DUANE
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Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about this place. Now, if you're standin' here in Harrison County wondering what once rose up on this very ground, let me paint you a picture. It starts with a charter, the kind that carries the weight of a whole republic behind it.
On January 18, 1842, the Republic of Texas chartered the Female Department of Marshall University. That's right, the Republic of Texas itself put its name on this school. That's about as serious a founding as you can get.
Then, in 1850, Marshall Masonic Lodge Number 22 took things a step further. They chartered the Female Institute as a separate school, standing on its own. Five lodge members sat on the institute's executive board, and the marker makes a point of telling us these were among the city's most prominent men.
So this was no small undertaking. This was the community planting a flag. By 1853, fifty-three students were walking through those doors, taught by a faculty of five.
Think about that. Fifty-three young women with five teachers working to make sure education took root in this corner of Texas. Of the school's five presidents, two served the longest stretches.
Dr. Thomas B. Wilson held the post across two separate periods, 1850 to 1858, and then again 1865 to 1870.
Dr. Charles B. Stuart followed, serving from 1874 to 1886.
Two men, two long commitments, one school that mattered enough to keep coming back to. That's the site you're standing on. Not just ground.
History.
What the marker says
School originated as Female Department of Marshall University, chartered Jan. 18, 1842, by Republic of Texas. Marshall Masonic Lodge No. 22 chartered the Female Institute as a separate school in 1850. Five lodge members (including city's most prominent men) were on institute's executive board. By 1853, there were fifty-three students and a faculty of five. Two who served longest of the school's five presidents were Dr. Thomas B. Wilson (1850-1858 and 1865-1870) and Dr. Charles B. Stuart (1874-1886).