Princeton School
Princeton School #152
Princeton, Texas
In the 1890’s the first school was located at Long Neck (approximately one mile north of Princeton at the intersection of F. M. 75 & C. R. 461 – (old S. H. 24) (Lat. 33.190681 & Lon. 96.504243) with J. H. Sneed as teacher. In 1898 a two-story wood frame school building was built near the entrance of the IOOF cemetery at intersection of Yorkshire St. & Jefferson Ave. (Lat. 33.178637 & Lon. 96.500622). The school had 43 students enrolled.
Miss Ruth Sneed (later Mrs. R. A. Kluttz) was the first teacher. The Woodmen of the World Lodge Hall was located on the second floor. Later the Long Neck school consolidated with the Princeton school.
In 1910 land was bought from Mrs. Mead in the northern part of city (200-298 E. College Ave.) (Lat. 33.182908 & Lon. 96.499787) for another school. A two-story brick building was erected under the direction of Mr. Shepherd and Son.
The first school board was elected in 1915. Those elected were P. C. Mack (President), W. E. West (Secretary), Alma Wilson, Dr. S. J. Dobbs., Walter Test, Floyd Huddleston and J. M. Woody.
In 1918 it was said:
“Princeton Independent No. 152. The Princeton school has eight class rooms. The building is a two-story brick with ample hallways but they need an auditorium very badly. The enrollment at this school is near 400.
“When this district was building a new house, it was thought to be ample for several years but is now too small and will not long be able to fulfill all the requirements of this fast-growing community. The Mothers’ Club has lately done some fine work for this school as is evidenced by the newly installed sanitary drinking fountain. They plan to make other necessary improvements. The school has a fairly good library and other equipment but not all it needs. This district has been fortunate in always having a fine school board to work with the teachers. They have the limit of taxation but this is hardly sufficient to meet the full requirements. They need one more teacher in the High school. When this is added and the town provides an auditorium you will see rapid improvement in the general community interests. W. P. Keaton is teaching his first year at this place and is doing some good work. Mrs. C. C. York is High school principal. She has been in this school for five years. Miss Georgia Newsom is also teaching her fifth term as primary instructor. If you will visit her room, you will see why she stays. Clarence Cox and Miss Annie DeBow have also been here for two or three years. Miss Willie Hipp is the second-grade teacher and is doing her second year with them. Mrs. W. F. Keaton is doing some find work. One other young lady in the school whose name I cannot recall is doing some good work.”
In 1936 a new High School was constructed just west of the two-story school (100-198 E. College Ave). The school purchased buses and started transporting students to and from school. In the 1940’s several small schools in the county consolidated with the Princeton School District: Viney Grove, Higgins, Womble, Climax, Thompson, Branch, Culleoka and Clear Lake. Princeton ISD had 230 students in 1940.
The school built a gymnasium, agriculture and lunchroom buildings in the 1940’s. Previously the school’s basketball teams used the city gymnasium downtown.
The school districts that were grouped with Princeton in 1949 were Branch, Climax, Culleoka, Higgins, Thompson, Viney Grove and Womble.
Princeton, Texas
In the 1890’s the first school was located at Long Neck (approximately one mile north of Princeton at the intersection of F. M. 75 & C. R. 461 – (old S. H. 24) (Lat. 33.190681 & Lon. 96.504243) with J. H. Sneed as teacher. In 1898 a two-story wood frame school building was built near the entrance of the IOOF cemetery at intersection of Yorkshire St. & Jefferson Ave. (Lat. 33.178637 & Lon. 96.500622). The school had 43 students enrolled.
Miss Ruth Sneed (later Mrs. R. A. Kluttz) was the first teacher. The Woodmen of the World Lodge Hall was located on the second floor. Later the Long Neck school consolidated with the Princeton school.
In 1910 land was bought from Mrs. Mead in the northern part of city (200-298 E. College Ave.) (Lat. 33.182908 & Lon. 96.499787) for another school. A two-story brick building was erected under the direction of Mr. Shepherd and Son.
The first school board was elected in 1915. Those elected were P. C. Mack (President), W. E. West (Secretary), Alma Wilson, Dr. S. J. Dobbs., Walter Test, Floyd Huddleston and J. M. Woody.
In 1918 it was said:
“Princeton Independent No. 152. The Princeton school has eight class rooms. The building is a two-story brick with ample hallways but they need an auditorium very badly. The enrollment at this school is near 400.
“When this district was building a new house, it was thought to be ample for several years but is now too small and will not long be able to fulfill all the requirements of this fast-growing community. The Mothers’ Club has lately done some fine work for this school as is evidenced by the newly installed sanitary drinking fountain. They plan to make other necessary improvements. The school has a fairly good library and other equipment but not all it needs. This district has been fortunate in always having a fine school board to work with the teachers. They have the limit of taxation but this is hardly sufficient to meet the full requirements. They need one more teacher in the High school. When this is added and the town provides an auditorium you will see rapid improvement in the general community interests. W. P. Keaton is teaching his first year at this place and is doing some good work. Mrs. C. C. York is High school principal. She has been in this school for five years. Miss Georgia Newsom is also teaching her fifth term as primary instructor. If you will visit her room, you will see why she stays. Clarence Cox and Miss Annie DeBow have also been here for two or three years. Miss Willie Hipp is the second-grade teacher and is doing her second year with them. Mrs. W. F. Keaton is doing some find work. One other young lady in the school whose name I cannot recall is doing some good work.”
In 1936 a new High School was constructed just west of the two-story school (100-198 E. College Ave). The school purchased buses and started transporting students to and from school. In the 1940’s several small schools in the county consolidated with the Princeton School District: Viney Grove, Higgins, Womble, Climax, Thompson, Branch, Culleoka and Clear Lake. Princeton ISD had 230 students in 1940.
The school built a gymnasium, agriculture and lunchroom buildings in the 1940’s. Previously the school’s basketball teams used the city gymnasium downtown.
The school districts that were grouped with Princeton in 1949 were Branch, Climax, Culleoka, Higgins, Thompson, Viney Grove and Womble.
