Gilbert, Arizona

CHAPTER IV

Schools

I n 1891, a new school district was created for the south Mesa area. It was organized as District 41 of the Highland School District and was initially administered by the Mesa School District. The first frame schoolhouse south of Baseline Road was constructed in about 1900, in what would become Gilbert. The large Barkley family that came to Arizona in 1886 gave the school district its first and second school site. These were the Barkleys who had homesteaded more than a section of land south of Baseline Road. Their first parcel was homesteaded in 1898. The first school house on this donated land was built at the corner of Cooper Road and Baseline Road. In essays written by John Sawyer and Rose Divelbess, both longtime Gilbert residents, the

school was described as follows: “A one-room lumber building with a porch on one side for protection in bad weather was erected on this corner [Baseline Road and Cooper Road]. A hitching rail was provided for students who rode a horse to school. The horses were tied to the rail and they waited patiently until school was dismissed. Sometimes a small amount of hay was brought along on which the horse could nibble.” We know from family history records on file at the Gilbert Historical Museum that Morris Cooper attended school in this one-room schoolhouse in 1907. He was one of the chil dren of the large Orson Cooper family for whom Cooper Road is named. Mr. Cooper also served as mayor of Gilbert from 1959 to 1967.

k First school in Gilbert (pencil sketch drawn by Leilani Wilson)

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