Following the landmark 1884 Texas law allowing counties to create public schools, Wood County commissioners met and established 46 original Common School Districts. One of these entities was New Hope Common School District No. 33. Schools operated in these early days, although records are scant. S.W. Neill and R.J. Gaston sold one acre of land from the J.B. McFarland survey to school board trustees in 1908 for a school. The New Hope School was located at the corner of FM 1801 and CR 261. In 1919, voters approved funds for three schools: New Hope, one for white students in Hoard and one for African American students east of Mineola. New Hope became a community hub featuring plays, meetings, auctions, pie suppers and sports. Notable educators include principal Mouzon Fletcher, who served from 1936-1942. Enrollment was highest during the 1940-1941 year. Starting in the 1941-1942 school year, enrollment declined until the school was consolidated. During this time, the school assisted in the war effort with fundraisers and bonds. Four former New Hope students were killed in WWII: Carol Ray English (Guam, Aug. 15, 1944), Weldon Richey (France, Dec. 16, 1944), James Lloyd Forrister (Iwo Jima, Feb. 28, 1945) and Frank Warren Creech Jr. (Okinawa, May 22, 1945). Wood County population declined by more than 3,000 from 1940 to 1950 as families moved to cities. Ninth and tenth grade were not offered after the 1956-1957 school year. After 1960, only five grades were offered. In the early days of the county, there were more than 70 schools. During the 1963-1964 year, only Lone Grove, Cartwright, Lloyd and New Hope were left. All of these closed in summer 1964, except Lloyd, which operated one more year. The Common School era of Wood County lasted 81 years in total. (2022)