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

I was so excited when I saw this picture and insert in the "Haigler Happenings" today!

It says:

"Have you seen the big sign with red bows on Porter Avenue? It says "Future Home of Country School District 67 South." Plans are under way to save the one-room country schoolhouse, move the school from the country to town and do a complete restoration. Stay tuned for more information as the project develops. One-room schoolhouses were important in the development of our country and local citizens are happy that South 67 is to be moved from its lonely corner in Steve's cornfield to a place of prominence in the village. Stan and LaNeta Carlock are spearheading the project." -- The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle - April 25, 2007

The saving of this building is something I wish we would see more of. Every time one of the old buildings are demolished, I feel sad that they are gone. The fact that Steve, Stan & LaNeta are willing to go to the expense and effort to move this building is an awsome thing! Many of the old country schools have been moved to other property or destroyed because the land needs to be folded into the field where it sits. And this is as it should be. There is no reason to leave the buildings there to decay because they will never be used again as a school.

I'm not sure what the plans are for this building, but a restored country school will be a great place to set up a museum and/or gift shop to store "memories" for us old folks who like to remember what it was like in "the old days." (I know I'm not the only one who feels this way)

-- Editor