WILSON SCHOOL JOTTINGS  

Daily Courier Gazette, February 16, 1939

by Mrs. O. S. Scott

We made a very interesting visit in this community officially known as Wilson School District, but perhaps more widely known as Viney Grove No. 1.

We first called at the home of Mrs. Owen Randles, whose husband is principal of the school this year. Billy Drew Johnson of Westminster, little brother of Mrs. Randles, was spending a few days wit his sister and husband. While the little fellow was greatly enjoying his experience of visiting with his sister and husband away from home yet he was getting to be a bit homesick. The Randles home is provided with electric lights and a radio all operated by a wind-charger, or power generator. Prof. Randles is one of our county's most enthusiastic and popular young teachers and educational leaders.

Bomar's Chapel, a Methodist Church, located a mile or two back towards McKinney from the Wilson School and the Dunn Memorial Baptist Church, have preaching one Sunday in each month.

We also had an interesting visit at the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Price, whose daughter, Miss Flonnie, is our capable correspondent for the Weekly Democrat-Gazette and the Daily Courier-Gazette from the Wilson School community. At the time of our visit Mr. Price was busily engaged in digging a ditch to his storm cellar, preparatory to placing a pipe for drainage and to keep the cellar free of moisture and dry. Mr. and Mrs. Price have reared six children - five daughters and one son. Those who are married of these children are Mrs. Cecil Sebastian of Blue Ridge, Mrs. Clyde Noles of Viney Grove No. 1, Denver Price, who is Principal of the Cottage Hill Public School; three daughters, Lena, Flonnie and Bonnie, are all at home. Miss Flonnie is a graduate of the McKinney High School. Bonnie is now attending high school in McKinney and doing well.

Wilson School (Viney Grove No. 1) is a two-teacher school with Prof. Owen Randles Principal and Mrs. Sam Stevens, Assistant. They have an enrollment of about thirty pupils. School trustees of Wilson are Bonnie Miller, Gaines Noles and Willie Bomar, three mighty good citizens.

The Dunn Memorial Baptist Church is located adjoining the campus of the Wilson School. Henry Shanks is Superintendent of the Sunday School at this church, the Sunday School having an average attendance of about fifty. Rev. G. Davis of Gunter is pastor of the Dunn Memorial Church, he preaches, first and third Sundays in each month. This church also have an active B. Y. P. U. that meets every Sunday night. On Thursday evening of each week, singings are held with special guest singers nearly always present. These activities together with the school and social life of the community breaks the monotony of life and tends to bind these good people into closer fellowship promoting good will and fraternity. This is a mighty good neighborhood in which to live. Its land is deep black waxy soil, the native home of Bois-d'Arc timber, which formerly covered most of the terrain of this section. It is an old saying, there is no better soil for growing cotton and corn on than is the native Bois-d'Arc land.

The Wilson School was established more than a half-century ago by the late Prof. T. M. Wilson, who passed away in McKinney, some years ago. However his old farm home here is still owned by his son, Paul K. Wilson of McKinney, and his sister, who is married and living in Galveston.

Some of the other pioneer settlers in the Viney Grove No. 1 community officially known as Wilson School district were: John Martin, W. A. (Billy) Straughan, Billy Bomar, John P. A. Wallace, J. M. Kincaid and other well known old citizens, all of which have passed away, but more or less of their descendants are still living in a radius of three or four miles of this place. All of these are worthy sons and daughters of their fine and wonder ancestry first settled here.

Communities Index

Recommended citation:

"Wilson School Community (Viney Grove No. 1) - Collin County Communities," Collin County, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc.,  <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl> [Accessed Fri February 13 13:37:28 US/Central 2004 ].