 Denison, Texas The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, April 30, 1899 pg. 1 MISTATEMENTS CORRECTED Denison, Tex., April 25, '99 Editor Gazetteer: The write-up of the Washington School building, published in last Saturday's Herald, is misleading, it not incorrect as to facts. Particularly it is misleading in reference to the Peabody fund aid extended the school. Mr. N. Somerville was superintendent of the school when the Peabody fund was secured, and it was largely through his efforts that it was obtained. By his invitation Drs. Sears and Burleson visited the school in the winter of 1876 or 1877 and found it so well organized and so ably managed that the aid was granted for three years. At the expiration of the time, the state and county funds being still inadequate to continue the school term ten months, Mr. Somerville secured an additional $800 of the fund for the benefit of the school, a concession wholly new in the distribution of the Peabody gift. Professor Phillips and Van Patten had each been in charge of the school one and two years previous to 1876 and had continued it for a few months, that is until the state and private subscription funds were exhausted. But not until the fall of 1876 under Mr. Somerville's management were a ten month session and a graded system inaugurated. Having tried to do justice to the real founder of Denison's graded school system, before closing my letter I would like to ask a question: What is a petty politician? It is one who changes his politics to suit his location, that is if located in a democratic stronghold he is a democrat, and vice-versa? Please enlighten me. Respectfully, A Resident Since '76 Washington School History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |