Chalkboard Notes Newsletter

Chalkboard Notes is the quarterly newsletter of the Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools. Each issue shares preservation projects, school histories, upcoming events, volunteer activities, historical discoveries, and stories that celebrate the people and traditions of Gillespie County's rural schools.

Published four times each year — Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall — each issue offers a closer look at the people, places, projects, and traditions that help preserve this important part of our county’s heritage.

Browse the newsletter archive below to explore past issues and community highlights, and click an image to view the PDF version.

Select a newsletter below to view the complete issue.

Spring 2026 – Volume 15

Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association, Inc., is rekindling the telling of that chapter in local history with the presentation

Winter 2026 – Volume 15

After Christmas, Germans observe Zweite Weihnachten, the 2nd Christmas Day. It's a quiet day for rest, reflection, family, and leftovers.

Fall 2025 – Volume 14

On August 1, FOGCCS presented the program, “Treasure of Gillespie County Country School Trail,” for the Pioneer Museum’s First Friday

Summer 2025 – Volume 14

FOGCCS has always worked closely with the Pioneer Museum. All our schools furnish docents for the White Oak School's spring

Spring 2025 – Volume 14

Donations of early schoolbooks and teaching items were received and added to our archival inventory.

Winter 2025 – Volume 14

Books and historical country schools share the quest for learning and reading the written word. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Fall 2024 – Volume 13

The “Schultüte” tradition is a long-standing practice in Germany that has been celebrated for generations. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Summer 2024 – Volume 13

A Gillespie County Country School Painted Curtain was placed with the Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools by Glen Treibs.

Spring 2024 – Volume 13

FOGCCS members volunteered to assist with Spring Break 2024 at Pioneer Museum. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Winter 2024 – Volume 13

Carolyn Sowell and Sally Murray of Lubbock delivered a National Geographic Globe, c. 1961-62, a box of their teaching items,

Fall 2023 – Volume 12

It took an army of Friends’ volunteers to accomplish our goal. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Summer 2023 – Volume 12

Discover how one family's summer math tradition, inspired by a vintage school textbook, helped shape a future math teacher—and continues

Spring 2023 – Volume 12

The Friends GCCS Archives and Artifacts Committee has placed 18 donations in our historic schools since the first donation received

Winter 2023 – Volume 12

During the open house at Williams Creek School, visitors were treated to a quilt display and a live demonstration of

Fall 2022 – Volume 11

Autograph books originated around 1558 among students and scholars from Germany and the Low Countries who collected signatures and dedications

Summer 2022 – Volume 11

The German Emigration Company promised free education, a compelling reason to emigrate to Texas. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Spring 2022 – Volume 11

We thank our community partners for placing our driving trail brochures in their businesses about Gillespie County. ← Back to

Winter 2022 – Volume 11

Friends of GCCS adopted Gillespie County to support the Texas Almanac Project under the Texas State Historical Association. ← Back

Fall 2021 – Volume 10

Lasting Education Events to Celebrate Fredericksburg’s 175th Birthday. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Spring-Summer 2021 – Volume 10

The German Emigration Company promised free education, a compelling reason to emigrate to Texas. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Winter 2021 – Volume 10

Even in the early 1900s, “closing school for short periods was common, and people understood quarantine because disease was more

Fall 2020 – Volume 9

Over the past two years to present, many school floors have been refin-ished. Maintenance is an important part of preservation

Summer 2020 – Volume 9

The last day of school in the Texas Hill Country was an all- day affair that included a traditional Prüffung-Oral

Spring 2020 – Volume 9

Curtains Without Borders has added photos of the Gillespie County painted school-stage curtain to its website. ← Back to Chalkboard

Summer 2019 – Volume 8

GILLESPIE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. The GCHS will house scanned archives in a specific container with the School History Notebooks completed

Spring 2019 – Volume 8

ANNUAL BBQ FUNDRAISER and OPEN HOUSE. Weekend was a success on April 6 and 7: A tradition with Gillespie County

Winter 2019 – Volume 8

Thanks to the Wayfinding Signs in Gillespie County, visitors can find their destination. Our historic country schoolhouses are now easier

Fall 2018 – Volume 7

The partnership project with Curtains Without Borders of Vermont and Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools was completed Sept. 12

Summer 2018 – Volume 7

The July 4th Open House program on the US Flag by Roy Kasper and Violet Ottmers was followed by the

Winter 2018 – Volume 7

Fourteen early school boooks donated to Friends. ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Fall 2017 – Volume 6

Historic painted school curtains out of storage for photo sessions ← Back to Chalkboard Notes

Summer 2017 – Volume 6

National Service Award goes to Evelyn Weinheimer, archivist at Gillespie County Historical Society-Pioneer Museum. Each year, CSAA presents a Service

Spring 2017 – Volume 6

Friends represented at the 2017 Country School Association of America in New London, New Hampshire, on June 11-14th; at Colby-Sawyer

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