Remember When ...

Remember when school did not start until after Labor Day, and was not out until the last of May? Times have changed…not only on the calendar, but on our school campuses.

Up until the early 1940s, there were many small rural schools across Young County. A lot of those schools were oneroom schools. Actually, in the 1920s, Young County had 43 rural schools, plus Newcastle, Olney, and Graham.

My mother-in-law, Annie Norris (Larimore), taught in one of those schools. She was only 16, but because of a shortage of teachers, she was encouraged to take the required county teaching exam. She passed and became the teacher at the one-room Ben Waters school. Of course, when she married Mr. Larimore at age 20, she had to quit. In those days, married women were not allowed to teach!

There were only 11 grades in Texas schools until the early 1940s. My husband attended the True school until it closed. He was in the fourth grade there. When he transferred to Olney, he was promoted to sixth grade. That was because they were beginning the transition to the 12-grade system that we have today. He said skipping a grade was difficult, but I am sure having a former teacher-mom was a big help.

In history, you will be familiar with Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House On The Prairie books. And, of course, there was the long-running, beloved series on TV based on those books. Laura also started teaching very young. She was 15 years old.

Fast forward to school year 2025-26. It is exciting when hometown kids have gone out into the world, and made successful lives and careers. A special welcome home to Dustin Altmiller.

We welcome all our teachers and administrators back as we look forward to another outstanding year for Olney ISD!

Thank you teachers and administrators.

You make us proud.