Old McMullen College

Duane's take

The way I tell it, this comes straight from the official marker, so let me pass along what's recorded about Old McMullen College. Now, if you want to understand something about the ambition baked into early Texas, consider this: in 1881, out in McMullen County, a group of people decided they were going to build a college. Not a schoolhouse.

A college. The man at the center of it all was Dr. John Van Epps Covey, and this wasn't his first time at that particular rodeo.

Dr. Covey was the founder of three Texas colleges. Three.

So when he set his hand to McMullen College, he knew exactly what he was getting into. Backing him up was a roster of civic leaders: S.F. Dixon, Dr.

M.W.C. Frazier, C.F.H. Hiers, R.W.

Johnson, M.F. Lowe, and L. Wheeler.

Names that meant something out there in that country. They bought a three-acre site from a man named James Lowe, and a fellow by the name of S.D. Frazier constructed the building.

The money? Raised by subscription, meaning folks reached into their own pockets, passed the hat, and made it happen through sheer collective will. The first year, Dr.

Covey taught alongside his wife and the Reverend Woodlief Thomas. Three teachers. A brand-new building.

And plans (grand plans) to accommodate one hundred students. Now here's what they offered those students: spelling, mathematics, geography, surveying, bookkeeping, logic, history, reading, Latin, and other liberal arts courses. Out in McMullen County.

Latin. Logic. Surveying.

They were not thinking small. But running a college on subscriptions and ambition is a hard way to live. The marker doesn't hide it; most of these small local colleges had primitive facilities and endured repeated financial crises.

McMullen College was no exception. For sixteen years it held on, and then in September of 1897, it ended its career. What happened to the building?

It was turned over to the trustees of the newly-organized Tilden School District and used as a public school, right up until January 1926, when a new structure finally replaced it. That old college building served its community for decades past its own ending. There's something stubborn and Texas about that.

The marker puts it plainly, and I think it earns that plainness: these small colleges held to ideals they were never able to attain. Founded by dedicated civic groups, built on hope more than money, they lit whatever light they could for young Texans and kept it burning as long as they were able. Sixteen years of service.

One hundred students planned for. Latin in McMullen County. That's the story of Old McMullen College, and it's the story of a lot of Texas, if you know where to look.

What the marker says

Established 1881 under leadership of Dr. John Van Epps Covey, founder of three Texas colleges--aided here by civic leaders S.F. Dixon, Dr. M.W.C. Frazier, C.F.H. Hiers, R.W. Johnson, M.F. Lowe and L. Wheeler. A 3-acre site was bought from James Lowe, and S.D. Frazier constructed the building. Funds were raised by subscription to defray initial costs. Dr. Covey, his wife, and the Rev. Woodlief Thomas were teachers during the first year. Accommodations were planned for 100 students. The curriculum included spelling, mathematics, geography, surveying, bookkeeping, logic, history, reading, Latin, other liberal arts courses. In September 1897, after 16 years of service, the college ended its career. Its building was turned over to the trustees of the newly-organized Tilden School District, and used as a public school until January 1926, when a new structure replaced it. Texas had numerous early schools with similar histories. Like McMullen College, these were founded by dedicated civic groups eager to see that young Texans were offered sound education. Most of these small local colleges had primitive facilities and endured repeated financial crises, but they held to ideals they were never able to attain. 1967