On Monday, folks gathered at the Wayside School, also known as the Little Red Schoolhouse, to celebrate the historical building’s 110th anniversary.
Friends and family with close or distant ties to the school gathered on the front lawn to eat, laugh, and swap stories with one another in a moving display of warm fellowship.
The Little Red School House sits off to the left side of Highway 70 approximately six miles north of Pampa in Roberts County, and its long and impressive history isn’t just limited to its conception and operation, but also the people who have maintained its preservation for over a century.
With just a little over $500, Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Talley purchased supplies at Whitehouse Lumber and built the Little Red School House in 1915, named the Wayside School from the community in which the school resides, the original receipt still in tact and on display inside the building.
After the school’s closure in the 1930s, members of the Wayside Club would continue to conduct meetings at the school and maintain its upkeep, an enormous task when considering all the unpredictable and sometimes dangerous weather the panhandle of Texas has thrown at it, including all the close calls with tornados and wildfires.
But somehow the schoolhouse has withstood the tests of time and serves as a reminder of the strength and grit this part of the country is known for, as well as its people.
Monday night was truly a beautiful sight to see, with lawn chairs full of people eating and talking, sharing stories about the school that had been passed down to them from generations before. Some folks simply lived near the school and shared the same reverance as those with direct ties.
Inside the school were tables covered with foil pans and platters full of homecooked deliciousness, with just as many people dining on the inside as the outside.
But before the hungry guests lined up to eat, Lonnie Shelton led everyone in prayer, the chatter and laughter of the crowd falling silent as they bowed their heads under the clear blue sky, quietly giving thanks to God for the prevailing love and fellowship that always has and always will, much like the little red schoolhouse, remain standfast.
