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MOZELLE,
TEXAS
Coleman County,
Texas Panhandle / Hill Country
FM 1026
3 miles S of Fisk
S of Coleman City
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The Mozelle
School
TE Photo |
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Mozelle consists
of The Old High School and the buildings connected with it. There
are a few residences close by, but no sign of a town center.
We knew of Mozelle from a young woman we met in Coleman's Owl Pharmacy.
She had attended school there, so it couldn't have been closed that
long ago.
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The
Mozelle High School Storm Cellar
While storm cellars (or shelters) are fairly common in west Texas,
this is the first one we saw for a whole school.
TE Photo, 2000 |
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It's a lonesome
place, but the isolation is pleasant. It would be relaxing to have
a picnic here, although we're sure it would paralyze a victim of agoraphobia.
The Handbook of Texas has no entry for Mozelle.
© John Troesser |
Mozelle
School main entrance
June 2007 Photo courtesy Misty Johnson |
Mozelle School
Demolished
Editor’s
Note:
In a remote corner of Coleman County the owner of the former Mozelle
High School has taken on the formidable task of demolishing the building.
Although there never was a proper town of Mozelle (just the school),
the school was as special to the Mozelle alumni as any other school
was to its former students – probably more so.
Owners of private property have the right to do whatever they wish
with their property and if the sizeable town of Denison
couldn’t save its beautiful
former high school, there wasn’t a thread of hope for the ugly
duckling that was Mozelle HS.
Our inclusion of the photos is just to point out that vintage
schools in Texas are disappearing from the landscape at an alarming
rate and to ask the owner of the property if he can at least keep
the memorial that was placed there by the school students or donate
it to the county historical society so it might be saved.
Thanks to Misty Johnson for sending the photos on October 10, 2007.
Her letter follows:
“I attended school in Mozelle Texas and had recently gone back to
visit. I had been there a few years ago and my husband and I were
able to walk up the building and look in the windows. This time I
was shocked to see it's being torn down. Now the Mozelle as we knew
it will be all but gone.” |
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Mozelle
School entrance close-up
June 2007 Photo courtesy Misty Johnson |
Mozelle
School former gymnasium
June 2007 Photo courtesy Misty Johnson |
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Mozelle
Texas Forum
Subject:
Early Deaths in Mozelle
Dear TE, As far as I know, Mozelle town as you refer to it, actually
never existed as such. After attending Los Creek grade school, (five
miles south of Coleman) through the second grade, from 1947 to 1948,
Los Creek school was closed and students were transferred to other
schools, some to Coleman, and some to Mozelle, depending on where
in the county of Coleman you lived. I attended grade school at Mozelle,
from the third grade thru the ninth grade, from 1949 to 1956.
As I said, Mozelle as a town never existed, I remember a small store
across the road to the south of the main building, a cafeteria,
and some other shops, plus another building where we had agricultural
class, to the west of the school, or the rear. To the northwest
was another small building, that grade schoolers went to, before
attending junior high. This was removed a few years later, I think.
It's hard to remember. Farther out to the north west was the football
field, and due north of the school were a couple of small houses
for teachers to reside in. Just outside the north side of the school,
or the gym, was an area that was where the flag pole was at, and
was used for softball, for grade schoolers. Farther North past the
teachers houses, was another area, where we played baseball, and
it was hard ball. Mozelle as a township never happened, it was just
a country school, built on donated land, and named after Mozelle
Monsey, daughter of G. Monsey. Mozelle graduated 1957, if I ever
saw her, I don't remember her although I was there.
One point of interest, is the granite marker, near the south side
door and rear cement steps of the school, if it is still there.
When I first started there in grade school, there was one name on
it. It was Jim ??? somebody, but later I remember three more names
that were added.
1. Jim ??????
2. Rex Winslett
3. Lorena June Allen
4. Jennean Jones
All of these were tragic deaths, I don't remember the dates of their
deaths, but do remember how they died. Jim ????, was killed in a
lightning strike. Rex Winslett was electrocuted in a water tank,
changing a pump for his father. Lorena June Allen died in childbirth.
Jenean Jones died when a basketball goal that had been laid down,
in front of the gym, turned over and landed on her face, near the
bridge of her nose. I was in class when that happened. I really
hope the slate remained with just four names.
The person that wrote the first article is right, it is a lonely
place, nothing here at all to attract attention, but for all of
that I still remember some great times there, though the names are
growing dim in my memory, the faces still remain, just the same
as when I was a student there. If anyone has them, my picture will
be in the year books from 1950 to 1956. - Regards, Thomas W.
Dickinson, Bangkok, Thailand, September 17, 2006
P.S., a word on Los Creek school - it remained standing for a few
years after it was closed, then was torn down, It was a red brick
schoolhouse, with a cafeteria, two large class rooms, a study hall,
and of all things a stage. It had two outdoor restrooms, one for
boys and one for girls. This was this first time I had ever seen
this and of course not knowing the difference, I immediately went
into the wrong rest room for the girls, I got a spanking the first
day of school, and mostly had no idea why.
Anyway, right across a county road, there was the Los Creek church
house. It was also where I was Baptized, and of course no longer
exists, one thing though, it did have a pumping oil well, in the
south side of the parking area. - TWD
Mozelle
School
So happy to see your site! I graduated from Mozelle High School
in 1961. It was a great place to go to school. We went all through
school with almost the same classmates, so we were all good friends
and many of us relatives. We had great teachers and small classes,
so I do believe that we had a good education. Ed Burnan, Virginia
Jameson, Audrey Holt, Miss Essie (McGregor). Patsy Lee, Eugenia
Pittard were special teachers that I remember. There were eight
students that graduated in 1961. All but one started 1st grade together
with Aubrey Holt as teacher. With any activity, everyone had to
be involved, or there would not be enough. Everybody was in almost
everything. We went on long cold bus rides to other small schools
to play basketball or football. We had a 6 man football team. We
didn't have a band, so we would play a record over the intercom
and the girls would have a dance routine during half-time. Purple
and White--dynamite - Casey McClure, August 31, 2004
I graduated
from Mozelle High School in 1970 having grown up in southern Coleman
County since the mid-1950's. Mozelle was named for the oldest daughter
of Gordon Monsey, who donated the land for the high school to be
built on. I attended school with one of her sons and hence knew
that bit of its history. The school building and gymnasium were
built by the WPA (Work Projects Administration). - Jaime Reyes,
P.E., Euless, Texas, February 03, 2003
I remember
in the late sixties attending Sidney High School and playing against
Mozelle High School in six man football. It's sad to see that Mozelle
has joined the long list of Texas Ghost Towns. I remember visiting
Sipe Springs
many times as a kid.
As a Tex-patriate living now in the Washington DC area, I was happy
to see your site on the web. It really brought back a lot of memories.
Keep up the great work! - Deja C
Anyone
with stories, photos or incidents of Mozelle's history is invited
to share them with our readers. Please contact
us.
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