 Professor
Keeler was raised on the Wheeler farm in Grayson County.
Professor Keeler studied law under William A. Wheeler, who was
candidate for vice-president in 1876; Mr. Wheeler served in political
offices from justice of the peace to that of New York State Senator
and to Republican Congressman and finally to one term as United
States Vice-President under Rutherford B. Hayes.
An advertisement for the Lindell Hotel, located at the corner of Austin and Sears streets, listed Prof. O.W. Keeler as proprietor. (The Denison Daily News, Wednesday, January 6, 1875). In October 1876 Professor Keeler was making plans to build a brick residence on Gandy Street. (Denison Daily Cresset, October 28, 1875) Professor Keeler opened his Select School on the first floor of the public school building at 9 a.m. May 11, 1875 for those who wanted to send their children to school until "extreme hot weather" was experienced. (The Denison Daily News, May 10, 1875) Denison
Daily Cresset
Thursday, April 27, 1876 pg. 4 Denison Select School Permanently located at the M.E. church on Woodard street. Course of studies primary, intermediate and academic. Primary class $2.00 per month Intermediate class $3.00 per month Academic class $4.00 per month O.W. Keeler, Principal Publication notices of this school were in the local papers through June 16, 1876.
In July 1876 a petition to the City Council was being circulated, requesting that Prof. W.O. Keeler be appointed Principal of the public school for the 1876-1877 school term. (Denison Daily News, July 22, 1876, pg.3) At the called meeting of the City Council in late July 1876, the committee appointed to receive and consider applications for the position of school principal submitted two names to the Council: Prof. Summerfield of McKinney and Prof. Keeler. When the City Council voted, Prof. Summerfield received 5 votes and Keeler 2 votes; Prof. Summerfield was engaged to take charge of the school for seven months at a salary of $120 per month. (Denison Daily News, July 30, 1876, pg.5) Probably due to his not being selected as principal for the Denison public school and the instability of his income from a "select school", Professor Keeler secured a position as teacher at a school in the Indian Territory at the end of August 1876. Professor Keeler left Denison on Sunday, September 3, 1876, to take charge of the school at Atoka, Indian Territory. (The Daily Cresset, Friday, September 1, 1876, pg.4) Notice was printed in the Denison Daily News of September 7 that Professor Keeler had opened his school in Old Town, near the residence of James Colbert, Sr. on Monday, September 4, 1876 (Atoka Vindicator). By early December the Denison Daily News once again made note of the fact that Professor Keeler was moving his family from Denison to Indian Territory and plans were for it to be a permanent move (Atoka Vindicator).   Early Denison Schools History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |