Please be sure to check out the photographs with the underlined links!

1920's

1923:

• Application was made for "Old" Spring Lake School to become an independent school district. The original white, clapboard school building was moved to its new, central location between the towns of Earth, Punkin' Center, and Old Spring Lake.
• A $30,000 bond was passed to fund the construction of a new red brick structure. The building consisted of 5 classrooms, an administrative office, a library, and an auditorium.
• 1924 Bus

1925:

• School opened in September at the location where it now stands - halfway between Punkin' Center (now Springlake) and Earth - with E. C. Martin superintendent. The board of trustees was composed of W.C. White, M.E. Cleavinger, Otis Brown, Earl Hewitt, H.M. Packard, George Linville, and Arthur Edwards. The faculty of five teachers was Mr. and Mrs. Martin, Mrs. McClanahan, Mr. Sherman, and Gladys Franklin.
• Sixth Grade Class of 1924/25
• Spring Lake High School--1925
• Teachers--1925

1927:

• Ruby Kelley and Edith Barrett (Crawford) were the school's first graduates.
• Students beside Buses

1928:

• Football team organized with twelve on the squad.
• Band organized.
• The first school paper was published - "The Spring Lake Siren."

1929:

• Due to the large influx of "settlers in the area," four rooms and shower facilities were added to the original red brick school in the summer of 1929.
• Spring Lake High School became an accredited four-year high school.
• Football Team at Work
  

1930's

• The first annual was printed and called "The Wolverine."

1934:

• The F.F.A. chapter was established.
• The room mother idea was born.
• The first Equalization Board composed of C. B. Landers, O. F. Dent, and J. F. Kelley was appointed.

1936:

• A gym-auditorium was built and later dedicated on February 25, 1937. This is the junior high gym today.

1939:

• The present high school was dedicated on September 1, 1939.
• That fall, the Big Square students were transferred to the Spring Lake School District.
• Second Grade Class of 1938

1940's

• A shop and grade school gym were added with a $30,000 bond voted (votes totaled 33 to 2). This gym is now the current grade school gym.
• A football field was built, complete with a stand on the north side large enough to seat five hundred fans.
• The total school budget was $61,300. During these years, school would often be turned out in October for cotton picking for about two weeks. At that time, cotton was still picked by hand.
• Wolverine Football (This is a rather large picture for clarity's sake)
• Graduates

1948:

• First women school board members were elected: Mrs. J.L. Hinson and Mrs. Pete Parish.

1949:

• In May, students from Pleasant Valley school were included.

1950's

1950:

• The first science classes were held in the grade school.

1951:

• Driver's Education classes were begun.

1952:

• The elementary gym building was converted to a cafeteria.

1953:

• A Halloween Carnival was sponsored by the P. T. A.
• Negro students were being transferred to Olton, so fifteen Negro parents made application for a school. It was located in Earth with Mary Joyce Sanders the teacher. A few years later, the students were moved to the school campus in a separate building where teacher housing now stands and, eventually, into the current Junior High building.

1954:

• With an enrollment near 900, a $400,000 bond was voted for a new grade school and an addition to the high school, including the present high school gym, the auditorium, and band hall.
• Four classrooms were added to the north end of the high school building.
• The original red brick building became the Junior High.

1958:

• The parking lot in front of the school was paved.

1960's

1965:

• Negro students fully integrated.

1966:

• The Earth Chamber of Commerce offered to buy a lighted sign to be placed on Highway 70 indicating the location of the school if the name of the school were changed to include Earth. The board of trustees agreed, and in that same year, the name "Springlake-Earth" was adopted.

1967:

• The current five-room Home Economics cottage, consisting of both sewing and cooking labs, was completed.

Spring of 1968:

• A tornado damaged the junior high gym, and the following summer, it was repaired and remodeled with the addition of new dressing rooms, showers, bleachers, and a complete new floor and ceiling.
  

1970's

1980's

1988:

• Lighted tennis courts (a community project) were installed.
  

1990's

1991:

• The track was rebuilt.
• A new school/community library was built on campus. This library serves not only the Springlake-Earth students, but members of the surrounding communities as well, and is a member of the West Texas Library Association.

1998:

• Funds were received in a grant from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board enabling Springlake-Earth ISD to establish a presence on the world wide web and allowing access for all students - as well as faculty members and patrons of the library - to internet resources.

Summer of 1999:

• Work was undertaken to move the junior high facilities to the elementary building.
• The original red brick building was fitted with updated electrical wiring, carpet, and a fresh coat of interior paint to create the new "Technology Building." The structure now houses two high tech computer labs and a distance learning lab. The school anticipates the distance learning lab will be of great benefit to our students, community members, and faculty in the coming years.

2000's

2002-2003:

• Veterans Wall was begun. Linda Thompson, librarian, was instrumental in getting this done.
• Robert Conkin, superintendent since 1986, began a transition toward retirement. He became the elementary/junior high principal. Dr. Gary Bigham, who had been the elementary/junior high principal, took over as superintendent.
• Classrooms on all three campuses and the band hall were outfitted with heating/air conditioning units.

Present members of the Springlake-Earth Board of Trustees are: David Bagwell, Tony Barton, Randy Bills, Jimmy McCurry, Mark Parish, Kevin Riley and Brenda Williams.

The Springlake-Earth faculty has grown from one teacher in 1908 to thirty-eight teachers, one full time librarian, and eleven teacher's aides.

Administrative staff includes

Gary Bigham, superintendent

Robert Conkin, elementary and junior high principal; and

Jared Bellar, high school principal;

The present enrollment is approximately 389 students.

This growth and improvement in our school system from the little two room school to the beautiful campus of today is an indication of a community established through the hard work and determination of its citizens.

2003-2004:

In order to be in compliance with ADA (American Disability Act), the school is currently undergoing several construction projects. These are:

• Sidewalks and handicapped seating at the football stadium.
• Handicapped access to the football concession stand.
• Construction of a hallway connceting the existing doors by the basketball concession stand to the restrooms at the football field.
• Installation of windows in the north end of the gym on both sides of the basketball goal.
• Railing for handicap access to and from the east auditorium/gym entrance.
• Closing the restrooms in the gym/auditorium hallway.
• Address drainage issues outside the superintendent's office complex.
• Handicap access to the home economics lab, lab stations, and high school girls' restroom.
• Rework the ramp in front of the high school.
• Handicap access to the high school boys' restroom and the science lab.
• Construct a ramp at the north end of the high school.
• Construct a handicap accessible restroom in the elementary building.
• Rebuild the ramp in front of the technology building.
• Address access issues into the cafeteria.
• Build restroom facilities in the cafeteria.

2004-2005:

The Springlake-Earth ISD strives to provide great facilities to enhance the educational process. In recent years, numerous improvements have been made to the facilities and grounds. These improvements include, but are not limited to:

• Refrigerated air conditioner/heater units were installed in every academic classroom in every building.
• The high school science laboratory has been renovated to accommodate handicapped students.
• The Home Economics lab has been renovated to accommodate handicapped students.
• The restrooms in the high school, elementary/junior high, and technology buildings have been renovated to accommodate the needs of all students.
• A handicap accessible restroom has been added in the elementary school.
• Restrooms were added to the cafeteria for public access.
• Access to and from the buildings has been improved by adding or improving railings and ramps.
• The restrooms at the football field have been renovated to better accommodate the needs of the public, i.e. more aesthetically pleasing, handicap accessiblity, baby changing stations, etc.
• Access to the restrooms used at the football field is now provided for public gatherings at the auditorium and gymnasium via a new hallway built on the west end of the gym.
• Public access to the football stadium has been improved by adding sidewalks from the ticket booth to the concession stand, restrooms, and the stadium; stadium access has been improved through the building of new ramps with safer slopes; and handicap seating aras are now provided in the stadium.
• The parking lot in front of the school has been resurfaced and the trafic flow has been rerouted to improve safety for the students
• A completely new playground has been put into place, improving safety issues for students.
• The gynmasium has had railing installed to the home seating area for safety, windows added on the north end for better public viewing, and a handicapped seating area is now designated.
• Outside lighting has been added in various locations on the campus.
• New shelving has been installed in the library.
• Accessibility to the Home Economic lab has been improved.
• A new waste water facility is currently being constructed.
• Turfallo grass is currently replacing Bermuda grass in the front lawn of the school for improved water efficiency.
• They gym, auditorium, and campus administrative office areas were re-roofed.

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