EARLY SCHOOLS

RUSK COUNTY has set and maintained a standard for education since the beginning of the county.

By 1846 Henderson had a good two story brick school building.

On February 7, 1853 The Texas Legislature approved the Act creating the Mount Enterprise Male and Female Academy. The Board of Trustees were: William H. Estell, David Collins, A.P. Gallaway, M.D. Charles Vincent, Bird Linthicum, William Hays, John L. Salmon, Robert E. Wynn, S.W. March, M. D. ; G. Booker, Thomas Jones and William Harle, M.D.

On February 13, 1854, the Texas Legislature approved an Act creating the Church Hill Male and Female Academy/ Appointed on this Board of Trustees were: John Robertson, John Strong, Samuel Mason, Jackson Pryor, Anderson W. Smith, Newell Tullis and William P. Wright.

On January 28, 1856 the Henderson Female College was approved by the Legislature. Officials in charge of this school was C.C. Shumate, A. B. Graham, M.D. Ector, M. D. Graham and W.W. Morris.

On January 26, 1858, the Millville Male and Female Academy was set up by an Act of legislature in Millville/ Serving on the Board of Trustees: Samuel Henderson, James Yantes, John Vincent, William Montgomery, Harrison Edens, Stephen Coleman, Jesse Walling, James C. Vernon and Dr. O. E. Burt

On May 25, 1864, the Henderson Masonic Female Institute was authorized by the legislature. The Trustees were: A. J. Smith, William Steadman, Thomas A. Oliver, J.M. Dodson, William H. Estill, Bennett Boggess,, and John P. Grigsby The Clinton Lodge No. 23 F&A Masons, gain permission to select succeeding trustees"at such time as said Lodge may determine, and the terms of office of the Trustees shall be at the will of said Lodge."

In the 1870"s and until about 1890, Henderson College flourished having taken the place of the Academy that had been the leading school since before the Civil War. Prof. Oscar H. Cooper graduated from Yale college about 1970 and was the head of the new Academy. The first class graduated in 1879. One of the students, later became the president of Texas A & M. Thomas S. Gathright was the first president of A & M and the second president of Henderson College, He served Henderson College only a year, dying in 1880

Col. R. T. Milner reversed the action by leaving Henderson to become President of Texas A & M.. Another famous student was Homer Garrison, Sr. prominent in Texas Politics.

In 1880, the Rock Hill Institute at Minden conferred degrees upon its graduates even before the University of Texas. Prof. G. I. Watkins(died 1932) was the leading spirit at old Rock Hill Institute W. C. Shaw followed Prof. Walkins and was Superintendent of the London school when it suffered the great loss of life and property in the worst explosion in Texas school history.

Teacher's Institute.

April 9, 1897 the Rusk County Teacher's Institute was opened.

Sept. 1897 the Henderson Normal College began classes and was headed by W.L. Bringhurst, son in law of Sam Houston. The classes were held in the Old Alexander Institute wh