Moreland School
Moreland School #103
Liberty Hill
CR 630 and CR 580
Blue Ridge, Texas
Moreland School written by Opal Kemp
Moreland was a small farming community about four miles northeast of Blue Ridge. It consisted of a cotton gin, a school, a general store, and many rural homes. The school was also called Liberty Hill.
Moreland School was not included in the list of Collin County schools for 1880. In 1890 Liberty Hill School had 74 students and 55 in 1891. There were 77 students in 1899 and 47 in 1900. J. J. Sparkman of Moreland was the teacher in 1901. Trustees in 1903 were M. M. Pinion and J. L Arrington
There was a box supper at Liberty Hill school house for the benefit of the school in November of 1904.
In 1905 R. M. McCarly and T. C. Munday were elected trustees for the Moreland school district. J. T. Vestal and Miss Lizzie Balden were the teachers.
A Singing school was held at the Moreland school house in August of 1906. In 1909 the school had 23 males and 23 females.
In 1912 Moreland School had 58 students. It was listed as District #108, but put in the numerical position of #103.
Moreland School had 70 students in 1925. It was a 2-room school. Mildred Umphress was a teacher in the 1930s. It consolidated with Blue Ridge in 1937.
The first school was built during the eighteen hundreds (exact date not known). It was located on a dirt road just east of Desert Creek and the cotton gin was near the Bellow residence. This building had one room but housed pupils from age six year to as long as they wanted to go.
Three teachers that were remembered in the old school were; Mr. Virgil B. _____, Mr. W. W. Jones, and Mr. Charles Press. Mrs. Fode McCarley remembered that Mr. Jones had a large mirror at the front of the room and while he was busy with the smaller children he would often glance at the mirror. Older boys wondered how he always knew just what they were up to.
When the community had out grown the small building, a new location about one mile farther south and on the John Umphries, land was selected for a new school.
The new building was ready for classes at the beginning of the term of 1914 and 1915. It consisted of two rooms and contained grades one through eight. In 1918 the County Superintendent of Schools said this about Moreland District #103:
“The Moreland district has within the last year increased their tax to the limit and added such equipment as is necessary to meet the State requirements for receiving part of the Million Dollar appropriation. They had been recommended for a liberal share. They have enrolled 84 and the teachers are Miss Viola Duckworth and Miss Myrtle Todd.”
In 1926 or 1927, the third room was added to the building and another teacher was hired.
Some local citizens remembered the following teachers: Kate Price, Myrtle Fode, Viola Duckworth, Roy James, Byron Felton, Aaron Richardson, Vera Davis, Lee Bellows, Mable Saye, Norma Sportsman, Bonnie Taylor, Gladys Bellows, Carmen Umphress Johns, Estell Holmes. While Mozelle Smoot was a teacher, she became ill and passed away during the term. Mildred Umphress Kemp was teaching here when the school was consolidated with Blue Ridge in 1937. She continued teaching speech in Blue Ridge.
There were many activities associated with the Moreland school. There were plays and programs presented by the pupils and community dinners at the end of school.
An On the Wing newspaper article McKinney newspaper in 1915 stated that “Moreland had a modern school building. Miss Viola Duckworth of Westminster was the principal, and she was assisted by Miss Kate Price of Blue Ridge. A new store had been erected by J. A. James early in the fall and it was stocked with plain and fancy groceries. The store was where Cross Roads ‘wit and easy money’ were on daily exchange.
Liberty Hill
CR 630 and CR 580
Blue Ridge, Texas
Moreland School written by Opal Kemp
Moreland was a small farming community about four miles northeast of Blue Ridge. It consisted of a cotton gin, a school, a general store, and many rural homes. The school was also called Liberty Hill.
Moreland School was not included in the list of Collin County schools for 1880. In 1890 Liberty Hill School had 74 students and 55 in 1891. There were 77 students in 1899 and 47 in 1900. J. J. Sparkman of Moreland was the teacher in 1901. Trustees in 1903 were M. M. Pinion and J. L Arrington
There was a box supper at Liberty Hill school house for the benefit of the school in November of 1904.
In 1905 R. M. McCarly and T. C. Munday were elected trustees for the Moreland school district. J. T. Vestal and Miss Lizzie Balden were the teachers.
A Singing school was held at the Moreland school house in August of 1906. In 1909 the school had 23 males and 23 females.
In 1912 Moreland School had 58 students. It was listed as District #108, but put in the numerical position of #103.
Moreland School had 70 students in 1925. It was a 2-room school. Mildred Umphress was a teacher in the 1930s. It consolidated with Blue Ridge in 1937.
The first school was built during the eighteen hundreds (exact date not known). It was located on a dirt road just east of Desert Creek and the cotton gin was near the Bellow residence. This building had one room but housed pupils from age six year to as long as they wanted to go.
Three teachers that were remembered in the old school were; Mr. Virgil B. _____, Mr. W. W. Jones, and Mr. Charles Press. Mrs. Fode McCarley remembered that Mr. Jones had a large mirror at the front of the room and while he was busy with the smaller children he would often glance at the mirror. Older boys wondered how he always knew just what they were up to.
When the community had out grown the small building, a new location about one mile farther south and on the John Umphries, land was selected for a new school.
The new building was ready for classes at the beginning of the term of 1914 and 1915. It consisted of two rooms and contained grades one through eight. In 1918 the County Superintendent of Schools said this about Moreland District #103:
“The Moreland district has within the last year increased their tax to the limit and added such equipment as is necessary to meet the State requirements for receiving part of the Million Dollar appropriation. They had been recommended for a liberal share. They have enrolled 84 and the teachers are Miss Viola Duckworth and Miss Myrtle Todd.”
In 1926 or 1927, the third room was added to the building and another teacher was hired.
Some local citizens remembered the following teachers: Kate Price, Myrtle Fode, Viola Duckworth, Roy James, Byron Felton, Aaron Richardson, Vera Davis, Lee Bellows, Mable Saye, Norma Sportsman, Bonnie Taylor, Gladys Bellows, Carmen Umphress Johns, Estell Holmes. While Mozelle Smoot was a teacher, she became ill and passed away during the term. Mildred Umphress Kemp was teaching here when the school was consolidated with Blue Ridge in 1937. She continued teaching speech in Blue Ridge.
There were many activities associated with the Moreland school. There were plays and programs presented by the pupils and community dinners at the end of school.
An On the Wing newspaper article McKinney newspaper in 1915 stated that “Moreland had a modern school building. Miss Viola Duckworth of Westminster was the principal, and she was assisted by Miss Kate Price of Blue Ridge. A new store had been erected by J. A. James early in the fall and it was stocked with plain and fancy groceries. The store was where Cross Roads ‘wit and easy money’ were on daily exchange.
