Happy Valley School, Cushing

Three miles from Avery, in the outskirts of Cushing, are the remains of the Happy Valley School. Unlike Avery, this school district experienced direct benefits from from the Cushing oil field, and the building reflects it. The Happy Valley School, District 10, was an independent school district built in 1922 during the oil boom, and was built for the local oil field families.

The building is of red brick with some interesting accents of concrete and iron. The school was comprised of a central auditorium with wings to the left and right for grade school and high school students, and a partial basement. Additions where added over the years, including the gymnasium, built by the WPA in 1939, about the same time the Avery school was being built. Like most of these schools, it reverted to a grade school for several years before it was closed in the 1980's.

The school property is now privately owned. The original school was fairly intact, but the roof is leaking in the additions and gymnasium, badly in some areas, which explains the floors collapsing. The original play ground equipment is still on the site, as well as the large storm cellar.

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