The History of Jacksonville ISD

Jacksonville High's 1914 graduating class. Picture from Jacksonville Centennial book.

Campus Histories

"Cherokee pioneers were, for the most part, cultured people who had no intention of allowing their removal to a frontier country to prevent their children from receiving the benefits of an education. Proof of their interest lies in the fact that in 1850 Cherokee County ranked first in the state in the number of children who had attended school. In 1854 she again headed the list, reporting 2,400 scholastics."
Quoted from The Hills of Cherokee by Hattie Joplin Roach (1952)

The first schoolhouse to be erected in this part of the country was built in 1845 or 1846, by Hundley Wiggins and F. C. Hardgraves. Miss Jane Walker became the first teacher. The first pupil registered in the school was Jane Duggan Gilliam. It is believed that the location of this schoolhouse caused the people of the community to select the site as a burial place in 1847.

In 1847, another schoolhouse was built about three miles east of the present town of Jacksonville. Dick May and a Mr. Watson are listed as the teachers of this school.

The first school in the Old Jacksonville settlement was started in 1849. It was taught in a log building used by the Methodist Church. One year later a new schoolhouse was built, furnished with log benches and windows fitted with wood shutters as there were no glass panes available at that time. Joe C. Rushing is listed as the first teacher of the Old Jacksonville school. He taught one or two years and then was elected Justice of the Peace, at which time he studied law and was admitted to the Bar. He practiced only a short time before being sent to represent Cherokee County in the State legislature. A one-armed man, R. A. Wooten, was the second teacher, followed by Dr. A. Glidwell.

In 1872, the life of Old Jacksonville came to an abrupt end as the railroad had missed the town. This resulted in a new town site being laid off about one and one-half miles to the northeast of Old Jacksonville.

The first school in the present town of Jacksonville was taught in the Methodist Church building located at 416 South Patton St. This was 1873. The school was taught by Professor J. A. Patton and, despite high tuition, boasted an approximate enrollment of 100 students.

JISD can probably trace its history to 1881. The first public school in Jacksonville came into being in that year with the following men serving as trustees: A. J. Chessher (President), E. B. Ragsdale, C. G. Boles, J. K. Mitchel, B. F. Britain, and W. H. Lovelady. Fees were charged to students according to the courses they took, ranging from $2.00 to $4.00. These fees paid the teachers' salaries.

In 1884, the Texas Legislature agreed to provide funding for teachers salaries, which effectively eliminated fees from the public school arena.

The first free public school for white children in Jacksonville was built in 1884-85 at the corner of Larissa and Main Streets. The fate of that school is unknown, but later history would lead one to believe that the student population outgrew the building. In 1887, a two-story frame school building was built on the hill at the east end of Commerce Street (the site of the current Tomato Bowl Stadium). This building was destroyed by a storm after only a couple of years' operation and in 1891 the next public school was erected south of the hill on which the ill-fated building had stood. This school building, made of brick, was located on East Rusk Street on the site of the present Dairy Queen Drive-In.

In 1906, bonds were voted for the erection of a school building again atop Tomato Bowl hill. Delays prevented the cornerstone from being laid until 1910. The structure was actually completed in 1912. At that time, the Board of Trustees was made up of J. T. Smith, J. E. McFarland, M. H. Fite, T. E. Gilespie, John Howard, G. L. Newton, and J.D. Williams. In 1913, the school was recognized by the state as "first class." The enrollment at the high school was 100 and the entire district consisted of 800 students.

A new high school was built in 1915 on Kickapoo Street, site of the current Joe Wright Elementary School. By 1925, the student body had again outgrown this building and a new structure was built on Neches Street. This building served as the principal high school in town until 1958.

Black students in Jacksonville have been served by the school district as long as have the white students. The first school for black children in Jacksonville was located on the corner of Kickapoo and Washington Streets (near what is now the Jacksonville College campus). In the early 1900's the school was moved to North Ragsdale Street and was known as "The Red School House." That building burned in 1921 and was reconstructed on the same site. The school was later located on Elberta Street (now Martin L. King) and named Fred Douglass School.

In 1930, enrollment in the black schools had reached 500 pupils and a new Fred Douglass School was built in the Lincoln Park Addition. As the student population grew, the school was added to and modernized and all elementary students were housed in the Elberta Street School.

By 1930, enrollment in the white segment of the JISD reached 2000 students and the elementary school on the hill, called East Side School, was "pitifully overcrowded." However, these were the Depression years and little could be done. By 1938, enough recovery had been made that the most extensive building program in the district's history was begun. Schools were built or added to, and the Tomato Bowl Athletic Stadium was started with funds from the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA).

In 1932, faced with a deficit of approximately $8,000, as a result of delinquent taxes, teachers salaries were cut 10 percent and the Superintendent, Larue Cox, took a salary cut of 12 1/2 percent. A systematic budget was made for the first time in Jacksonville school history and has been kept up each year since. The first annual audit of the schools' records was made in 1934-35, and the school system paid the balance of $10,000 due on a bond issue that was to mature in 1941, thus saving interest for the remaining 5 years. Teachers salaries were raised in 1936, bringing them up to $100 for elementary teachers and $110 for high school teachers.

In 1957, a "new" high school was built on Mason Drive in Southeast Jacksonville. With the occupation of this building in the fall of 1958, the "old" high school on Neches Street became the junior high school.

In 1966, elementary school students began choosing a school to attend, under a freedom-of-choice system. By the fall term of 1970, all elementary students had integrated and merged, using Joe Wright, East Side and West Side Elementary schools, and Jacksonville Junior and Senior High School Buildings. The former Fred Douglass High School became an "Intermediate School" and also housed special education students and the Elberta Street School became a kindergarten for the district.

Extra-curricular activities are an essential part of a successful school's growth and development, and Jacksonville is no exception. School oriented organizations began as early as 1913 when an athletic program came into existence with the first football team organization, followed in 1914 with a track team, then baseball, basketball, right on up the list of sports activities with golf and tennis.

Drama and music play an important part within the Jacksonville school system. Drama had its beginning in the school system in 1929-30. The Drama department has won many honors for Jacksonville, from first in district competition to first in state competition. In 1934-35, approval was gained for a school band. Numerous medals and trophies have been won through the years in district and state contests, including the coveted Sweepstakes Award (April, 1972).

Leadership-Past and Present

Superintendents

B. R. Jenkins (dates not available)
J. B. Rosey (dates not available)
A. W. Franklin (dates not available)
B. J. Albritton: 1908-?
W. F. Garner (dates not available)
D. M. Grambling (dates not available)
A. O. Strother (dates not available)
E. C. Deering (dates not available)
H. T. Brown (dates not available)
J. J. Montgomery: 1926-1928
Larue Cox: 1928-1950
W. D. Maudlin: 1950-1974
Norris Starkey: 1974-1985
Harry Beavers: 1985-1990
Walter Harris: 1990-1995
Jeff Turner: 1995-1998
Charles Bertrand: 1998-2002
Stuart Bird: 2003-Present

Some Interesting Facts

In 1885 the public schools of Jacksonville started off the year with 95 pupils. An edition of the Daily Progress of that time had this to say, "Within a few weeks, the number will probably be swelled to 125."

The Cherokee Indian Chapter of the National Honor Society was organized over sixty years ago. It was granted its charter on October 1, 1940 by the Association of Secondary School Principals.

The first athletic contest in the Tomato Bowl took place on September 27, 1940, when the JHS football team played the Dallas Technical High School's team. While Jacksonville lost this game, later in the year the team defeated a state-ranked Lufkin team.

In 1921 state baseball championship went to the Jacksonville High School team.

The first JHS newspaper was called the Indian War Whoop and carried coverage of sports, general news and gossip. The name was later changed to the Tee Pee Times then The War Whoop. In 1960, the name became Drumbeat.

Admission to the Fred Douglass Homecoming in 1941 was eleven cents.

A May Fete was an annual high school program during the late 20's and early 30's. Miss Zula Holcomb was the director.

High school students from New Hope, West Shady Grove, Ironton, Craft, Turney, Gallatin, Tecula, Mixon, Enterprise, Mt. Selman, Cove Springs, Reese, Corine, and Sycamore Grove were bused to the Jacksonville affiliated school for the first time in September of 1937.