It all began in 1848... The early settlers of Prairie Lea recognized the importance of education from the town’s beginning. The first school in Prairie Lea, as well as in Caldwell County, was a log cabin built in 1848. It was also used for church services. In 1851, Joe Martin of Gonzales deeded over four acres of land for a permanent school site. The following year, Legislature granted a charter to establish the Prairie Lea Female Academy. In 1878, the Grange constructed a two-story building to be used as a school on the lower floor and as a meeting hall for the Grange on the upper floor. None of the early schools lasted. At last, in 1925, the first five rooms of the present public school building were erected on the four acres deeded over by Martin. The next year, in 1926, five additional rooms were added to accommodate the increased enrollment brought on by the oil boom in the area. In 1927, a gymnasium was added to the school. It was the first to be built in the county. The following year, a Home Economics room was added. Two more classrooms and an auditorium were added in 1931. By this time $90,000 had been spent to build Prairie Lea School - a small amount in contrast to today’s building costs. In 1939, the Prairie Lea Indians Football Team was generally recognized as the Interscholastic League Champion of all South Texas. Team member Hans McCartney was selected by The American Boy as quarterback on the Six-Man All-American Team in recognition of his ability in scoring 162 points. (above excerpt contributed by Patsy Kimball)