Lone Star Schools History

The Lone Star schools about 1924. Elementry school at left and the high school at right
Contributed by the Deering Family and the Yuma Museum

The first school in the far northeastern corner of Washington County began about 1895 as a rural grade school in district 30. A three-room school building was built and later moved to its present location

As the community had been steadily growing, residents began to feel the need for centralized high school. In 1920, two years of high school education was added and the school district reorganized as district 28. Beginning in September of that year the first two years of high school were taught in the Olhausen family's house. The principal of this new high school was Ruth Thaxton who suggested it be named Lone Star after her home state of Texas.

In 1922 Lone Star and surrounding districts voted to consolidate and offer a four year high school education in a new high school building which was completed in 1923.

In the ensuing years the Lone Star district continued to expand through consolidations until it included the Faith, Hope, Charity, Burdett, Prairie Vale, Hillcrest, East 28, West 28, Richmond, Liberty Hill and White districts.

In 1960, a new larger building capable of housing all twelve grades was built. It wasn't finished until rather late and was dedicated on Sunday, November 13, 1960. As a result, the class of 1960 was the last class to graduate in the old, 1923, high school building.

After only 15 months, the new building burned down due to a boiler malfunction or explosion on January 10, 1962. The class of 1961 was the only class to have graduated from the new building and they had not even attended classes in the building for a full year.

The community voted to rebuild the school on the same foundation with existing floor plan, however, they did make a few changes and improvements.

Lone Star continues to occupy this very building today, with a number of additions and more improvements having been made in the years since 1962. This is the building as it stands today and still functions as the center of the Lone Star community.

Page content in part by: Gabrielle Blom, Lillian Guinn, and Juan Hermosillo taken from http://lonestarschool.net

Lone Star High School Class of 1924

     The very first commencement of Lone Star High School, northwest of Yuma (in Washington County), will be observed next week. All events of the week will be held in the high school auditorium. The Baccalaureate sermon will be delivered Sunday morning, May 25th 1924, at 10 o'clock. Class night is set for Monday, May 26th 1924, at 8 o'clock. The commencement exercises will begin at 8 o'clock Wednesday evening. The salutatory will be delivered by Merle Whittenburg and the valedictory will be delivered by Glenn Stenson.
     There are twelve members of the graduating class as follows: Hazel Margaret Olhausen, Francis Elizabeth Keenan, Merle Whittenburg, Glenn Elmer Stenson, Arthur Denzel Deering, Bruce W. Mollison, Ruth G. Whittenburg, Helen S. Olhausen, Nadine I Wheeler, Grace Hattie Deering, Loel M. Mollison and Claude Sweger. (Note: This is not the order in the photograph below.)

    Class photo donated by Arlene Glenn and the Yuma Museum

Lone Star School 1926-1927 Personnel
Third and Fouth Grade

Donated by Mona Lindsey and the Yuma Museum

Lone Star School 1929-1930 Personnel
Third and Fouth Grade

Lone Star School District 101 Present

Statistics for the 2013-2014 school year follow:

Lone Star Elementary School
  Students: 65 
  Teachers: 8
  Student-Teacher Ratio: 7.7 to 1 
  Lowest Grade in School: Kindergarten
  Highest Grade in School: 5 

Lone Star Middle School
  Students: 22 
  Teachers: 3
  Student-Teacher Ratio: 6.5 to 1 
  Lowest Grade in School: 6
  Highest Grade in School: 8 

Lone Star Undivided High School
  Students: 34 
  Teachers: 7
  Student-Teacher Ratio: 4.6 to 1 
  Lowest Grade in School: 9
  Highest Grade in School: 12