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Education deeply rooted at US 183, FM 1431

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Written by Jim Dawson Thursday, 07 December 2006

One of the earliest schools in the Cedar Park area was located at the intersection of US 183 and FM 1431 at the present location of La Tapatia Mexican Restaurant. This area was known as White Stone Community and was named for quarries in the vicinity.

In about 1887, George and Harriet Cluck sold 1.5 acres for $1 to the Trustees of the Running Brushy Community School where they constructed a one room school-church building on the east side of the railroad tracks.

In 1920, Thomas L. Allen was appointed trustee of the Cedar Park School District. Because the old school was more than 40 years old and in need of repair, Allen consolidated Cedar Park with Block House and closed both schools to form the new White Stone School in 1923. The building was built of native rock donated by the Allen Quarry.

The two-room schoolhouse usually had 35-40 students attending, with grades 1-4 in one room and 5-8 in the other. It had no kindergarten at that time, but children usually began their schooling at age five.

In the winter, the building was heated by a huge wood-burning, pot-bellied stove the older boys tended during the day. A school regent started the fire early each morning so it would be warm when the children arrived.

Each room had a cloakroom for the children to hang their coats. One of the cloakrooms was eventually turned into a kitchen where lunch was prepared for the children.

Originally the school had no indoor plumbing. The children used two outhouses, one for the boys and another for the girls.

Mary Henry Bible, 82, attended the school all eight years and recalls walking to and from school each day.

Bible also remembers playing on big rocks outside and climbing a big oak tree that still stands on the property.

“It had a grapevine that ran through it, and a big boy would swing us on the vine and we played Tarzan,” Bible said.

The White Stone School was consolidated into the Leander ISD in 1952. The building was remodeled in 1984 and later dismantled because of roadway improvements. Local realtor, Preston Carlton, purchased the salvaged building materials and continues to keep them in storage.