  The original Denison school ward boundaries were drawn in early May of 1873. The councilmen took a city map and quadrisected it, using Main Street for the north-south boundaries and Rusk Avenue for the east-west boundaries. The wards were numbered 1 through 4, moving counterclockwise from the upper right quadrant. The boundaries remained unchanged for nearly 30 years. WARD BOUNDARIES (1876-77 City Directory) First Ward
includes all
that portion of the city on the north line of Main street, beginning at
the
eastern city limits, running west to Rusk Avenue, thence including the
eastern
side of Rusk Avenue to the northern limits of the city, thence running
east to
the eastern limits of the city, and thence south to point of beginning. Second Ward
includes all
that portion of the city beginning at the southeast corner of Rusk
Avenue and
Main Street, thence along Rusk Avenue to the northern limits of the
city,
thence west to the western limits of the city, thence south to Main
street, and
thence east along the north side of Main Street to the point of
beginning. Third Ward
includes all
the portion of the city beginning at the southwest corner of Rusk
Avenue and
Main street, thence running to the western limits of the city, thence
south to
the southern limits of the city, thence east to Rusk Avenue, and thence
north
along the west side of Rusk Avenue to the point of beginning. Fourth Ward includes all that portion of the city beginning at the southeast corner of Rusk Avenue and Main Street, thence running east to the eastern limits of the city, thence south to the southern limits of the city, thence west to Rusk Avenue, and thence along the east side of Rusk Avenue to the point of beginning. Denison Daily News Friday, January 18, 1878 pg. 4 Including the colored school, there are now 500 pupils attending the free schools of the city. At the Convent there are nearly 100 pupils, making about 600 children in search of knowledge in the schools of Denison. The Report of enrollment, absences and tardiness in the Denison public schools was reported in the Sunday Gazetteer for the week ending March 16, 1888. The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, March 18, 1888 pg. 6 PUBLIC SCHOOLS Report of actual enrollment, absence and tardiness in Denison public schools, for week ending March 16th, 1888, is as follows: First Ward - Enrollment, 128; absent 8; tardy, 0; per cent attendance, 94; per cent tardy, 0; teachers 3. High School - Enrollment, 403; absent, 33; tardy, 2 1-2; per cent attendance, 92; per cent tardy, 2-5; No. teachers, 9 Third Ward - Enrollment, 190; absent, 20; tardy, 2 1-2; per cent attendance, 90; per cent tardy, 1 1-3; teachers, 4 Fourth Ward - Enrollment, 105; absent, 9; tardy, 1 1-2; per cent attendance, 92; per cent tardy, 1 2-5; teachers, 4 Colored School - Enrollment, 235; absent, 19; tardy, 1; percent attendance, 92; per cent tardy, 4-5; teachers 23 Remarks - None In August 1888 the teachers' salaries were set for the 1888 - 1889 school year. The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, August 12, 1888 THE TEACHERS' SALARIES The salaries of the teachers fixed by the city council last Thursday will be as follows: Mary C. Loudon Iralene Walker Kate R. Venable A.R. Malcolm M.T. Brown each $60 Lizzie Mimbraugh E.M. Moseley Eliza Sims Ida Shreeves each $55 Grace Clifford Mrs. A.C. Wood Stella Close Eva Craig Luella Duncan Jennie Jackson V.M. Allen each $50 The salary of the superintendent was fixed several months ago at $1,500 for the year, and that of the principals, Sophia Poppenhagen (Main street) Agnes Frizzel (First Ward) Campie Redwood (Third Ward) Eliza Edwards (Fourth Ward) each $65 The 1891 Denison City Directory listed the "public free schools" in Denison including the addresses and faculty for the 1890-1891 school year.  The Sunday Gazetteer
published the following report on the city public schools four weeks
before the completion of the 1890-1891 school year on May 22, 1891.
A description of each Ward's school building is included as
well
as faculty and enrollment for each Ward School. The last week
of
the second term was spent in examining the pupils for their progress
and review of the previous school term's lessons.
Superintendent
Somerville personally examined each student, except those in the lowest
grade, in the subject of reading, which resulted in the fact that there
was "too much room for improvement" in that subject matter.
The
school committee had furnished much needed maps, globes, reference
books, etc. which enhanced the instruction of geography and history.
The detailed list of enrollment by school and classroom
showed
that all of the Ward schools were over crowded.
The
Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, April 26, 1891 pg. 4 CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Value of School Property - Teachers, Pupils, Seats and Attendance In a recent issue the Gazetteer announced that the paper was gathering informatin with which to compile and publish a consise yet comprehensive statement concerning the present efficiency as well as operation of the city public schools. If an apology or excuse, on account of the delay, is necessary, the article itself is offered as such. The object, therefore, of the article is not that of bestowing praise on any one but rather to tell what the city is doing in the matter of educating its children. The wisdom of the council in securing suitable locations for ward schools in every portion of the city has not, and we trust never will, be questioned. The number and efficiency of its schools is a never failing index to the character and intelligence of the people of any c ountry. Admitting this to be true very few cities in the south and west will compare with Denison. The city owns property devoted exclusively to school purposes as follows: First Ward - One 2-story, 4-roomed brick building and 8 lots on North Austin avenue, corner of Walker street. The building contains cloak rooms, heating apparatus, is finished and furnished throughout and at a fair market value is worth, $15,000. One-quarter block on North 6th avenue, Perry addition, and on which a $7,000 2-story, brick building is being erected. Value of lot and building is $10,000. Second Ward - Block 19 on Main street west of Barrett avenue, on which is our imposing 8-room, 2-story, brick building with a seating capacity of 400, valued at $125,000. Eleven lots on Walker street, corner of Austin avenue with 2-story, 4-room brick building in course of erection, value $15,000. Colored school, 1-story, 2-room, brick, corner of Mirick avenue and Bond street, value $6,000. Third ward - Block 91, Miller's second addition, 4-room, 2-story, brick building, value $20,000. North half block 44, Dumas additionm corner of Rusk avenue and Monterey street, 6-room, 2-story brick, value $15,000. Fourth Ward - One half block on East Munson street corner of 5th avenue, 2-story, 4-room brick in course of erection, value $12,500. Colored school building, corner Travis avenue and Nelson street, 2-story, 4-room, 1 acre of land, value $10,000. Making a total in all wards of $228,500 worth of school property. To this must be added $5,000, value of furnitre, and $15,000 value, value of the Raynal business house at No. 204 Main street, deeded to the city by Justin Raynal for school purposes, making a grand total of $248,500. Against this there is outstanding $75,000 in bonds, some of which will soon be due, others run 20 and 30 years. With regard to operation of the schools, we submit the following tables; the first named teacher being the principal at the school named? At
the January 6, 1892, School Board Meeting a resolution was unanimously
adopted to rename the Ward Schools. Originally there may have
been one white elementary school in each of the four wards.
The
ward boundaries, then, would also have been the school boundaries.
Growth of the city required the building of additional
schools,
with the result that some wards (i.e., first and third) had more than
one school. Before the schools were given names, the terms
"old"
and "new" were necessary to distinguish between schools in the same
ward. The fourth ward in 1892 had only one school
which was
called the "new" school. The clipping below illustrates that
school boundaries were different from ward boundaries.
Second Ward High School - 9 rooms
Fourth Ward - 6 Rooms
First Ward - 4 Rooms
Third Ward - 5 Rooms
Second Ward, Colored School - 2 Rooms
Fourth Ward, Col'd School
Including
the superintendent, 30 teachers are employed, 5 colored and 25 white.
The seating capacity of all the schools combined is 1,524, while
the enrollment for the session has been 1,850. The buildings,
furniture and grounds are all in splendid condition. Each room is
a model for cleanliness, order and system, showing that superintendent,
principals, teachers, pupils and janitors are doing their duty to the
best of their ability. This year's session of the schools consists of 36 weeks and was divided, by Supt. Somerville as a matter of convenience to the teachers and for the purpose of promotion for the children, into 3 terms of 12 weeks each. The first term closed on Friday, December 5, the second on Friday, March 6, and, as mentioned, the last will close on May 22. At the conclusion of the first term many children were promoted from a lower to a higher grade and a general redistribution was made. At that time the superintendent prepared and published in the daily city papers an article with reference to the condition of the schools and in which occurs the following worthy of re-production: "With the exception of the cclored schools the attendance has been very satisfactory. As a general thing good order was observed, and due interest manifested in the regular routine work. The last week of the term was devoted to general examination and review work, the subject matter having been prepared by myself and submitted to the pupils by their teachers. In order to make the examination as thorough as possible, I examined personally, all the pupils, in reading, except those of the first (the lowest) grade, but I trust it will be time well spent as it has resulted in the very important discovery that there is too much room for improvement in this most essential branch of study." In the same article Superintendent Somerville says: "The school buildings and furniture are in very good repair, but the supply of wall maps, globes, etc., is quite inadequate. The First ward school, for instance, has no applicances of this kind; the school committee, however, promised to supply the necessary apparatus without delay." On completing the second term another article was prepared and submitted to the local papers for publication and in which apepars the following: "A long felt want has been supplied in the form of globes, maps, charts, reference books, etc., promptly furnished by the school committee when their attention was called to the importance of these articles for school purposes. Five sets of outline maps and 3 historical charts were distributed in the schools during the second term which has greatly enhanced the efficiency of instruction in geography and history. In fact, there has been nothing left undone, so far as the committee is concerned, to promote the interest of the schools. While much has been done in the way of providing such facilities as the above-mentioned, much remains to be done and it may be presumed that the equipments of school buildings will hereafter received the attention that a matter of such importance demands." Continuing, Prof. Somerville says: "At the commencement of the present term all children of the first (lowest) grade were put on regular forenoon and afternoon attendance. This could not have been done during the first 6 months of the session, owing to the crowded condition of the rooms in which these children are taught. They learned all that was necessary, however, and are now doing exceedinglyw ell in their every day work. Indeed, the pupils, generally, seem to be deeply interested in what they are doing, and it is believed the session which is now rapidly approaching to a close will prove to be one characterized by favorable results." The session of 1890-1891 will close on Friday, May 22, 4 weeks from yesterday, and at the time the public will expect an extended report, from Professor Somerville, of the progress and work of the schools during the term. The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, January 10, 1892 pg. 1 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING Appropriate Names Selected for the City School Buildings Wednesday evening the school board met in regular monthly session with all the members in attendance, and President Peck in the chair. A resolution offered by Mr. Decker, embodying the naming of the city public school buildings in all the wards was unanimously adopted. The buildings and names are as follows: New First Ward - Raynal Old First Ward - Stevens Main street building - Washington Old Third Ward - Houston New Third Ward - Peabody New Fourt Ward - Lamar New Second Ward - Burleson No names were selected for the colored school buildings. That honor will be accorded the colored people. An almost entirely new system of rules and regulartions governing the schools was adopted and ordered published in pamphlet form. May of the old rules were stricken out entirely, while scarcely a single one goes into the new book without material change. All substitute teachers are instructed to report to the secretary of the board the amount of time consumed by them in teaching during that month. Bills amounting to $2,725.75 were allowed and ordered paid. Meeting adjourned without date. Following is a brief mention of the men whose names will soon become familiar with the children, as well as grown up people of the city: Justice Reynold [sic], a Frenchman, came to Denison early in itgs history and was a man of letters. At his death he bequeathed to the city for school purposes some very valuable real estate, a lot and building at 202 Main street, now occupied by Messrs. Williams & Ball. Robert S. Stevens, whose name was given to the old First Ward building, was one of the prime movers and leading spirits in the organization and construction of the Missouri, Kansa & Texas Railway. It was he who gave Denison its birth, so to speak, and as a lasting tribute to his memory is the gift of Forest Park. George Peabody, for whom the new Third ward school is named, was a native of South Danvers, Massachusetts. He amassed an enormous fortune in England and died at London. His remains, however, were returned to his native town for interment. His great fortune was tiven to the cause of education in the United States, and it is to funds arising from this source that Denison was enabled to open and maintain its first free school - the first in Texas. Col. R.C. Burleson was, at that time, the agent of the Peabody fund for Texas and through his earnest, personal labors, the city was given a generous help by the Peabody trustees. As a tribute to the memory of Mr. Rufus Burleson, his name was given to the new building in the Second Ward. Washington, Houston and Lamar, names selected for the High School, new Fourth Ward and old Third ward are familiar to all.  Schools Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |