courtney School Feb 1st, 1907 The photo above belonged to Mollie Cook-Raines-Beavers, mother of Alta Faye Cox.. The photo is the 3rd in the collection of the "old" Courtney School. A tin roof has been added. The sign in front states: Courtney School, Prof L.A. Farris teacher, Courtney I.T. Feb 1st, 1907, ???? Parker. Note the boy standing 3rd row, far left, wearing hat with hands behind his back. He is the same boy noted in the previous Courtney School photo front center on his knees. 1907 or 1908 would be the last year of school in the building pictured above. The photo copy shown here has been cropped, eliminating valuable details on the outer edges. Does anyone know where we can get a copy of the original?
Courtney School ca. 1909. In 1907 came statehood, the creation of Jefferson County, and the creation of Courtney School District # 38. A new school was built and a new location chosen approximately 1/4 mile west of Old Courtney Towne. The school was located on the west side of the highway across from the current driveway entrance to Dewayne and Wetanna McCarty's home. Front Row: 4th from right Oscar Carnahan. Back Row 3rd man from right Jim J. Carnahan. Left portion of photo missing. Seeking original ! From the Emma Cook Carnahan photo collection.
Courtney School ca. 1909. The photo above was featured in the book "The Rubottom Area - Its History and People" by Gladys Mobley Bradshaw. The photo is labeled "early Rubottom School", however, it is actually the Courtney School. It is a "complete" photo of the partial/torn photo featured above. Area children likely included in photo: Alma, Addie, & Jessie Adams; James & Bailie Anderson; Ira, Theodore, Arthir, Liddie, & Emma Bassett; Bessie, Claud, Rosa, George, & Omer Baucom; Paul & Geo Blankenship; Oscar, Coleman, & Martin Carnahan; Ola Clark, George & Edgar Cooper; Ernest & Claud Davenport; Henry & Mamie Davis; Minnie, Alice, Edgar & Wm Dorsett; Ethel & Allen Farris; Doyel Floyd; Beula Hall; Montie Hansford; Marion, Roy, & Lydia Hogue; Aaron & Jonnie Lewis; Signey, Alabama, Marvin, & Robert May; Pearl, Lester, & Earl Mobley; Isam Prater; Ethel Raines; Charley & Evans Treadwell; Ernest & Jennie Walker; Wm White; and Myrtle Winchester. Seeking a better quality copy from an original.
Courtney School ca. 1911. An Emma Cook Carnahan photo.
1st Row: Thurman “Son” Watkins, unknown, unknown, Willie Baucom, unknown, Monroe Haywood, unknown, Bryant Barrett, unknown, unknown, unknown, Oscar Carnahan, unknown, Jack Floyd, Robert Davis, unknown, Jack Davenport.
2nd Row: (boy standing) unknown, unknown, unknown, Luther King, Roy Davis, Bertha Barrett, Eva Williams, Lilly King, Daisy Carnahan, Sarah Robins, Francis Garrett, Unknown, Dora Beavers, Edith Williams, Eula Belle King, Jewel Elms, Bonnie Davis, Maggie Dell Robins, Minnie Carnahan.
3rd Row: (far left on bench) George Davis, unknown, Berly Floyd, Tim Garrett ?, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, Maudie Harwick, Miss Iva Marshall, Mrs. Maude Marshall, unknown, Virgie Robins, Georgia Williams, Mamie Davis, Ruth Harwick, Prudie Dunn, Rhoda Baker, Jane Baker. (Rhoda's mother)
4th Row: (boy alone with tie and hands in pocket) Henry Davis.
5th Row: Jim Carnahan, Doyal Floyd, Martin Carnahan, Bud Carnahan, Charlie Harwick (female), Buena Westmoreland, Georgia Cooper, Emma Barrett, Jimmie Anderson, unknown, unknown, Iva Williams, Ethel White, Ollie Dunn ?, Clifford White, Roy Williams, Tim or Gaither Garrett.
1st Row: Thurman “Son” Watkins, unknown, unknown, Willie Baucom, unknown, Monroe Haywood, unknown, Bryant Barrett, unknown, unknown, unknown, Oscar Carnahan, unknown, Jack Floyd, Robert Davis, unknown, Jack Davenport.
2nd Row: (boy standing) unknown, unknown, unknown, Luther King, Roy Davis, Bertha Barrett, Eva Williams, Lilly King, Daisy Carnahan, Sarah Robins, Francis Garrett, Unknown, Dora Beavers, Edith Williams, Eula Belle King, Jewel Elms, Bonnie Davis, Maggie Dell Robins, Minnie Carnahan.
3rd Row: (far left on bench) George Davis, unknown, Berly Floyd, Tim Garrett ?, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, Maudie Harwick, Miss Iva Marshall, Mrs. Maude Marshall, unknown, Virgie Robins, Georgia Williams, Mamie Davis, Ruth Harwick, Prudie Dunn, Rhoda Baker, Jane Baker. (Rhoda's mother)
4th Row: (boy alone with tie and hands in pocket) Henry Davis.
5th Row: Jim Carnahan, Doyal Floyd, Martin Carnahan, Bud Carnahan, Charlie Harwick (female), Buena Westmoreland, Georgia Cooper, Emma Barrett, Jimmie Anderson, unknown, unknown, Iva Williams, Ethel White, Ollie Dunn ?, Clifford White, Roy Williams, Tim or Gaither Garrett.
Courtney School ca. 1916. An Emma Cook Carnahan photo. 4th Row: Man far right with hat Tommy Carhanah holding Cona Carnahan, next Oscar Carnahan. While few are identified in the photo, the following families registered students at Courtney for the school year beginning January 1916: J.B. Anderson, O.C. Anderson, Oscar Anderson, W.A. Anderson, J.G. Baucom, C.C. Beaver, Calvin Blankenship, A.M. Britt, Jim Carnahan, Tommy Carnahan, Will Cook, B.O. Davenport, H. C. Davenport, Dick Davis, C.M. Dixon, J.H. Duncan, P.J. Elliott, S.S. Floyd, J.A. Garrett, B.F. Hall, W. P. Hawthorne, E.T. Haywood, John Hogue, Larry Lee, L.E. Nell, W.F. Parker, Rachel Parson, W.A. Phillips, A.P. Smith, J.M. Teafatiller, Bud Watkins, and White family. .
The Courtney Cyclone of 1916 completely destroyed the school as well as several houses in the area. The school building was built ca. 1908 and captured in the three previous school photos. View looking south across the flat toward the river. Notice the school bell front right. People unknown. An Emma Carnahan photo.
After the cyclone of 1916 destroyed the Courtney School, a new building was completed about 1917-1918 in the same location. The school would have been in use until it's last year of service in 1928. The following year marked the creation of Courtney Consolidated Schools combining the school districts of Courtney, Rubottom, and Belleville (Rite). I am not sure what came of the building or if it was moved to the location of the Consolidated Schools.
We do not have any photos of the Courtney School between 1917 to 1928
Please contribute your photos of the Courtney school to our collection to preserve for future generations!
Please contribute your photos of the Courtney school to our collection to preserve for future generations!