Catherine D. Hughes Keeling
As told to Marylee W. Knight, 2002Catherine D. Hughes Keeling is a soft spoken lady of great dignity. Her family and teaching elementary school children were the focal points of her life. Her last years of teaching were for the Beckville Independent School District where she was loved by staff and students alike.
On March 18, 1937, Catherine was a high school student at New London School in Rusk County TX. She was scheduled to participate in a Parent-Teacher Association meeting that night at the school. In preparation for that program, she left her classroom, walked down the hall and outside onto a small strip of grass. Walking across the grass, Catherine entered the school gymnasium where she was to practice for the program.
Almost as soon as she entered the gym, there was a tremendous explosion and most of the New London School was destroyed when a pocket of gas that had formed under the school was somehow detonated! In the classroom where she had been only minutes earlier, the teacher and all of the students were killed in the blast.
News reports of the explosion were quickly broadcast all over the country. Among those hearing of the great tragedy was Catherine's brother who was a student at Texas A&M University in College Station. He tried calling home to check on his family, but the phone lines were jammed and, despite repeated efforts, he was unable to get through. He was frantic to learn the fate of his family members.
He was discussing the situation with some of his college friends and told them he was leaving the college that night to hitch-hike his way to New London. One of the friends who had a car on campus with him spoke up and said there was no way he was letting the brother try to hitch-hike home in the middle of the night in such a distraught frame of mine. The friend told him he would take him to New London.
The college students arrived in New London and, to their surprise and relief, learned that Catherine had narrowly escaped any harm.
The friend who brought Catherine's brother home and met the family for the first time was John Binford Keeling, who would later become Catherine's husband.
After their marriage, John and Catherine built the home in the Longbranch Community of Panola County where both would live out their lives. They are the parents of three daughters Linda Beth, Norma Ruth and Kay Nell.