Historic Wrede One-Room School Open House, Fredericksburg

“Cookies, Cookies, and More Cookies” is the theme of the Wrede Community Club Open House from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, July 19 at the Wrede School House, 3828 Texas 16 South, Fredericksburg. .The Wrede School was a one-room country schoolhouse, like many of the other 43 country schools in the county. Classes were first held at Wrede on Oct. 15, 1896, with an enrollment of 46 students. During its 64 years, Wrede had a total of 24 teachers. From 1949-1959, it was a two-teacher, two-room school, and enrollment went as high as 53 students which was a result of the Bear Creek and Pedernales Schools being consolidated into Wrede. Most of the students did not speak English when they entered the first grade and speaking German on the school grounds was forbidden. The Wrede School closed June 11, 1960. The community continued to use the building for activities.In November 2001, the Wrede School Community Club reorganized and began meeting again. Since that time, heating and air conditioning, restrooms, and many other improvements have been added.Everyone is invited to join school alumni and history buffs for the Cookies Extravaganza and an old-fashioned German Kaffeeklatch (getting together for coffee, cookies and visiting) after visiting the one-room country school open house. An assortment of cookies will be available, all homemade by club members with recipes out of the club’s cookbook, “A Step Back in Time.” Cookies and the cookbook will be available for purchase.Only a few copies of the cookbook remain. Also on display will be vintage and antique kitchen items used for baking.For event details and directions, contact Marjorie Otte at 830-992-0418 or the Friends website www.historicschools.org. Wrede is a member of the Gillespie County Country Schools Trail.