MELISSA SCHOOL
Historical marker, 1982
MELISSA SCHOOL
THE FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE TO SERVE THE
RESIDENTS OF
MELISSA WAS CONSTRUCTED ON LAND ACQUIRED
IN 1882
BY TRUSTEES JAMES GRAVES, JOHN GIBSON
AND GEORGE
FITZHUGH, PIONEER AREA SETTLERS. SINCE
THE DEED STATED
THE PROPERTY WAS TO BE USED "FOREVER
EXCLUSIVELY, FOR
EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS PURPOSES", THE
ONE-ROOM
SCHOOLHOUSE WAS THE SITE OF COMMUNITY
WORSHIP
SERVICES ON SUNDAYS. THE FIRST TEACHER
IN THE SCHOOL
WAS MARY HUCKERSTON, WHO TAUGHT ALL
GRADES, AND THE
FIRST PRINCIPAL WAS F. O. JONES, LATER A
PROFESSOR AT
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY.
A NEW BRICK SCHOOLHOUSE WAS COMPLETED AT
THIS
SITE IN 1910 TO ACCOMMODATE MELISSA'S
GROWTH AS
A RAILROAD CENTER. IT WAS BUILT THROUGH
THE EFFORTS
OF W. N. OSBURN, A LONG-TIME ADVOCATE OF
THE TOWN'S
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. SEVERELY DAMAGED BY
A TORNADO
ON APRIL 13, 1921, THE STRUCTURE WAS
LATER REBUILT. THE
DISTRICT'S CONTINUED GROWTH THROUGH
CONSOLIDATION
WITH NEARBY SCHOOLS RESULTED IN THE NEED
FOR A NEW
BUILDING, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED IN
1939-40.
FOR OVER A CENTURY THE MELISSA SCHOOL
HAS PROVIDED
A QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT
REFLECTS THE
COMMUNITY'S IDEALS. GRADUATES OF THE
SCHOOL INCLUDE
NUMEROUS BUSINESS, PROFESSIONAL AND
CIVIC LEADERS.
Melissa
School Index
- Recommended citation:
- "Melissa School
- Plano - Collin County Schools," 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 ].
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