Senior U.S. District Judge from Haigler

Senior U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright of Kansas City, Missouri spent Tuesday, July 10 in the Haigler area. He is an alumnus of country school 67 South and was excited to know it is being saved and restored. He enjoyed having lunch at Jakes' Place with the Carlock brothers and talking with Lester Adams--who was in elementary school with him at 67 South.

Clipping from the Benkelman Post:

Senior U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright of Kansas City, Missouri, visited the Haigler/Benkelman area on Tuesday, July 10. He was en route to Vail, Colorado, for meetings, but wanted to re-visit Dundy County. Senior Judge Wright is an alumnus of the one-room country school District 67 South and was thrilled to learn of the preservation and restoration project of this old schoolhouse. He gladly added his name to the list of donors for the project, and said: "I look forward to returning to Haigler after the school is moved and will watch its progress on the Haigler Blog."

Born in a stone house on a farm west of Haigler to Jesse and Irline (Slaughter) Wright, he has wonderful memories of growing up in this area. His elementary school classmates included Lester Adams, Ward Wonder, Stanley Long and Harriet Long. Senior Judge Wright served as a Marine Corps aviator and member of a Dive Bomber Squadron during World War II before obtaining a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1950. His legal career alternated between private practice and stints as a prosecuting attorney. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 and served as chief judge from 1985-1990. He assumed senior judge status in 1991.
--The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle, July 18, 2007