Schools

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Cochran County, while sparsely populated, lacked enough families to establish the foundations of a permanent society, such as schools and churches.

Once pastures began to be enclosed and ranchers employed more cowboys, families began to appear at the ranch headquarters and line camps scattered around the county, and schools became a necessity.

Privately supported schools located on some of the ranches were the first schools in Cochran County, with the student body consisting largely of the rancher's own children. The Bird, Surrat, Ellington, and Westheimer-Daube ranches were among the earliest schools in Cochran County.

The Bar-X-Bar Ranch, ten miles west of the current townsite of Morton and owned at one time by Will Bird, was home to the first school in the county. The students consisted of the two Bird children, who were taught by Miss Margaret Collins, hired in 1905.

At the Surrat Ranch, Mrs. Sam Bell, the foreman's wife, taught school in 1918. The student body consisted of her own two children.

The school on the Westheimer-Daube Ranch was called the Shipman School because Clint Shipman, the son of ranch foreman Lem Shipman, was its only student. Lessye Jones served as the Shipman School teacher during 1923-1924.