Grayson County TXGenWeb
 School History

TIMELINE

1840s ~ Cold Springs School, first private school in Grayson County, built by six families who were waiting on their land grants from the state of Texas.  Located at the intersection of Crawford Rd and Harvey Lane.,  Named because of the ice cold springs that were nearby.  The first teacher was Miss Maudie Mangrum.  The school was used until the families moved to their own land, when it was sold to Mr. C.L. Holder.  Now located in the Grayson County Frontier Village.

1849 ~ 1st school in Sherman, located on west side of 100 block N. Crocket.  log room with dirt floor; taught by B.W. Bradley
           Austin College named for Stephen F. Austin was founded in Huntsville, Texas by Dr. Daniel Baker of the Presbyterian Church.

1851 ~ Taylor boarding school established by Mrs. Barton W. Taylor on site of the Methodist Church, N. Travis St.  After its close, the main Sherman school was ini the Union Church & Masonic log building @ nowrhwest corn Pecan & Travis St.

1854 ~ Law authorized by 5th Legislator & apprved by Gov. Elisha M. Pease, provided for the first public school in Texas.

1858 ~ Texas law revised to permit parents to organize a school, employ their own teacher nd receive status funds from the County Treasurer.

5 October 1858 - Sherman Seminary opened with Prof. O.D. How principal.  Three sessions of 14 weeks each was the school term.  Courses included music, preparatory courses, mathematics, science, classics

1858 ~ 1st school near Whitesboro was a log building on Main St. with Mrs. Armstrong as teacher

1861 ~ War Between the States cause The Odd Fellows Male & Female Institute to close

1861 ~ Kentuckytown school built with desks to accomodate 2 pupils
           Capt. White's hotel in Whitesboro was a school room in early days of the War.

1865 ~ Basin Springs log school house erected
           Whitesboro school taugh in a log house erected for a Masonic Hall, later in the "Old Long School House"
           Collinsville school, taught by Mrs. L.B. Collins

Reconstruction  ~ teachers opened private schools
    Prof. Woods in 1867
    Miss Sallie Mayfied on S. Montgomery in 1868
    Rev. William P. Petty

1869 ~ Odd Fellows Hall on Walnut St.

1871 ~ Sherman Private School founded by Cap. J.H. Le Tellier.  Tuition fee = $3 per month.  school closed with Le Tellier's death, 24 July 1913
           North Texa Female College taken over by the Methodist Church of Texas.  J.C. Parks was the first President.

1872 -1879 ~ Basin Springs Academy was considered one of the best in the county.  School closed because of lack of railroad facilities.

1873 ~ Freed slaves who came to Sherman attended a school on W., Houston.
           Grandpa's Linsday's school was in 100 block of Houston St.

1874 ~ Educational Institue, Denison, was established on 12 October as the first graded public free school in Texas

1876 ~ St. Xavier's Academy, Denison, opened by the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, Belgium; doors closed after declining enrollment
           Austin College (1849) moved to Sherman

1876 - 1879 ~ Shiloh Baptist Institue established in Whitesboro.
          One-room school teachers :
          Carey Lane on Montgomery St.
          Mrs. B.P. Smith's log house, Sherman
          Miss Mary Stamp's school, Sherman
          Ann Spearman on site where Howe is now located

1877 ~ St. Joseph's Academy opened in Sherman by the Sister of St. Mary of Namur, Belgium
 
1877 - 1888 ~ Centennial Institute opened in Canaan; discontinued when it burned in 1888

1877 - 1891 ~ Sherman Female Institute, later known as Mary Nash College, was a successful girls school.  Property later acquired by Kidd Key College

1878 - 1882 ~ Whitesboro Normal School established by Prof. J.M. Carlisle; had an average attendance of 100 pupils per year.  School closed in 1882 when Prof. Carlisle was elected Superintendent of Whitesboro public school.

1880 - 1879 ~ John Cobb opened an Academy in Bells; later absorbed by the public school

1886 ~ Prof. J.A. Mahan's Business College conducted in Sherman for several years.

1886 - 1912 ~ Whitewright's Grayson College founded by H.L. Piner, F.F. Anderson and F.E. Butler; co-educational school erected by private citizens of Whitewright.  In 1912 the bilding was taken over by the city of Whitewright and used as a public school.

1888 ~ Mrs. Lucy A. Kidd became Presidnet of the North Texas Female College .  Enrollment reachered 500 in 1906

1889 ~ Columbia Collegte established in Van Alstyne, which included 8 large and elegantly furnished room, a stage, and a chapel.  H.L. Piner was the first President, serving unil 1895.  A fire caused the closing of the school.

1894 ~ Carr-Burdett College opened by Mr. and Mrs. O.A. Carr as a college for girls and was a bequest to the Christian Church of Texas.  At the death of Mrs. Carr in 1907 the Christian Churches of the State took over the school.
           Sherman Business College established by H.A. Ivy
           District school system established in the county

1894 - 1896 ~ Adair Normal School operated in Whitesboro by C.L. and Noah Adair.  Closed by its owners.

1919 ~ The name of North Texas Female College was changed to Kidd-Key College in honor of Mrs. Kidd who married Bishop Joseph S. Key in 1893

1967 ~ Grayson County College founded; first President was Dr. Cruce Stark

1978 ~ Independent School Districts established
           Bells
           Collinsville
           Dension
           Howe
           Sherman
           Tom Bean
           Van Alstyne
           Whitesboro
           Whitewright

           Rural Independent Schools Districts
           Gunter
           Pottsboro
           Sadler-Southmayd Consolidated


        Source : Grayson County Frontier Village.  History of Grayson County, Texas, Vol. I, c1979,  pgs.40-45

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Elaine Nall Bay
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