Pewitt Consolidated Independent School District

Pewitt Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Omaha, Texas (USA). The district's boundaries extend into three counties – northern Morris County (including the cities of Omaha and Naples), northwestern portion of Cass County (including the town of Marietta), and a small portion of east central Titus County.

In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.^[1]

Schools

• Pewitt High School (Grades 9-12)
• Pewitt Junior High School (Grades 6-8)
• Pewitt Elementary School (Grades PK-5)

History

Pewitt CISD is the result of a 1950 consolidation of two adjacent districts, the Omaha Independent School District in Omaha and the Naples Independent School District in neighboring Naples.^[2]

In late 1949 and early 1950, the two districts faced a financial issue in part because of a storm that all but destroyed the Omaha school. Both districts needed to upgrade their facilities, but the estimated cost of $90,000 was far greater than the districts (either separately or combined) could hope to raise.

In considering a proposal to consolidate the two districts, the school boards of both districts met in a joint meeting at the State Bank of Omaha at seven o’clock, P.M. on February 24, 1950. Mr. W. C. Stevens, president of the Omaha school board, presided over the meeting.

Mr. Paul H. Pewitt, a businessman from Longview, along with several of his associates, attended the meeting. Mr. Pewitt told the boards of his interest in the school children and made the following proposition: if the two districts would consolidate, Pewitt would purchase 100 acres (0.40 km²) of land on the highway halfway between Omaha and Naples, grade and prepare the grounds for the buildings and general use of the school, and donate an additional $100,000.00 in cash to help with the construction of the necessary buildings and equipment.

The two boards then held separate meetings, and the board unanimously adopted a resolution accepting Mr. Pewitt’s proposition, and agreed to join the Omaha board in calling an election at the earliest possible date for the purpose of effecting the consolidation.

A joint committee, which was agreed to by the Omaha board, consisting of Bun Hall, R.E. Moore, Leon "Mad Dog" Coker, John Whitaker and W.C. Stevens, was appointed to agree on and arrange for the 100-acre (0.40 km²) site and to serve as a general committee toward the consolidation.

The following resolution was also adopted: "Be it Resolved That, the Board of Trustees, as far as it lies within our power, accept Mr. Pewitt’s very generous offer to donate the Omaha and Naples school districts, if consolidated, $100,000 in cash, 100 acres (0.40 km²) of land for school purposes on the highway between the two towns, and other assistance, and that this board does hereby extend to Mr. Pewitt its heart-felt thanks for so generous an offer, and that as a token of our appreciation, and that of the people of our district, we recommend that the High School to be constructed on said grounds to be known as the ‘Paul H. Pewitt High School.’"

On April 3, 1950, the first Board of Trustees were elected: W.G. Granberry, J.M. Hampton, Jamie Brabham, B.B. Brown, Dr. C.J. Wise, R.E. Moore, W.C. Stevens. Granberry was elected Vice President and Secretary; Stevens was elected President. On April 6, 1950, Mr. Frank C. Bean was hired as first superintendent.

In 2008 the Marietta Independent School District closed and consolidated with Pewitt CISD.

Notable Alumni

Jimmy Wilkerson

References

• List of school districts in Texas

http://pewittalumni.org, http://www.pewittcisd.net