Altoga Schools
The Altoga post office opened in 1889. Supposedly the residents wanted to name the community “All Together” but the name “Altoga” was suggested instead. Many of the early residents came from Tennessee after the Civil War.
Altoga has had four different schools.
1. Johnson Freeschool - .9 miles south of town; (see Johnson School)
2. Altoga Freeschool - .8 mile north of town;
3. Altoga 2-story school – 200 yards north of town;
4. Altoga 3-room school – west of cemetery.
From McKinney Democrat Jan 9, 1904: “The Johnson school is progressing nicely…”, and on Jan 26, 1904: “The school has over 100 in attendance.”
Altoga Freeschool – Altoga’s second school; located almost a mile north of town on the road now called County Road 1038 (i. e., just north of the west end of this road.) According to Lee Stiff, this was the first one called Altoga School and was just north of Noah Hale’s house, on the road. The deeds show Uncle Noah bought the property (41 acres including the school lot) from J. H. Ensley July 18, 1910. He later used the school building for his barn.
On October 1, 1889, George Osburn (and wife Louise) deeded a lot for a school to the Altoga community (to J. M. Cowan, J. A. Moreland, and William Lovelady, Trustees of School District 128) [Vol 42, p 143] Part of Rachel Baker Survey. The site was 25 rods by 8 rods (north by east) on the southeast corner of George Osburn’s land.
In 1891 the Altoga School #128 had 28 students. In 1899 there were 51 students and 60 in 1900. In 1901 the teacher was M. S. Townsend.
On January 17, 1902, school Trustees, H. T. Vance, J. B. Lawson, and S. J. Dobbs sold the school lot to J. H. Ensley for $127.50 [recorded Feb 12, 1902 in Vol 110, p 209], notarized by W. T. Dunn. The site was 24 rods by 8 rods (183 yds x 44 yds, north by east) on the southeast corner of George Osburn land.
Altoga Two-Story School Altoga’s third school; located about 200 yards north of the square on the road now called FM 1827. According to Lee Stiff, the third school was about where Bill Marshall’s house is now. It was on the west side of the road (now FM 1827) going due north from the square, real close to the road, and south of W. H. Dunn’s house on the corner (his house was on the southwest corner of the intersection of the north road and the road that then west to Stiff Chapel and east to cross Sister Grove creek.) This would be south of the intersection of FM 1827 and County Road 469. This was the 2-story schoolhouse that was torn down in 1913. The lumber was used in 1913 to build the W. T. Dunn house west of the square.
In an article in the Democrat accompanying this photo: “The Altoga Public School Opens its 1904-5 Term Monday, Oct. 31st, with Prof. Webb as principal. The Altoga Public School, a cut of which building is shown above opens its 1904-5 terms on Monday October 31st. Its faculty is composed of Prof. Townsie T. Webb of Roland, Miss Maud Webb of Roland, assistant, and Miss Newell Henderson of Altoga in charge of the music department. The house is new and well located…. The Board of Directors consists of W. T. Dunn, president; W. W. Lacy, secretary, and H. T. Vance. The Democrat job office has also just supplied Prof. Webb with letter head and envelopes for the school’s correspondence. Altoga is a thrifty town and community, a high standard of intelligence prevails and the citizenship is bent on taking the lead in the county on educational matters.”
On Jan 29, 1901, S. H. Dobbs deed 1 acre to Collin County in the town of Altoga for a school [Vol 105, p 231]. The site was 62 x 78 yards (north by east) on the southeast corner of acreage once owned by J. B. Lawson and bordering the northeast corner of A. L. Mantooth acreage (deeded to Mantooth by J. K. Mooreland Aug 1, 1892). In 1908 Altoga had 44 male and 58 female students. In 1912 there were 94 students; 86 in 1925 and 54 students in 1940.
According to the Weekly Democrat Gazette, April 9, 1913 (On the Wing), Prof. W. S. Smith and Mrs. Sara (King) Tree were the last to teach in this building, Mrs. Tree being in charge of the primary department occupying the first floor. There were “more than one hundred scholastics enrolled, but attendance considerably above that.” Also, the town was about to build a new school… “As evidence that the people of Altoga are interested in a good school, they will hold an election soon to vote an additional tax of .30 on the $100, making in all .50 as they are now paying .20. The increased tax will go into a fund created for the purpose of building a house of larger proportions and more substantial in character.”
Altoga Three-room School - Altoga’s fourth school. The fourth and last school in Altoga was the 3-room schoolhouse on the road to the cemetery (now County Road #972), just west of the cemetery; the ball field adjoined the cemetery. This schoolhouse was built in 1913. The school was discontinued about 1957.
Excerpts from McKinney paper on dating the schools: [Jan 1897] “Johnson literary society program for 15: Recitation – Ella Moore, Betty Cate, Ida Boyer, Ethel Cate and May McDowell. Essay – Howey Carson. Reading – Robbie Benton, Callie McGee, Julia Boyer, Liter Recer. Debate – Question, “Resolved that the United States should recognize Cuba as a belligerent and help it. “Affirmative: William Dunn and Iverda Logan; Negative: Ed McGee and Harvey Carson; committee – Julia Boyer, Bobbie Benton and Ida Boyer.
[7-13-1899] “The people of Altoga and Johnson communities learned of Miss Vana Belew’s getting a position in the McKinney school.”
[10-26-1899] “The public free schools at Johnson and Altoga began Monday morning. The former has a teacher Prof Webb and the latter Miss Ethel Belew.”
[12-7-1899] “There’s talk about a new 2-story school … looking for a location.”
[1-4-1904] “The Johnson school is progressing nicely…”
[1-26-1904] “…school has over one hundred in attendance.”
The County Superintendent of Schools said this about Altoga in 1918:
“The Altoga school has the limit of taxation and a good house meeting the State requirements in every particular. The school has received some of the State aid before and will again his year. This is one of the best Rural schools in the county, and is on the alert for anything that will tend to improvements. This school is planning to have a garden, and I am sure it will be a success. Mr. Rassie Reece is principal, Miss Grace Wilmeth, intermediate and Mrs. Florence Hill primary teacher. They are doing some fine work and this school will be heard from later.”
Altoga has had four different schools.
1. Johnson Freeschool - .9 miles south of town; (see Johnson School)
2. Altoga Freeschool - .8 mile north of town;
3. Altoga 2-story school – 200 yards north of town;
4. Altoga 3-room school – west of cemetery.
From McKinney Democrat Jan 9, 1904: “The Johnson school is progressing nicely…”, and on Jan 26, 1904: “The school has over 100 in attendance.”
Altoga Freeschool – Altoga’s second school; located almost a mile north of town on the road now called County Road 1038 (i. e., just north of the west end of this road.) According to Lee Stiff, this was the first one called Altoga School and was just north of Noah Hale’s house, on the road. The deeds show Uncle Noah bought the property (41 acres including the school lot) from J. H. Ensley July 18, 1910. He later used the school building for his barn.
On October 1, 1889, George Osburn (and wife Louise) deeded a lot for a school to the Altoga community (to J. M. Cowan, J. A. Moreland, and William Lovelady, Trustees of School District 128) [Vol 42, p 143] Part of Rachel Baker Survey. The site was 25 rods by 8 rods (north by east) on the southeast corner of George Osburn’s land.
In 1891 the Altoga School #128 had 28 students. In 1899 there were 51 students and 60 in 1900. In 1901 the teacher was M. S. Townsend.
On January 17, 1902, school Trustees, H. T. Vance, J. B. Lawson, and S. J. Dobbs sold the school lot to J. H. Ensley for $127.50 [recorded Feb 12, 1902 in Vol 110, p 209], notarized by W. T. Dunn. The site was 24 rods by 8 rods (183 yds x 44 yds, north by east) on the southeast corner of George Osburn land.
Altoga Two-Story School Altoga’s third school; located about 200 yards north of the square on the road now called FM 1827. According to Lee Stiff, the third school was about where Bill Marshall’s house is now. It was on the west side of the road (now FM 1827) going due north from the square, real close to the road, and south of W. H. Dunn’s house on the corner (his house was on the southwest corner of the intersection of the north road and the road that then west to Stiff Chapel and east to cross Sister Grove creek.) This would be south of the intersection of FM 1827 and County Road 469. This was the 2-story schoolhouse that was torn down in 1913. The lumber was used in 1913 to build the W. T. Dunn house west of the square.
In an article in the Democrat accompanying this photo: “The Altoga Public School Opens its 1904-5 Term Monday, Oct. 31st, with Prof. Webb as principal. The Altoga Public School, a cut of which building is shown above opens its 1904-5 terms on Monday October 31st. Its faculty is composed of Prof. Townsie T. Webb of Roland, Miss Maud Webb of Roland, assistant, and Miss Newell Henderson of Altoga in charge of the music department. The house is new and well located…. The Board of Directors consists of W. T. Dunn, president; W. W. Lacy, secretary, and H. T. Vance. The Democrat job office has also just supplied Prof. Webb with letter head and envelopes for the school’s correspondence. Altoga is a thrifty town and community, a high standard of intelligence prevails and the citizenship is bent on taking the lead in the county on educational matters.”
On Jan 29, 1901, S. H. Dobbs deed 1 acre to Collin County in the town of Altoga for a school [Vol 105, p 231]. The site was 62 x 78 yards (north by east) on the southeast corner of acreage once owned by J. B. Lawson and bordering the northeast corner of A. L. Mantooth acreage (deeded to Mantooth by J. K. Mooreland Aug 1, 1892). In 1908 Altoga had 44 male and 58 female students. In 1912 there were 94 students; 86 in 1925 and 54 students in 1940.
According to the Weekly Democrat Gazette, April 9, 1913 (On the Wing), Prof. W. S. Smith and Mrs. Sara (King) Tree were the last to teach in this building, Mrs. Tree being in charge of the primary department occupying the first floor. There were “more than one hundred scholastics enrolled, but attendance considerably above that.” Also, the town was about to build a new school… “As evidence that the people of Altoga are interested in a good school, they will hold an election soon to vote an additional tax of .30 on the $100, making in all .50 as they are now paying .20. The increased tax will go into a fund created for the purpose of building a house of larger proportions and more substantial in character.”
Altoga Three-room School - Altoga’s fourth school. The fourth and last school in Altoga was the 3-room schoolhouse on the road to the cemetery (now County Road #972), just west of the cemetery; the ball field adjoined the cemetery. This schoolhouse was built in 1913. The school was discontinued about 1957.
Excerpts from McKinney paper on dating the schools: [Jan 1897] “Johnson literary society program for 15: Recitation – Ella Moore, Betty Cate, Ida Boyer, Ethel Cate and May McDowell. Essay – Howey Carson. Reading – Robbie Benton, Callie McGee, Julia Boyer, Liter Recer. Debate – Question, “Resolved that the United States should recognize Cuba as a belligerent and help it. “Affirmative: William Dunn and Iverda Logan; Negative: Ed McGee and Harvey Carson; committee – Julia Boyer, Bobbie Benton and Ida Boyer.
[7-13-1899] “The people of Altoga and Johnson communities learned of Miss Vana Belew’s getting a position in the McKinney school.”
[10-26-1899] “The public free schools at Johnson and Altoga began Monday morning. The former has a teacher Prof Webb and the latter Miss Ethel Belew.”
[12-7-1899] “There’s talk about a new 2-story school … looking for a location.”
[1-4-1904] “The Johnson school is progressing nicely…”
[1-26-1904] “…school has over one hundred in attendance.”
The County Superintendent of Schools said this about Altoga in 1918:
“The Altoga school has the limit of taxation and a good house meeting the State requirements in every particular. The school has received some of the State aid before and will again his year. This is one of the best Rural schools in the county, and is on the alert for anything that will tend to improvements. This school is planning to have a garden, and I am sure it will be a success. Mr. Rassie Reece is principal, Miss Grace Wilmeth, intermediate and Mrs. Florence Hill primary teacher. They are doing some fine work and this school will be heard from later.”
