Comfort School

Comfort was founded by a group of German immigrants in 1854. By 1856, enough children in the area warranted a public school, and a one-room log cabin was built on Michael Lindner’s lot no. 258, with some classes held in homes. The school had dirt floors, and children sat on backless benches along the walls. Following the Civil War, the Comfort Schulverein, or Comfort School Association, was established to oversee education in the area. In 1886, a second building was erected on the west end of Comfort Park. Carl Herbst taught continuously from 1866 to 1887, and Fritz Fischer served from 1870 to 1881 and again from 1887 to 1895. Both men received training from universities in Germany and brought success to the Comfort School. Enrollment increased, and the need for a larger school soon became evident. Between 1892 and 1893, the first permanent schoolhouse was built at the corner of 3rd and High Streets. The three-room limestone building was constructed by Christian Lindemann and included a bell tower, and the adjoining lots served as a playground for the school children. Around this time, the influx of non-German settlers created a need for language and curriculum changes. In 1904, a fourth classroom and hallway were added, and in 1922, a second story was constructed for the expanding school district. When major repairs were made to the roof in 1974, the eighty-year-old bell was removed. A replica was constructed in 1987 and is housed on the school grounds.

Comfort, Texas · United States