 About
Grayson College In
1880, two years after Whitewright was founded and the first lots auctioned off,
the city’s first free public school was established. The building was frame. Founding in 1887 In
1887, the town of Whitewright was legally incorporated. That same year, H. L.
Piner and James F. Anderson founded Grayson College and secured a charter from
the State of Texas. Though privately owned, the new school represented an
expansion of the Whitewright public school and included primary and elementary
grades, high school, and college. It received some funding from the state. Grayson College occupied the old school building, but that burned shortly
after the college was founded. Then a new two-story frame building was erected.
Known affectionately as the “Old Dirt Dobber” school, it had thirteen rooms and
an auditorium that seated 650 and had a large stage. In
the 1888–89 school year, there were 438 pupils. Boarding pupils numbered 109.
In 1890, a “Young Ladies Home” was erected. All non-local female students were
required to live here or with relatives. New Brick Building Erected in 1893 1893
was a big year for the college. To finance construction of a new three-story
brick building for Grayson College, a housing subdivision was laid out north of
the city, and lots were sold. With construction of the new building, the school
became a college preparatory school and established an affiliation with the
University of Texas. The previous wood “Dirt Dobber” building was sold to City
of Whitewright, which assumed responsibility for public elementary and high
school education. These grades would be housed in the “Dirt Dobber” until 1918. By
1894, Grayson College was owned by Anderson, F. E. Butler, and Rev. J. L.
Truett, “an instructor from North Carolina.” Major E. T. Kemp organized and
directed the boys’ drill team. Peak of College Operations in 1904 1904 was another landmark year. The school enjoyed the highest enrollment it ever would see, as 740 were enrolled. Campus life prominently featured the literary societies, with Frances E. Willard and Henry W. Grady Literary Societies among the leaders. Then, on February 16, 1904, the college building was destroyed by a fire that started in the chemistry laboratory. Citizens raised $15,000 to fund a stock company to rebuild.  In
1904, Grayson College reopened in a new three-story brick building similar to
the old one but more modern, with good science laboratories. Enrollment was
236, quite a drop from the 740 of the previous year. The college would never
fully recover after the fire. Grayson College Closes in 1912 Grayson
College closed on September 24, 1912, as it became clear that enrollment would
not cover the cost of operating the school that term. President B. L. Phipps
accepted a similar post at a college in Greenville, Texas. Also
in 1912, the frame “Dirt Dobber” school building burned. A new brick public
elementary school building was built on the same site. (This building was razed
in 1950. The foundation proved so strong that, when Earnheart Funeral Home was
built there, it utilized the old foundation. Carlisle Military Academy, 1914—1917 Carlisle
Military Academy was founded in 1914, using the former Grayson College
building. Owner was J. M. Carlisle, who moved the academy here from Arlington,
Texas. He also served as Whitewright’s superintendent of schools for a time in
1916. Carlisle Military Academy closed in 1917. Whitewright High School The
City of Whitewright purchased the brick Grayson College building in 1918. The
main building and chemistry building were retained, while the gym and dormitory
were demolished. After remodeling, public high school opened here in 1920. Grayson College History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |