The Day Milam High School Burned - Herk McGraw

THE DAY MILAM HIGH SCHOOL HOUSE BURNED

The Milam High School Class of 1923

School was out, "teachers let the monkeys out," the gang sang as we took off for home. It was the last day of school in 1943. I had just finished the 3rd grade and we were moving the next day.

My grandmother Dean, Aunt Phyllis, and Uncle Conley had come to help Mom pack to move. We lived about a quarter mile down the creek from the school on a little plot where the bridge crosses the creek to the water plant now.

Mom kicked Conley and me out of the house so they could get the packing done. We were on the hillside across the creek between the creek and railroad looking at something when we looked up and saw black smoke rising from the direction of the school. We ran home to tell Mom. She said it was probably Uncle Oak's chicken house. Naturally we had to go see and Mom said OK. We took off up the road. When we hit the turn at Ed Kerns' store, post office, and service station we could see it was the school house.

The Mullens Fire Department, I suppose, was already there. The men were rigging the hoses to pump water from the creek where it comes under the bridge.

About the time they got the water running a lady ran over the hose on her way to the post office. The pressure on the hose caused a weak spot to give way and water went everywhere. The firefighters went crazy stopping the pump and installing a new section of hose. They got the water running and guess what, here came the lady headed for home. This time the hose held.

Conley and I watched for awhile, got tired and hurried home to tell Mom it was the school burning. The big story in the family was that Uncle Darrell 's typewriter had burned in the fire.

That is my story and I am sticking to it.

Kenton Herford McGraw, Jr. “Herk”

We have a whole page on our website with information about The Old Milam High School

To check it out CLICK HERE

Picture Courtesy of Lynne (McGraw) Goroncy

1977 Milam Reunion - Hawaii comes to McGraws

Back Row L-R: Marvin "Jack" McGraw, Galena (McGraw) Kerns, Horace McGraw

Front Row L-R: Naomi (McGraw) Sadler, Mabel (Unknown)