USA > Texas > Harrison County > Marshall > History Of Marshall Texas > Part 5
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City School Superintendent. Under Harrison's leadership the county was divided into districts, and a uniform system of textbooks was introduced. The superintendent recom- mended co-education for the county as well. These matters completed, Harrison turned his attention toward the all- important matter of taxes. Another petition was circu- lated, this time requesting an additional tax to support the school during a full nine month term. At this time the public school fund paid for only four and one-half months; the parents paid for the remainder of the term. But the measure again met defeat. A few years later, how- ever, an election was held upon the same issue, and this time the city voted for the additional tax. After this victory, the School Board began constructing public school buildings. But this was not the only achievement made possible by higher taxes - the city now decided to approve of co-education. After the boys and girls had been placed in the same schools, the board not only found that this system saved much money in the employment of teachers, but also found that the children studied much harder and behaved much better when together than when apart.27.
The City of Marshall has had and still does have very good, capable, and dependable school administrators. The administrators of the schools in 1947 are Mr. Emmett Cy- phers at North Side or Robert E. Lee school, Mrs. Bella Wyatt at East End or Sam Houston, Mrs. Margaret Huff- man at South Marshall, Miss Norma Forsythe at West End or Stephen F. Austin, Miss Hilda Berglund at Van Zandt, Miss Emma Mae Brotze at Marshall Junior High, and Mr. W. T. Puryear at Marshall Senior High School. The City Public School Superintendent is Mr. E. N. Dennard. 28
Another educational landmark in Marshall's educational development was the foundation of the College of Marshall in 1914. There is an interesting story behind its organiza- tion.
The First Methodist Church of the city was busy raising funds to aid Southern Methodist University in 1912, and during their campaign, gave a banquet at the First Metho- dist Church. Dr. W. T. Tardy of the First Baptist Church was the main speaker, and, during the course of his speech, asked the Methodists why they would not establish a school in Marshall.
The answer was prompt.
27 Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 28Mr. J. W., Cyphers.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL
of Marshall's youth until, in 1924, the building was razed and the present Marshall Junior High School building was erected. This was used as the High School until 1939, when the present Marshall. Senior High School building was erected. 21
During the organization and erection of the high school -indeed, in the years preceding it - several elementary schools were founded.
The first elementary school to be constructed in Mar- shall was the North Side School in 1887. The East End School was organized in 1902. The West End Elementary school used the Marshall University building, deeded to the Public Schools in 1910. Mr. J. W. Cyphers was president when it was ordered to be deeded to the Public Schools in 1910.22 The old Marshall University building, was finally razed in the early 1930's, and the present West End School was completed in 1939.23
The people who lived close to Van Zandt hill, when the College of Marshall was located, passed around and signed a petition which brought enough demand for the Van Zandt Elementary School to be constructed for them as there were enough families living in the section. The building was constructed in 1916. The South Marshall Elementary School was constructed after the same pattern in the same year of 1916.24
In the city's struggle for a good public school system, one of the main problems was securing adequate funds. The townspeople, although they wanted their children properly educated, did not want to pay the bill.
In 1886, Y. D. Harrison and W. L. Lemon made a peti- tion asking for an additional tax for public school purposes and presented it to the city authorities, but it was defeated. A "Children's Fund" was used in renting buildings in which classes were held, until proper buildings could be built. 25 In 1887, Y. D. Harrison was appointed County School Superintendent of Harrison County by the Commis- sioners Court composed of .W. T. S. Keller, County Judge, president; J. D. Rudd, W. T. Ware, S. H. Green, and T. S. Buchanan, the county commissioners.26 A few weeks later the City School Board appointed Y. D. Harrison
21 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936. 22Mr. J. W. Cyphers.
23 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
24Mr. J. W. Cyphers.
25 Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 26 Harrison County, Texas, Commissioners Court Records, p. 261.
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+48 HISTORY OF MARSHALL
"We will gladly support a school if you will undertake it." Marvin Turney offered to give the first thousand dollars to the school, 29 and in 1914, when Dr: Tardy ap- pointed the Board of Trustees, the College of Marshall was duly chartered. The men who composed the first board were E. L. Wells, Jr., M. P. McGee, Marvin Turney, E. Key, and Dr. Tardy.
The board went to work immediately and bought one hundred acres of land from Colonel K. M. Van Zandt. It cost $25,000.30 Fifty acres of this land was cut up into city lots and sold for $60,000, the remainder being valued at $20,000. A local campaign secured $45,000 in subscrip- tions. The Baptist General Convention of Texas appro- priated $15,000 for furnishings and $25,000 for dormitories on the condition that $25,000 should be raised locally. This quota was met by the townspeople, and plans for construc- tion were soon underway.31
Dr. W. T. Tardy marked the location where he wished the cornerstone to be laid, and laid out his plans, marking the ground with broken sticks. 32
The Administration Building was, erected, where the Van Zandt home had originally stood, for a total cost of $80,000.33
The doors of the College of Marshall first opened to the youth of East Texas in the summer of 1917. Dr. Thurman C. Gardner had served as president while the first building was under construction, but was succeeded by Dr. H. E. Watters when the buildings were completed. Dr. Watters chose the first faculty, but resigned after less than two years service with the institution to become the President of Union University.
The next president of the school was Dr. J. S. Hum- phreys, who served until April 1921, when Dr. Marion E. Hudson became president and served until June 1924. When Dr. Hudson resigned Dean J. Wesley Smith became Acting President and served until J. B. Oliver became presi- dent in April 1925. Dr. Oliver resigned in June 1926, and thus Dean Smith became Acting President for the second time. He served for two years, until in 1928, when Dr. Frank Shelby Groner was elected president. He served until May 1942, when he resigned and was made President
29Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 80The East Texas Baptist College Bulletin of 1945-1946.
31Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 32Mr. E. L. Wells, Jr.
83 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936:
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EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF MARSHALL
Emeritus for life. Dr. Groner died on November 8, 1943. On May 18, 1942, the Rev. Harvey Daniel Bruce was elected as president and assumed duties on July 1, 1942, when the college started its jubilee year. On January 31, 1944, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the institu- tion from College of Marshall to the East Texas Baptist College, and from a junior college to a senior college. It was re-organized into a senior college in September 1944. It confers Bachelor of Art, Bachelor of Science, and Bache- lor of Music Degrees. At the end of the institution's first year, May 1945, degrees were conferred on a class of eight graduates. 34
Several additions have been made to the original build- ing, and more are anticipated in the near future. In 1935 the St. Joseph's Industrial Home for Boys and the forty- three acres adjoining it, were purchased, to be used as a boys dormitory.35 In 1940 the boys Frank Davis Hall was completely remodeled and the girls Laura Virginia Groner Hall was constructed at a cost of $25,000.36
A new girls' dormitory, holding 112, and the Scar- borough Memorial Chapel, with a seating capacity of 859, will be completed soon, together with a modern football stadium.
Future plans include the construction of a modern dining hall, with ultra-modern equipment, which will hold several hundred people. There will be a new boys dormitory and a two-story building for science-library hall under construc- tion in the future. By 1956 the building program is ex- pected to be completed.
The college has grown rapidly and has become one of the most outstanding schools in the Southwest. The college has maintained an excellent faculty throughout the years. In 1920 a faculty and a half was required, as there was an academy. This dual faculty was maintained until 1937, when it was abolished. There were sixty to seventy high school students in the four year academy that existed until 1930. There were one hundred and twenty students making a total of one hundred and ninety students in 1920. There were twelve or fourteen members in both faculties in 1920; in 1947, there are thirty on the faculty. This growth in the faculty is accounted for by a corresponding growth in the student body. In 1930 there were two hundred and fifty to three hundred students. In 1935 there were four hundred
34The East Texas Baptist College Bulletin of 1945-1946. 35 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
36The East Texas Baptist College Bulletin of 1945-1946.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL
students. In the spring semester of 1947 there are six hundred and twenty-four students. There are many good organizations in the school that offer splendid oppor- tunities to the students in various fields, and help them to develop themselves into leaders in all phases of life.37
The oldest high grade school for negroes west of the Mississippi River is located in Marshall. 38 Wiley College first opened its doors to students in 1873. It was founded by the Freedman's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was chartered in 1882. The first colored man to preside over Wiley College was Bishop I. S. Scott. The presidents before him were F. C. Moore, W. H. Davis, N. D. Clifford, Dr. George Whittaker, and Dr. P. A. Poole. Dr. M. W. Dogan succeeded Bishop Scott and was with the institution for fifty years or more. Dr. E. C. McLeod suc- ceeded Dr. Dogan and is president in 1947.39 The school is recognized by the Texas State Board of Examiners as a first class school.40 The school is rated Class A by the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities and has membership in the Association of American Colleges, Uni- versity Senate of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
kindred organizations. Up till 1922 Wiley College also carried on work with grades below college level, but since then has carried on work only with college students. 41 Regular courses are offered, as well as normal, and indus- trial courses.42 Up till 1936 Wiley College had one, if not the only college Carnegie Library located west of the Missis- sippi River. Twelve thousand dollars was spent in 1935 in refurnishing the library. In 1936, Wiley College had fourteen buildings with a total value of $350,000. Its average attendance is approximately 500. The larger part of the students who come to Wiley College come from the western and eastern states.43 The college has sent out many trained preachers and teachers for the negroes of today.44 The twelve hundred graduates, up till 1936, were located in most of the states of the nation.
Bishop College, another negro school of high grade, located at Marshall, first opened its doors to students in the fall of 1881. It was chartered in 1885.45 Founded by
87 Mr. J. Wesley Smith.
88Marshall News Messenger, October 26, 1941.
39Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
40 Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present.
41Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
42Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 48 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
44Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 45 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
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EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF MARSHALL
Rev. S. W. Mortson and the American Baptist Home Mis- sion Society, the school was, named for Nathan Bishop, a lawyer of New York, who was at one time corresponding Secretary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York City, the society that owns the school. He is remembered as the schools' benefactor.46 He gave the initial gift of twenty thousand dollars to the college, but he did not live to see his dream of a college for negroes west of the Mississippi River come true.
To begin with, the college had but one building and a faculty of four. But by 1885, when it was incorporated, it had four buildings. The first officers of the college were S. W. Culver, treasurer, and his wife, the matron. 47
The presidents of the school have been Rev. S. W. Culver, Rev. N. Wolverton, Rev. A. Loughridge, Rev. A. B. Chaffe, C. H. Maxson, Rev. D. C. Gilmore, and Joseph J. Rhoads. Joseph J. Rhoads is president in 1947 and has been since 1929.48
By 1936, Bishop College had twelve buildings, one of them a three-story girls' dormitory, which was donated to the school by John D. Rockefeller, Sr., and is inscribed with his name.49 The purpose of the school is to train worthy and qualified teachers and preachers of the Negro race and to develop intelligent Christian leaders of the Negro people. It teaches normal and industrial courses.50 The college has discontinued the grammar school and high school departments that it had up till 1923-1924. The schools' enrollment has been exceeded only three times in the history of the school by other negro schools. This places the institution as one of the outstanding colleges in the Southwest.
The Board of Trustees of Bishop College in April 1930, voted unanimously to have Bishop College made of profes- sional schools of Education, Theology, Music, Business Ad- ministration, and Finance.51 Most of the students of Bishop College come from the eastern and western states. 52
Before 1894 there were a few negro elementary schools in Marshall but they were not organized. The community system was used; the County Judge acted as Superintendent.
46Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 47 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936. 48Statement of Bishop College.
49Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
50 Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 51 Statement of Bishop College.
52 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
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52 HISTORY OF MARSHALL
The term lasted but three or four months. But in 1894 the negro elementary schools were organized and centralized. In that same year, Central High was organized. H. B. Pemberton called the citizens together to better the negro schools. The land that the city constructed the school on was given by negro citizens.
In 1906 manual training for boys and home economics for girls were established. The boys, attending the manual training school, razed a church on the ground, and, with the lumber, erected a building for the art classes.
In 1916 a new large building was erected.53 The negroes have been given ample attention to education as they have three elementary schools called Central, Dunbar, and Park Avenue. There are two high schools called Cen- tral and Pemberton High Schools.54
The educational development in Marshall, as sketched in this chapter, has helped to make the city one of the most progressive and influential in East Texas.
53 Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 54Mr. J. W. Cyphers.
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Chapter VI The Economic and Industrial Development of Marshall
A study of the economic and industrial development of Marshall offers another interesting view of the city's growth since 1842.
Stores came into existence as the population grew. The first store was owned and managed by Mr. Edmund Key. It was a dry goods store1 located where the post office now stands.2 Mr. G. Gregg, a little later, opened a' dry goods store where the Red and White Market is now. located. Mr. Long owned the only furniture store in Mar- shall before the Civil War.3 Mr. Charles Deckert started a shoe shop in 1845 at the corner of "West Houston and South Wellington Streets. Mr. George Satter came to Marshall in 1852 and began working for Mr. Deckert, and, in 1865, Mr. Satter bought the business from Mr. Deckert when the latter went to Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Satter con- structed a new building on the same site in 1882, and operated a shoe shop there until his death in 1918. Mr. Joe Black bought the shoe shop about 1920. In June 1947, Mr. Black moved from the building where the shoe shop had been located for more than one hundred years. 4
The first candy shop was owned by the Dopplemeyer brothers.5 Mr. Longinetti was one of the first persons to have a saloon at Marshall.6 The first undertaking shop was owned by George Rains. . There was no grocery store at Marshall before the Civil War and all groceries were shipped from New Orleans, Louisiana. All of the stores named above were at Marshall before the Civil War.7
The buildings that are occupied today by the Perkins Brothers to the Hotel Marshall were once the largest and best buildings in the Southwest. They were known as the Capitol Hotel: This hotel was the largest between New Orleans and San Francisco. It was constructed in 1857 by Judge George B. Adkins. The hotel was built by slave labor, the slaves both making and burning the brick. The
1Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 2Armstrong, J. C., History of Harrison County, Texas, (1839-1880). 3Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 4Mrs. Frank Resch. 5Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present. 6Mrs. Frank Resch. 7Sketches Drawn From Marshall and Vicinity, Past and Present.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL
walls were constructed by negro slaves also, two of whom -Dick Lane and Green Hill - were expert bricklayers. Adkins operated and owned the hotel, and the stage coach passengers that stopped were entertained by him. The building was purchased about twenty-five or thirty years ago by Sam B. Perkins who changed the name to Hotel Marshall and made the. Perkins Brothers Department store on the lower floor. The upper floor has continued to be used as a hotel. 8
On September 2, 1878, a partnership, composed of Joe. Weisman and Dan Dopplemayer, began a dry good's store located at 100 North Bolivar. This partnership endured for seventeen years, and during that time the business was moved to 109 through 113 East Houston. It became, in time, the Joe Weisman and Company. In December 1898, the present building, located at 211 North Washing- ton, was completed and occupied. It was at that time that Mr. Joe Hirsch went into the business and was associated with Weisman until the latter's death in 1918. For forty- nine years Mr. Hirsch has managed the business and in 1947 is still continuing to do so. Joe Weisman and Com- pany today is one of the most outstanding department stores in East Texas.9
In the late 1880's a one horse light machine was operated in Marshall, near the Texas and Pacific Railroad tracks. There were six residents with lights under the regime of the one-horse shay. More houses began to have lights but the only time the lights were'on was 7 P. M. till midnight. Wednesday was designated the ironing day by the company so the wives could use irons. The electric fans could be run only in the day time. The boilers of the power plant were fired by shavings from the nearby saw mills, since they were easy, to obtain. From this one-horse affair came the Southwestern Gas and Electric Company, which in 1936 served an area of about thirty thousand square miles and operated seventeen hundred and ninety-six miles of trans- mission lines; supplied electric service to one hundred and forty-six communities in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas and served forty-five thousand domestic customers and thirteen thousand commercial enterprises and industries. The company has nineteen plants and sells ice in twenty-five towns. The company is headed at Marshall by Knox Lee.
Sometime in the 1880's telephones came to the city, reaching it before electric lighting did. At first there
8Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936.
9Marshall News Messenger, August 31, 1947.
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ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
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were ninety-eight to one hundred and ten telephones in Marshall. Shreveport was the fartherest a person could call on a telephone when they first arrived. Some of the first telephones in Marshall and their numbers were the following : 1, Sears Drug Store; 2, Eads Drug Store; 3, Dr. O. M. Heartsill; 4, Rosborough; 5, Bath; 6, Lothrop; 7, The First National Bank; 8, McPhail Hardware Company; and 9, Pitts Mill and Elevator Company. But progress brought changes in the telephone system as in all else. In 1936 Marshall was one of the smallest towns in the South- west using the fully automatic dial telephone.10 In 1947 there are approximately five thousand telephones in the City of Marshall.11
The Logan and Whaley Hardware store was first estab- lished in Marshall by L. R. Logan in 1884. The store started in a one-story twenty foot building on East Austin Street and is now in a two-story building on the same street. It is ranked as one of the largest hardware concerns in East Texas. Paul G. Whaley acquired interest in the partnership and made an expansion of twenty feet. In 1890 E. C. and Tom L. Whaley, brothers of Paul, were admitted as mem- bers. It was incorporated during that year. In 1907 a two-story building was erected on the corner of East Austin and North Bolivar Streets. L. R. Logan died in 1919. In 1923, Paul L., son of Tom L., was admitted as a member. E. C. Whaley died in March 1930.
The Fry-Hodge Drug Company was established at Mar- shall in 1884. It was first known as the G. M. Phillips Drug as Dr. G. M. Phillips owned and operated it. In 1884 he sold it to Major E. J. Fry and it became known as the E. J. Fry Drug. Fry operated it until 1900, when, in December 1900, the company was incorporated with E. S. Fry as President; Will Hodge as Vice-President; and E. J. Fry, Jr. as Secretary and Treasurer. Later on R. L. Sacra purchased an interest formerly owned by A. J. Blake. Sacra's interest was purchased from him in 1930 by L. H. Irvine, who became president of the company in 1936. He had come into the company in 1919. Today Fry-Hodge Drug has one of the' largest and most complete stocks of drugs and sundries in East Texas.
The Marshall Compress Company was established in 1885 by E. L. Wells, Jr., who became superintendent. Today Wells can remember when he had to work forty-eight hours without rest. There can be stored five thousand bales in
10 Marshall News Messenger, August 23, 1936. 11Mr. E. L. Wells, Jr.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL
the warehouses, and anywhere between thirty thousand and fifty-five thousand bales are handled each year. Cameron McElroy, Jr. is owner of Marshall Compress Company.
The McPhail Hardware Company is one of the oldest concerns in East Texas. It was established in Marshall by M. McPhail, a former jeweler, in 1891. It carried a general hardware line and paints, as it does today.
The first pottery company at Marshall was established in 1891, by a Mr. Rocker. Mr. S. H. Ellis and his two sons, J. H. and S. N. Ellis, took it over in 1904.12 The Marshall Pottery Company manufactures churns, flower pots, stone jars, and other things, by use of machinery. Clay and cement are the raw materials used.13 In 1936 it employed thirteen workers.
The first exclusive shoe store in East Texas was estab- ished at Marshall. It is the Hub Shoe Store, today owned and operated by L. W. Kariel. The business was established in 1897 by M. L. Weisman, who operated it until February 1924, when he sold it to L. W. Kariel and H. W. Pierpoint., In January 1926, the store was moved to its present location at 111-A East Austin. Kariel bought Pierpoint's interest in August 1928.
The Star Bottling Works was opened in Marshall on January 2, 1902. It was bought by A. E. Grimes, who moved to Marshall from Jacksonville where he had been in the bottling business with his brother. The company was changed to the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in 1908. In 1920 the size of the building was increased and new equipment was installed. In 1936 there was still more new equipment installed.
The Marshall Cotton Oil Company was founded in 1903. It was known at first as Marshall Oil Company and was later changed to Manire Oil Company. In 1914 the name was again changed - this time to the company's present name. P. H. Manire is owner of Marshall Cotton Oil Company today.
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