  Whitesboro's
education system was greatly extended in 1876 when the town saw the
beginning of its first college. The close of the Civil War found
people beginning to worry about new problems. One of these was
the education of young men and women in Texas. The citizens began
to feel that North Texas needed a system of higher learning for these
young people. John Maddox deeded a lot in Whitesboro to the purpose of education, and the Baptists of the northern part of the state provided the means for a building to be erected. The church requested and was granted donations of lumber, labor and subscriptions. The church built a three-story, well-ventilated, well-heated wooden building. Whitesboro had its first college -- Shiloh Baptist Institute. The president and Greek teacher of the first college was a Professor Berryman. "Rev. Mr. Berryman, who has been teaching school in Lockhart, has closed the same to remove to Whitesboro, this county, having been elected to the Presidency of the Baptist College in the flourishing town of Whitesboro." (Denison Daily News, Sunday, December 16, 1877, pg.1) Below are listed the four other teachers and the subjects they taught: Prof. Huey ~ Mathematics Capt. John Choice ~ Latin Capt. Jack Choice ~ History Mrs. Laura Riggar ~ Primary Each student was expected to finish the work in two years. While Shiloh was holding classes in its new building, Miss Mae Moore was conducting an uptown studio where art and music were taught. The trustees for the college were Dr. Trollinger and Mr. Huff. The college had a short-lived existence, for after three years, funds were insufficient and the number of students was so small that the continuance of the school was impractical. The building was kept in use, however. It housed four other schools of varying types in the future. Not long after Shiloh Baptist institute was established, two other higher schools of learning popped up in Whitesboro. Smith and Carisle conducted a school in the "Old Long School House," and Professor Hobbs taught a school on the northwest corner of Collinsville and Water Streets. A healthy rivalry arose between the schools, but nothing more serious than snowball fights ensued between students. One of the most successful of the early schools in the county was established in Whitesboro in 1875. The building that was formerly used by the Shiloh Baptist Institute was secured, and Professor J.C. Carlisle, one of the leading educators of the state became the college president. Associated with him were Professor E.B. Smith, a graduate of Emery College, Georgia; Miss Lizzie March of Huntsville, Alabama Female College; and Miss Myra White, Assistant to the educators. The school was known as the Whitesboro Normal School, and it joined several other normal schools rising in Texas to teach teachers and help to make that occupation a profession. The Whitesboro Normal School had an average attendance of 100 pupils per year and did excellent work while it lasted. It was discontinued in 1888 when Professor Carlisle moved from the town. He later founded Arlington Military Institute, which became Arlington State University, which is today the University of Texas at Arlington. The need for another state college was felt so much in this section of Texas that in 1894 the citizens of Whitesboro gladly gave their consent for Professors C.L. and Noah Adair to open the Adair Normal School in the building which had been used by the Carlisle Normal School. Professor Boyd taught history, Professor Philip taught science, and Miss Laura Parker taught English. The school had a success unrivaled by any school in Texas, for teachers came from more than one hundred Texas counties. It was claimed that the school gave the most rapid and thorough work in the shortest time at the smallest cost. Complete college courses - commercial arts and vocal music are two examples -- were given without cost. The school had a good library, and the building was attractive and comfortable. Special attention was given to teachers who could attend only before their school began and after it closed. The school grew, and the work promised to bring much credit to the state and to the town until the methods of advertising and misrepresentation became known. Discredit was brought upon the school, and a marked decline in attendance and a lack of faith in the faculty resulted. The state discontinued the work and the building was abandoned. Whitesboro watched the dissolving of what was to be its last college.  Schools Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |