Pike School
Pike School #8
Pilgrim School
Knox
FM 981
Blue Ridge, Texas
The Pike community is also called Pilgrim and Knox. It was one of the earliest communities in Collin County. It was established in 1860. Pike is located in the northeast corner of the county four miles northeast of Blue Ridge and less than a mile from the Fannin County line. It was a small but prosperous farming- community with a church, a school and a Masonic Lodge. The school dates back to Reconstruction Days and was first established in 1866 in the Pilgrim Baptist Church with Miss Dora Pierce as the teacher. The school was called Pilgrim at this time because school was held in the church. Pike was school district #8 on the Collin County list of independent school districts. The teacher in 1880 was J. M. Saunders. It was described as a fine farming community on the waters of Indian Creek. The Pike post office opened in 1885.
The first school building was constructed in 1887. An agreement was made between the school board of trustees including C. L. McGowan and A. H. Sharp and the officials of the Masonic Lodge No. 702 to build a two-story frame building. There were three classrooms, an assembly hall and a stage downstairs and a large classroom on the second floor and a large room to be used as a meeting place for the lodge. Early day teachers were Professor Huff, S. J. Creswell, J. B. Darden, Mr. Reeves, Elijah Dike, E. B. Collinger, G. W. West, Miss Rosa Bass, Mis Lanora Waldrip, Miss Nora Ray, Miss Mollie Creswell, Miss Octavia McGowan, W. E. Foster, and Miss Dollie Manning. Several members of the Fry family attended the Pike school and later taught there for several years, including Hazel and Murdock Fry. Monroe McDonald taught at Pike for over 20 years.
The building was destroyed 1898 by fire. E. B. Collinger was the principal of the school at the time of the fire. Sometime after the fire a four-teacher school was built.
In 1890 the school was called Pilgrim and had 74 students. There were 92 in 1891 and 97 in 1892. By 1912 there were 113 students.
The school continued to grow in the early 1900s. G. W. West and Miss Ava Ewing were the teachers in 1901. The school was included in Stambaugh’s List of Schools 1905-1918. Prof. C. C. Cross of McKinney was principal of the Pike school in 1918. In 1925 Pike School had 121 students.
In 1918 the County Superintendent of Schools said this about Pike School:
“The Pike school has four class rooms made to meet the requirements and will again receive State aid. During the past year territory from Hunt County has been added to this district which will help the district very materially. They have an enrollment of 141. In this school there are many of the larger pupils, especially girls in attendance. I call this a head school with a very bright future. Mr. J. M. McGuire, Miss. Dorothy Blair, Miss Hattie Mae Hale and Miss Minnie Freeman are the teachers.”
According to a newspaper article in January 1919, Pike School received $150.00 from the State Board of Education to benefit the school. Later that year under the leadership of Professor Davenport and Miss Cunningham and Miss Conway, Pike School presented a three-act play titled “Ellen’s Elopement” and raised $28.20 to benefit the school.
Superintendent Hollis Owens began his fourth year as head of the Pike school in September of 1939 when 70 pupils were enrolled. Mr. Owens is assisted by T. M. Fry, fifth, sixth and seventh grades; Mrs. Hollis Owens, third and fourth; Miss Catherine McCormack of McKinney, first and second. The Pike school building had been redecorated inside and new equipment had been added.
There were 128 students in 1940. Hall’s List of Schools 1946-1947 included Pike and the teacher was Mrs. Roxie Barbee. In October of 1948 a program was scheduled for Pike School with all proceeds to go to the Pike school lunchroom.
Two teams from Pike Elementary School competed on March 29th, 1950 in the weekly Radio Spelling Bee recorded at the Pike School with the entire school and a number of visitors as audience. “The Gold” team won over “The Silver” team by two points. Mrs. Verna Mae Ward is principal of this school.
The Pike School closed for 2 weeks in October of 1950 in order that students might help in harvesting crops. The teachers in the Pike school were Mrs. Verna Mae Ward, who was also principal, and Mrs. Edith Gilmore. The school had an average attendance of 27 in 1950 and of 50 in 1951.
In 1953 eighteen students transferred from the Pike school and the school became a one-teacher school with six grades. Mrs. George Gilmore was the teacher at the school.
The election for the consolidation of the Pike District into the Leonard Independent School District was held on Saturday, June 30, 1956. In Leonard it carried 50 – 0 in favor of consolidating the schools.
An identical election was held at Pike on the same date with 53 votes cast. It was 36 to 18 in favor of consolidation. The Leonard and Pike schools were consolidated in the fall of 1956.
Pilgrim School
Knox
FM 981
Blue Ridge, Texas
The Pike community is also called Pilgrim and Knox. It was one of the earliest communities in Collin County. It was established in 1860. Pike is located in the northeast corner of the county four miles northeast of Blue Ridge and less than a mile from the Fannin County line. It was a small but prosperous farming- community with a church, a school and a Masonic Lodge. The school dates back to Reconstruction Days and was first established in 1866 in the Pilgrim Baptist Church with Miss Dora Pierce as the teacher. The school was called Pilgrim at this time because school was held in the church. Pike was school district #8 on the Collin County list of independent school districts. The teacher in 1880 was J. M. Saunders. It was described as a fine farming community on the waters of Indian Creek. The Pike post office opened in 1885.
The first school building was constructed in 1887. An agreement was made between the school board of trustees including C. L. McGowan and A. H. Sharp and the officials of the Masonic Lodge No. 702 to build a two-story frame building. There were three classrooms, an assembly hall and a stage downstairs and a large classroom on the second floor and a large room to be used as a meeting place for the lodge. Early day teachers were Professor Huff, S. J. Creswell, J. B. Darden, Mr. Reeves, Elijah Dike, E. B. Collinger, G. W. West, Miss Rosa Bass, Mis Lanora Waldrip, Miss Nora Ray, Miss Mollie Creswell, Miss Octavia McGowan, W. E. Foster, and Miss Dollie Manning. Several members of the Fry family attended the Pike school and later taught there for several years, including Hazel and Murdock Fry. Monroe McDonald taught at Pike for over 20 years.
The building was destroyed 1898 by fire. E. B. Collinger was the principal of the school at the time of the fire. Sometime after the fire a four-teacher school was built.
In 1890 the school was called Pilgrim and had 74 students. There were 92 in 1891 and 97 in 1892. By 1912 there were 113 students.
The school continued to grow in the early 1900s. G. W. West and Miss Ava Ewing were the teachers in 1901. The school was included in Stambaugh’s List of Schools 1905-1918. Prof. C. C. Cross of McKinney was principal of the Pike school in 1918. In 1925 Pike School had 121 students.
In 1918 the County Superintendent of Schools said this about Pike School:
“The Pike school has four class rooms made to meet the requirements and will again receive State aid. During the past year territory from Hunt County has been added to this district which will help the district very materially. They have an enrollment of 141. In this school there are many of the larger pupils, especially girls in attendance. I call this a head school with a very bright future. Mr. J. M. McGuire, Miss. Dorothy Blair, Miss Hattie Mae Hale and Miss Minnie Freeman are the teachers.”
According to a newspaper article in January 1919, Pike School received $150.00 from the State Board of Education to benefit the school. Later that year under the leadership of Professor Davenport and Miss Cunningham and Miss Conway, Pike School presented a three-act play titled “Ellen’s Elopement” and raised $28.20 to benefit the school.
Superintendent Hollis Owens began his fourth year as head of the Pike school in September of 1939 when 70 pupils were enrolled. Mr. Owens is assisted by T. M. Fry, fifth, sixth and seventh grades; Mrs. Hollis Owens, third and fourth; Miss Catherine McCormack of McKinney, first and second. The Pike school building had been redecorated inside and new equipment had been added.
There were 128 students in 1940. Hall’s List of Schools 1946-1947 included Pike and the teacher was Mrs. Roxie Barbee. In October of 1948 a program was scheduled for Pike School with all proceeds to go to the Pike school lunchroom.
Two teams from Pike Elementary School competed on March 29th, 1950 in the weekly Radio Spelling Bee recorded at the Pike School with the entire school and a number of visitors as audience. “The Gold” team won over “The Silver” team by two points. Mrs. Verna Mae Ward is principal of this school.
The Pike School closed for 2 weeks in October of 1950 in order that students might help in harvesting crops. The teachers in the Pike school were Mrs. Verna Mae Ward, who was also principal, and Mrs. Edith Gilmore. The school had an average attendance of 27 in 1950 and of 50 in 1951.
In 1953 eighteen students transferred from the Pike school and the school became a one-teacher school with six grades. Mrs. George Gilmore was the teacher at the school.
The election for the consolidation of the Pike District into the Leonard Independent School District was held on Saturday, June 30, 1956. In Leonard it carried 50 – 0 in favor of consolidating the schools.
An identical election was held at Pike on the same date with 53 votes cast. It was 36 to 18 in favor of consolidation. The Leonard and Pike schools were consolidated in the fall of 1956.
