As the turn of the nineteenth century approached the need for a school was one
of the pressing issues of the Weston community. In 1882 a public school was
begun in a one room log cabin on the old Natchitoches road about a mile south of
the present location with Mr. R. R. Graham as principal. About thirty students
attended this school, studying from Webster’s Blueback Speller, McGuffey’s
Reader, Cornell’s Geography and University Arithmetic. In 1883 the school was
moved to Rocky Springs, a mile west of the present site, and continued there
until 1889 under the principalship of T. H. DeLony.
About 1890 the community school was moved to the present site which was
donated by Mr. Billy Walsworth. A two-story frame building was erected. The
Masonic Order occupied the upper room and the one-room school was housed in
the lower room. Mr. A. M. Wailes and his daughter, Frankie, taught several
terms here being paid fifty dollars a month by the school board.
When this building became inadequate a two-room structure was built. Both
buildings were used for some time. In 1914 the enrollment had increased until
there was need for additional housing space. A two-story frame building was
erected in 1914 at a cost of $5,000.00. The former building was renovated and
used as a domestic science cottage, with Miss Syble Lane the first domestic
science teacher. In 1915 Weston School was officially made a high school. This
new school plant was completely destroyed by fire after only one year of service.
The insurance was applied on the three-story brick building, erected in 1916 at a
cost of $11,000.00 and was continuously used until being replaced in 1968.
The year 1918 was a thrilling one for the students and the community as it
marked the first commencement. The two graduates were Molly Freeman
Casey, later of St. Louis, Missouri and Webb McBride, a long-time Principal and
Superintendant in West Carroll parish. With the beginning of a high school
football became a popular sport and a few years later Weston boasted a district
championship team. Basketball was of much interest to the girls and boys alike.
The rich tradition founded in those early days continue in all of the athlectic
endeavors of students today.
The late twenties brought better means of transportation to and from school.
The school board bought a “Model-T”school bus and all pupils living two miles
or further from the school were allowed to ride. Mr. Barnie Willis was employed
to drive the bus.
In 1937 the district voted a $10,000.00 bond issue for the purpose of bulding a
gymnasium, the first in the parish. The building consisted of a large basketball
court, dressing rooms, a stage, hot and cold showers and modern rest room
facilities. The late 1930’s provided Weston with a band, an improvement
program for the school grounds sponsored by the Works Progress
Administration and a peak year in enrollemnt - 320 pupils in 1938.
In subsequent years more construction has upgraded and expanded the physical
plant of West High School. An agriculture building was erected in 1949. It
consisted of a classroom, farm shop, tool and storage room and an office. It was
one of the most modern and well-equipped departments in the parish. In the
summer of 1955 a new cafeteria was built at a cost of $20,578.00. Students also
enjoyed the arcades built from the main building to the cafeteria and to the
gymnasium. During 1956 a new principals home was built on the site of the old
one. 1964 brought the opening of a new elementary building and school offices.
1966 saw the completion of a new gymnasium and the demolition of the old.
1968 saw the end of an era at Weston High School as the old three-story brick
building was torn down with the completion of a new high school building.
Through these years baseball and softball fields have been added and the
playground area has been increased to accomodate the booming school
population. The agriculture building was destroyed by fire in 20-- and was
replaced with a new and more modern facility. Also, the library has been moved
to a library building and offers students an expanded area to do research and
and access resources for education. (1)
(1) Excerpted in part from the 1958 Wolfpack. Original researcher not noted
