Allen
The Houston and Texas Central Railroad extended its rail line to go through Collin County in 1874, connecting Dallas with McKinney and Sherman. They established a water stop about 5 miles south of McKinney on Cottonwood Creek. It was named Allen for Ebenezer Allen, a former Attorney General for the Republic and State of Texas and a founder of the railroad. On February 7, 1876, the Houston & Texas Central Railroad deeded land it had purchased around the water stop to create the town of Allen.
There were several rural schools in the area before Allen was created. The Allen School district was one of the first things established in the town.
Allen was included on a list of Collin County school districts in 1880. The teachers, J. C. Jones and W. W. Chapman, were “both teachers of long experience and commanded the patronage of one of the best communities in the county.” J. C. Jones was also a charter member of the First Baptist Church of Allen. The school was located in the northeastern part of the town near Cottonwood Creek and present-day St. Mary Drive.
The Allen school district was always large when compared to rural districts at the time. It had 170 students in 1890; 188 students in 1891; and 116 in 1892.
Miss Anna Smith was a teacher in the Allen school in 1900. Prof. R. E. Chapman also taught at Allen that year. Miss Mattie Gray of Floyd was teaching in the Allen school in February 1901. In November of 1901 the Allen School had 3 teachers: E. W. Muse, principal; Miss Lizzie Gullett; and Miss Mary Spencer.
When the Allen School opened on Oct. 16th in 1905, the teachers were C. T. Cobb, principal; Miss Maude Hunter, intermediate; and Miss Lona Carothers, primary. Miss May (Mae) Davis was in charge of the primary department of the Allen school in 1907 and Mrs. J. W. Hollums held that position in April of 1908. In June 1908 Miss Lizzie Epps and Mrs. J. W. Hollums were employed to teach the two intermediate rooms of the Allen school in the upcoming term. C. T. Cobb was the principal through 1908. He was replaced by Prof. W. M. Foster in 1909.
In February of 1909 a meeting was called for the patrons of Allen school for the purpose of considering the prospects of an independent school district. C. M. Christie was elected chairman. Talks were made of Prof. W. M. Foster, principal of Allen school; Dr. M. M. ?, R. B. Whisnant, J. B. Preston, J. W. Young and others, all of whom seemed to be very much in favor of an independent school district, and a nice new brick school building. C. M. Christie was a Commissioner and J. W. (Wesley) Young owned the drug store in town. J. B. Preston was a notary.
A two-story brick school was built in 1910 in the downtown area. The 1930 U. S. Soil Conservation map shows the school was near Butler and Belmont Streets. On Wikipedia, it says that the brick school was built about 2 blocks east at the corner of Belmont and Cedar Streets. The building had six classrooms and a separate gymnasium/auditorium. The first graduating class in 1914 had 8 students.
G. W. Henderson of Athens was employed as principal teacher of the Allen school for the fall of 1909. The Allen Independent school district had 223 students in 1912 and 218 in 1925.
Prof. Earl Y. Wolford was principal of the Allen City schools in 1913. He spoke in terms of highest praise of the progressiveness of the town of Allen in general and of its school board in particular. Prof. Wolford’s assistant teachers were Misses Lena Parris, Eva Stiff, Julia Dunn and Annah Graves. Preparations were being made to install drinking fountains and the necessary apparatus to raise the school’s classification. The school building was a handsome two-story brick structure, with a spacious auditorium equipped with opera chairs.
When the Allen School closed in April of 1914, exercises were held in the school auditorium. Hon. Walter Miller of Dallas was present and made an address. The Baccalaureate Sermon was preached at the Baptist Church Sunday by Rev. R. B. Curry of that place, pastor of the Methodist Church at Allen and the Wilcox Methodist Church of this city. The teachers were Prof. Earl Wolford, principal, Miss Lena Parris and Miss Eva Stiff of McKinney; Miss Tommy Joe Grubbs of Nevada; and Miss Annah Graves of Melissa.
The new catalog for the Allen Public School for the session of 1914-1915 was completed by the job department of The Daily Courier-Gazette. It was one of the classiest school catalogs ever issued in Collin County. The cover was of heavy Turkish Crash and the other pages are printed on a good quality enamel paper. The contents of the Catalog were prepared by Supt. E. Y Wolford, with some assistance from other members of the faculty. … The Allen school building was built by L. M. Miller, a McKinney contractor. The faculty and board of trustees were: Faculty: Earl Y. Wolford, Principal, English; Miss Lena Parris, Mathematics, Geography. Miss Aenard Compton, History and Latin; Miss Mary Lou Graves, fourth and fifth grades; Miss Zula Dunn, Primary, Miss Hessie Chandler, Music.
Board to Trustees: S. J. Finley, president; J. W. Brown, secretary; W. H. Day, W. N. Kinsey, w. P. Milligan, G. P Berry, J. B. Jones. The session began October 5, 1914.
The Allen public school began on September 20 in 1915. The term of 1915-16 was for eight months. Heretofore the school term had been just seven months. Prof. T. J. Taylor was principal of the Allen school. All the faculty of last term with the exception of Prof. E. Y. Wolford, were re-elected. Misses Lena Parris and Zula Dunn of this city were two of the teachers in the Allen school. The school year closed on April 28.
W. M. Kinsey was president of the Allen school board in 1916. Prof. W. H. Sherly was superintendent.
In March of 1921 the Allen basketball team played a series of games, playing the Plano team at Plano, Tuesday, the Lovejoy team in Allen on Wednesday, and the Melissa team in Allen on Friday. They were the victors in all three games.
Prof. C. T. Eddins was superintendent of the Allen school in 1922. Enrollment was heavy. Allen had six teachers and a good two-story brick school building.
County Farm Agent Jack McCullough conducted terracing schools for the 4-H boys in Allen in Dec. of 1929.
In June of 1936 Prof. Paul G. Henderson was Superintendent of the Allen Public School. He had been re-elected by the Allen School Board for the coming year, as well as his eight assistant teachers as follows: Miss Thelma Proctor, Mrs. Lester Lusk, Prof. O. E. Giles, Miss Jo Wolfe, Miss Mary Ruth Harris, Miss Gladys Watson, Miss Vivian Compton and Mrs. Bee Giles.
Under Prof. Henderson’s Superintendency the Allen School was fully affiliated having eleven grades with sixteen units of affiliation and a regular nine-month term. A New building was in the process of construction. The old building was being remodeled, with an entirely new roof, the addition of four new rooms and other improvements, making it one of the best buildings of the type in this section. The building is not a government project as many other schools over the nation are being built, but the bonds were voted by the citizens, using practically all home labor. J. Ed Michael, contractor of McKinney, was architect for the new building and Grand Thomas is foreman of the job. When completed the two-story structure of red brick will be one of the prides of the Allen community.
Trustees of the Allen School are: W. G. Cundiff, President; W. F. Dutton, secretary; W. R. Taylor, Doyle Stacey, Alton Boyd, E. L. Leach and Luther Summers.
In 1946 Allen had a first-class school, fully affiliated, housed in a modern brick building with a separate gymnasium, and furnished adequate transportation with two school buses for Allen and the surrounding districts. Mr. W. H. Moseley was superintendent. A first class accredited colored school is operated with Mrs. Clara Coleman teacher.
The second brick school building for Allen was constructed in 1959 at Jupiter and Main Streets.
There were several rural schools in the area before Allen was created. The Allen School district was one of the first things established in the town.
Allen was included on a list of Collin County school districts in 1880. The teachers, J. C. Jones and W. W. Chapman, were “both teachers of long experience and commanded the patronage of one of the best communities in the county.” J. C. Jones was also a charter member of the First Baptist Church of Allen. The school was located in the northeastern part of the town near Cottonwood Creek and present-day St. Mary Drive.
The Allen school district was always large when compared to rural districts at the time. It had 170 students in 1890; 188 students in 1891; and 116 in 1892.
Miss Anna Smith was a teacher in the Allen school in 1900. Prof. R. E. Chapman also taught at Allen that year. Miss Mattie Gray of Floyd was teaching in the Allen school in February 1901. In November of 1901 the Allen School had 3 teachers: E. W. Muse, principal; Miss Lizzie Gullett; and Miss Mary Spencer.
When the Allen School opened on Oct. 16th in 1905, the teachers were C. T. Cobb, principal; Miss Maude Hunter, intermediate; and Miss Lona Carothers, primary. Miss May (Mae) Davis was in charge of the primary department of the Allen school in 1907 and Mrs. J. W. Hollums held that position in April of 1908. In June 1908 Miss Lizzie Epps and Mrs. J. W. Hollums were employed to teach the two intermediate rooms of the Allen school in the upcoming term. C. T. Cobb was the principal through 1908. He was replaced by Prof. W. M. Foster in 1909.
In February of 1909 a meeting was called for the patrons of Allen school for the purpose of considering the prospects of an independent school district. C. M. Christie was elected chairman. Talks were made of Prof. W. M. Foster, principal of Allen school; Dr. M. M. ?, R. B. Whisnant, J. B. Preston, J. W. Young and others, all of whom seemed to be very much in favor of an independent school district, and a nice new brick school building. C. M. Christie was a Commissioner and J. W. (Wesley) Young owned the drug store in town. J. B. Preston was a notary.
A two-story brick school was built in 1910 in the downtown area. The 1930 U. S. Soil Conservation map shows the school was near Butler and Belmont Streets. On Wikipedia, it says that the brick school was built about 2 blocks east at the corner of Belmont and Cedar Streets. The building had six classrooms and a separate gymnasium/auditorium. The first graduating class in 1914 had 8 students.
G. W. Henderson of Athens was employed as principal teacher of the Allen school for the fall of 1909. The Allen Independent school district had 223 students in 1912 and 218 in 1925.
Prof. Earl Y. Wolford was principal of the Allen City schools in 1913. He spoke in terms of highest praise of the progressiveness of the town of Allen in general and of its school board in particular. Prof. Wolford’s assistant teachers were Misses Lena Parris, Eva Stiff, Julia Dunn and Annah Graves. Preparations were being made to install drinking fountains and the necessary apparatus to raise the school’s classification. The school building was a handsome two-story brick structure, with a spacious auditorium equipped with opera chairs.
When the Allen School closed in April of 1914, exercises were held in the school auditorium. Hon. Walter Miller of Dallas was present and made an address. The Baccalaureate Sermon was preached at the Baptist Church Sunday by Rev. R. B. Curry of that place, pastor of the Methodist Church at Allen and the Wilcox Methodist Church of this city. The teachers were Prof. Earl Wolford, principal, Miss Lena Parris and Miss Eva Stiff of McKinney; Miss Tommy Joe Grubbs of Nevada; and Miss Annah Graves of Melissa.
The new catalog for the Allen Public School for the session of 1914-1915 was completed by the job department of The Daily Courier-Gazette. It was one of the classiest school catalogs ever issued in Collin County. The cover was of heavy Turkish Crash and the other pages are printed on a good quality enamel paper. The contents of the Catalog were prepared by Supt. E. Y Wolford, with some assistance from other members of the faculty. … The Allen school building was built by L. M. Miller, a McKinney contractor. The faculty and board of trustees were: Faculty: Earl Y. Wolford, Principal, English; Miss Lena Parris, Mathematics, Geography. Miss Aenard Compton, History and Latin; Miss Mary Lou Graves, fourth and fifth grades; Miss Zula Dunn, Primary, Miss Hessie Chandler, Music.
Board to Trustees: S. J. Finley, president; J. W. Brown, secretary; W. H. Day, W. N. Kinsey, w. P. Milligan, G. P Berry, J. B. Jones. The session began October 5, 1914.
The Allen public school began on September 20 in 1915. The term of 1915-16 was for eight months. Heretofore the school term had been just seven months. Prof. T. J. Taylor was principal of the Allen school. All the faculty of last term with the exception of Prof. E. Y. Wolford, were re-elected. Misses Lena Parris and Zula Dunn of this city were two of the teachers in the Allen school. The school year closed on April 28.
W. M. Kinsey was president of the Allen school board in 1916. Prof. W. H. Sherly was superintendent.
In March of 1921 the Allen basketball team played a series of games, playing the Plano team at Plano, Tuesday, the Lovejoy team in Allen on Wednesday, and the Melissa team in Allen on Friday. They were the victors in all three games.
Prof. C. T. Eddins was superintendent of the Allen school in 1922. Enrollment was heavy. Allen had six teachers and a good two-story brick school building.
County Farm Agent Jack McCullough conducted terracing schools for the 4-H boys in Allen in Dec. of 1929.
In June of 1936 Prof. Paul G. Henderson was Superintendent of the Allen Public School. He had been re-elected by the Allen School Board for the coming year, as well as his eight assistant teachers as follows: Miss Thelma Proctor, Mrs. Lester Lusk, Prof. O. E. Giles, Miss Jo Wolfe, Miss Mary Ruth Harris, Miss Gladys Watson, Miss Vivian Compton and Mrs. Bee Giles.
Under Prof. Henderson’s Superintendency the Allen School was fully affiliated having eleven grades with sixteen units of affiliation and a regular nine-month term. A New building was in the process of construction. The old building was being remodeled, with an entirely new roof, the addition of four new rooms and other improvements, making it one of the best buildings of the type in this section. The building is not a government project as many other schools over the nation are being built, but the bonds were voted by the citizens, using practically all home labor. J. Ed Michael, contractor of McKinney, was architect for the new building and Grand Thomas is foreman of the job. When completed the two-story structure of red brick will be one of the prides of the Allen community.
Trustees of the Allen School are: W. G. Cundiff, President; W. F. Dutton, secretary; W. R. Taylor, Doyle Stacey, Alton Boyd, E. L. Leach and Luther Summers.
In 1946 Allen had a first-class school, fully affiliated, housed in a modern brick building with a separate gymnasium, and furnished adequate transportation with two school buses for Allen and the surrounding districts. Mr. W. H. Moseley was superintendent. A first class accredited colored school is operated with Mrs. Clara Coleman teacher.
The second brick school building for Allen was constructed in 1959 at Jupiter and Main Streets.
