Collum School House 22

Lea County Families and Histories, Then and Now, Vol II

 The Collum School House

The location of this school was 12 miles southwest of Tatum, New Mexico. It was named for William C. Collum, who had homestead nearby. The Collum's came from Georgia to Arkansas to Texas, then settled southwest of Tatum.

Mr. Collum had nine children: Mark, George, Bob, Charlie, Ike, Edd, Claudia, Blanche and Ida.

The schoolhouse was built in 1916. The lumber was hauled from Midland or Roswell in a wagon. It was probably 18x20 or 20x20 feet. It was built in the southwest corner of the Collum land. The children went to the eighth grade, and after that they were bused to Tatum.

Some of the teachers were: May Denny, B.B. Barnes, Thelma Frier, Ruby Morley, Zelma Ringwald, Sina Sartin and others.

None of Bob Collum's went there, but all graduated from Tatum school. Midge, Frankie and Jewell Collum taught there too. The school closed in 1933. J.L. Reed bought the school house in 1939 and moved it to his ranch north of Lovington. The price paid was $85.00.