The two-story red brick school building housed all grades when it was erected in Richmond in 1903.
By Joan Frances | Photos from Fort Bend County Texas: A Pictorial History –
When the early settlers traveled to Fort Bend to begin a new life, the idea of education was not feasible. Farming, ranching and establishing roots for viable communities were priorities. School was considered an extravagance the colonists could not afford to indulge in.
Children were an essential work force for chores around the house and working long hours in the fields. Farmers had very little education and felt their children did not need any schooling. When the idea of education came up, many were not receptive. As early as 1802, legislative proclamations were issued to encourage parents to send children to school but with little success. Paid teachers were hard to come by, the population was sparse, people were poor and the frontier rough; too many variables continued to block education until a visionary politician came to Texas.
Nicknamed “The Father of Texas Education,” Mirabeau B. Lamar was born in Fairfield, Georgia. He loved to read and was self-educated. He declined Princeton University to work as a merchant and ran a newspaper. He was employed as a private secretary to Georgia Governor George M. Troup, studied law in Georgia and was admitted to the bar in 1833.
Lamar moved to Texas in 1835 after the tragic suicide of his brother Lucius. He joined Sam Houston’s army in the spring of 1836 and fought bravely at the Battle of San Jacinto. He was nominated to the Democratic Party for the President of Texas and was elected on December 1, 1838. During his administration, Lamar was instrumental in convincing the legislature to set aside 17,712 acres of land in each county for the support of school development, and by 1845, the state constitution provided one-tenth of annual state tax revenue funds to help support free public education. This definitive action began the movement towards an educated society.
The Booth Public School was built in 1912. The exterior was patterned after the San Jose Mission in San Antonio.
As time went on, there were multiple setbacks that conflicted with advancement. Land prices were so low very little revenue could be generated; counties were indifferent to the establishment of schools and made little effort to survey the land. Racial discrimination was prevalent throughout the area so schools were split to accommodate the communities. Those schools that were built had such poor teaching facilities that children developed illnesses. Private schools were opened and were successful because they were funded through tuition, had better paid teachers and more accommodating buildings.
In the Constitution of 1869, the government set compulsory school attendance at four months a year, allowing time for fall harvesting. Ever so slowly, the notion of educating the future of the world became reality.
Today, Fort Bend County boasts one of the best school districts in the country. It is the seventh largest public school system in the State of Texas. Fifty-one years ago in 1963, Fort Bend had only 600 students. Six years later, the enrollment almost doubled and has continued to climb at a staggering rate. Present day school population is over 97,000 with an increase of more than 1,000 new students every year. Combining Fort Bend ISD and Lamar Consolidated ISD schools, the area caters to over 104 elementary, middle and high schools of the highest caliber of learning. Both school districts have achieved a “recognized” rating by the Texas Education Agency.
It is difficult to conceive the notion that barely one hundred years ago, Fort Bend County had little to no education system. With the drive and dedication of our founding fathers, our children will move forward with a sound education to impact society.