James Quantrell Tucker - A Salute to Teachers

A note from Lori:  James Quantrell Tucker was my great-grandfather on my father’s side – Larry’s paternal grandfather.  He died when I was about five, so I don’t have a lot of memories of him.  However, his wife, Carrie, was a favorite of mine and there will be future posts about Carrie and Quantrell (Dee Dee remembers quite a bit about him).  The following is from a newspaper clipping that I found in a book.  I have copied the text to make it easier to read, but the clipping in its entirety is at the end of this post.  I am guessing that it is from the newspaper, “The Hollis News”, from Hollis, Oklahoma, and the obituaries on the back of the clipping are from the first couple of weeks in June of 1990.

“A Salute to Teachers

By Edith Carter

A salute this week goes to James Quantrell Tucker.

In 1911, Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Tucker, Sr. came from Texas to Harmon county and settled in the Teacross community. Their home was a half dugout with a room on the top. This was the typical home for early day settlers. Mrs. Tucker was formerly Katie Arnold. Their children are: Mary, Maggie, Quantrell, Rushin, Jessie, Frank, Honor, R.B. Jr. and Edna. All of the children attended Teacross school and Teacross Baptist Church.

In 1912-13 Mr. Watts started the enthusiasm for playing basketball. It was played on a dirt court outside and was the high point of interest after school, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. The entire community would gather, watch and visit. In 1914-15 Mr. Partain became coach and the team continued to be the main attraction. Then in 1916 Mr. Coonsmiller was the coach and the

team gained the reputation "never was beaten." This is the team Quantrell was so proud of. They were called "the undefeated team of Harmon County."

Teacross had school to the eighth grade. Those wanting to teach elementary grades were given a teacher's test.

Outsiders played on the basketball teams as they were not a part of the school system. These men teachers coached the young men after school hours and on weekends. The last day of school at Teacross was looked forward to from one year to the next. An all day affair was held at the school with parents and children arriving early in their buggies or wagons with big boxes of food to have a "dinner on the ground." Programs were given by the children and then the community was treated to a play, put on by the young people and young marrieds of the community.

In 1919 Quantrell married Carrie Burt, also of Teacross. He started his teaching career in 1920 in his beloved Teacross school. Teachers who taught with him were Virgie Burt, Norma Arrant and Jewel McCarty. After three years he went to Gould school, then to Lone Star and Metcalf. In 1930, he decided to run for county superintendent. He was elected and worked there five years deciding to quit the teaching field in 1935 to become postmaster of the Hollis post office. This was in the building across the street from the new post office built in 1940. He continued in this capacity until Aug. 1946. Others working with him were Raymond Hall, Bill Cagle, Jim Cunningham, Bolan Braswell, Perry Doolittle, Frank Burns, R.O. Hawkins, and Verner Briscoe. Custodians were Emory Felty and John Boyett.

Quantrell and Carrie had two children, Blaine and Margary   Quantrell passed away in 1966 and is buried in Fairmount cemetery.”