Rhyolite Schoolhouse

Rhyolite Schoolhouse. . , This is the second schoolhouse built in Rhyolite. The first was a small, wooden building that was built on two lots that had been donated expressly for the purpose. , In February 1906, the first school opened with 26 students. One month later, there were 46. By October, there were 74 students and one teacher. The student body grew rapidly as families streamed into the growing town: one year after opening, 225 additional students were enrolled. Understandably, the teacher was said to have had a nervous breakdown from the number of students packed into the original school. , The need for a larger schoolhouse became urgent. In September 1907, a $20,000 bond was passed by voters, and land was donated at the intersection of Cochran Street and Colorado Avenue. , The new school was built using concrete blocks and poured-concrete walls. The first floor was divided into three classrooms with a large hallway, and the second floor had one classroom and an auditorium. The roof was covered in galvanized Spanish tile, and there was a copula and bell. The school was said to be fireproof but could be evacuated in two minutes if there ever was a fire. , The new public school opened in January 1909, but closed in 1911 due to the decline of the mines and loss of students as families moved away. , The original $20,000 bond passed to the town of Beatty and was not completely paid off until 1978.