Collin County, Texas, History    

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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

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Last modified: July 11, 2009