 Van Alstyne Era
February 18, 1930 pg. 1 (Published by the Junior English Class, Van Alstyne High School) FIRST SCHOOL HAD TWO TEACHERS Van Alstyne was started in 1873, moving from old Manuta. Before it would become a very successful town, it had to have a place to educate its boys and girls. The first school that was built in Van Alstyne was on the lot just east of the Langford Lumber Co. This was not a large school and there were only 2 teachers, a Mr. James Greer and Miss Rachel Cox, two splendid early educators. Many people now living in Van Alstyne attended this school. The next school was built near the place where Mr. Shearin's home is now located. In the year 1885 the Columbia College was built, and was one of the best schools in Texas at that time. The faculty was a very good one. Some of the teachers are still living and the hold high places in this country; among them Mr. Howell Piner now of Sherman, Prof. Lynch, Randolph Macon College of Virginia. Many people came to Columbia College from east Texas. A large boarding house was built where Mr. Arch Williams now lives, just north of the school building. The institution was attended by some of the prominent people of our community and others. Among them were Dr. William Veazey, Dr. Mincey, a surgeon of Mineral Wells, Mr. and Mrs. John Drye, and many others holding responsible positions here and elsewhere. Columbia College was destroyed by fire several years ago, was replaced by the present brick building that is the new high school. In the first graduating class of the high school were Earl McComb and Roscoe Garver, our postmaster. In the second class in 1908 was Mrs. Creed Taylor, who has had a daughter to graduate recently from the high school. Van Alstyne School History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |