CRIPPLE CREEK SCHOOL c1900-1921 was on the west side of Cripple Creek Road, about two miles north of the Bradyville Road, and a few hundred feet south of the present Presbyterian Church. It was on a farm owned by Russell Patrick. In about 1900 the Standridge Presbyterian Church changed its name to Cripple Creek Presbyterian Church and it is presumed that the
STANDRIDGE SCHOOL became the CRIPPLE CREEK SCHOOL at the same
time.
The school building was of frame construction with two rooms forming an L-shape. On the front were two cloak rooms divided by a porch which led to the big room. Across the back of the big room was a stage. The little room extended back from the right side of the big room.
Among the early teachers at CRIPPLE CREEK, some or all of whom may have taught at STANDRIDGE, were Jim Becton, Maude Youree Brainard, Willie Smith, Frank Lowe, son of Nick Lowe, and Silas Youree. Other teachers were Beulah McKnight, 1912-1913; Lola Floyd, 1912-1914; Rosie Youree Jennings, 1913-1914; Annie Youree Butler and Herman Fox, 1914-1916; Addie Caf fey and Esther Couch, 1916-1918; Mamie McNabb Mitchell and Spencer Donnell, 1918-1920; Ruth Dement, 1920-1921.
Family names of students were Burks, Youree, Walkup, Lyon, Caffey, Wilson, Harrell, Good, Vaught, Phillips, Patrick, and Becton.
Katherine Youree remembers that the students would walk to the church grounds to eat their lunch. The girls would also sweep the floors of the church building once a week. In the fall of 1921, CRIPPLE CREEK SCHOOL, now a one teacher school, was consolidated with KITTRELL. Some of the
students went to MURRAY.
The school building was sold to the Patrick family. It was later moved across Cripple Creek where it was rebuilt as a house. The house still stands.
SOURCES: Interviews, May 23, 1983, with Frank Lowe, son of Seemus Lowe; April 1985, with Elva Walkup O’Brien, b. 1900, and a student starting in 1905. *Katherine Burks Youree, student.