Someone requested pictures of the college. In business from 1898 to 1914. The Presbyterians purchased seven acres on Connett Street in 1894. Dr. DeCosta Howard Dodson, a Presbyterian minister who had moved from Valley Creek, built a two room building, approximately 30 X 100 feet, location believed to be on or near the present day Presbyterian Church. The school flourished. Dr. John Pendergrass sold lots east of town and donated the proceeds to purchase the land upon which this building was built in 1906. Everything was Presbyterian Church, USA, which partially funded the school, up until this point. The Presbyterian Church, USA merged with the Cumberland Presbyterians. As a result, all education funds were sent to the Cumberlands Trinity University in Waxahachie (one school instead of two). Many locals opposed the merger and tried to keep the college open without funds from the merged group. A Paris Presbytery took over the college in 1908 and changed the name to Manton Collegiate Institute. The doors officially closed in 1914 and the Leonard Independent School District took over the two buildings and grounds. The building was used as the high school about four years until the 1923 three story was complete. Coach London spoke of this, as did Tom Hymer at Chamber or Kiwanis functions. We published all we could find on the college from the Hymer files at the ETSU library. Much more information in The History of Leonard, Volume II.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 22:05:31 +0000
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