Site of Grady School
Palmer, Ellis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Originally established in 1895 to serve children on the pioneer Farrar family, Grady school eventually grew into a community rural school. The first school building, located on a hill overlooking the north bank of Red Oak Creek, was replaced in 1919 by a second building on the south side of the creek. Mrs. Simon Bowden Farrar named the school for Henry W. Grady, editor of the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. The Grady School continued to serve students in this area until the late 1920s. After it closed the students transferred to school in nearby communities.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Established in 1895 to teach the children of the pioneer Farrar family, Grady School grew into a rural community school in Ellis County. Its first building stood on a hill above the north bank of Red Oak Creek and was replaced in 1919 by a second building across the water. Mrs. Simon Bowden Farrar named the school for Henry W. Grady, the influential editor of the Atlanta Constitution; it served local students until the late 1920s, when they transferred to neighboring communities.
Why it matters
The one-building country school was the backbone of rural American education, often the first institution a farming community built and the last it let go.
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Related people
- · Henry W. Grady
- · Mrs. Simon Bowden Farrar
Themes & tags
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