Fred Schimelpfenig

Schimelpfenig Middle School opened in the fall of 1980 with 410 sixth and seventh grade students. It opened to relieve the growing enrollment at Carpenter and Haggard Middle Schools. The first eighth grade class was in 1981-82 with 251 students. Schimelpfenig was the sixth middle school to open in Plano, preceded Bowman, Wilson, Haggard, Carpenter and Armstrong. Currently, there are thirteen middle schools in Plano ISD. Schimelpfenig was built on a stand of prairie land with nothing but the quiet Spring Creek babbling behind it. There were few homes in the area. Our school is named after one of the early Plano settlers. Fred Schimelpfenig was the Mayor of Plano at the turn of the century. He was the owner/operator of a lumber company, and a dry goods store. He began the first Plano Music Conservatory. Mr. Schimelpfenig spent 66 years as the Superintendent of Sunday Schools at the Plano Methodist Church.
Schimelpfenig Middle School has been a part of many growth patterns in Plano. Our students have fed into four different high schools, Clark, Vines, Shepton and currently Jasper. Our school has always been a part of the Plano Senior High feeder pattern. In the coming months, our students will be asked to choose a new path to senior high school. Some students will continue to Plano Senior High, but instead of Jasper High School, they will move to Clark High School. Others will begin a new tradition and move to Plano West Senior High after Jasper High School. Schimelpfenig has long held a tradition of success in all areas. We are confident they will continue that success either path they take. Student involvement in academic competitions, fine arts and athletics has provided for tremendous enrichment of the student body at Schimelpfenig. Each and every student at Schimelpfenig is a part of a rich and proud history.

L. E. R. Schimelpfenig Public Library

Schimelpfenig Library opened on June 2, 1980 to serve the Plano population as it grew west of Central Expressway. It was named for Louise Ernestine Rammers Schimelpfenig to honor her efforts to promote reading in the early years of Plano.Louise Ernestine Rammers was born March 4, 1857 in Louisville, Kentucky. She married Fred Schimelpfenig and they moved to Plano in 1878. Mrs. Schimelpfenig was active in church work and the temperance movement. She operated the first lending library out of her home by lending books to girls in the community. Fred Schimelpfenig was also active in church and civic circles and was mayor of Plano from 1902-1908. Descendents of the Schimelpfenigs still attend library functions.