Site of Polytechnic Institute

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, Ellis County has seen its share of dreamers and builders, and W.W. Works was both.

Born in 1856, a native of this very area, he had a vision back in 1883: a private, coeducational school. Not just for the boys, not just for the girls, but for both, together, which was not exactly the universal custom of the day. He called it Polytechnic Institute, and he was the kind of respected educator who could make something like that stick.

But here's where the story takes a turn. In 1888, Works left. Left his own school, left this county, headed off to attend the University of Texas.

Now, the marker doesn't tell us what he was lookin' for up there, and we won't pretend to know. What we do know is that he came back. In 1892, W.W.

Works returned, and the local stockholders (the people who'd believed in that school all along) they erected a two-story building right here at this site. Two stories. That was a statement.

And then, not long after, Works was gone again. This time for good. He died in 1895, just thirty-nine years old.

The school he'd founded carried on without him, but it carried a new name. It became Whitten Institute, with the Reverend Thomas G. Whitten serving as president.

At some point it also operated under the name Midlothian College. Same building, same ground, different banners. By 1907 and into 1908, though, that two-story schoolhouse (the one the stockholders had raised up in belief and ambition) was dismantled.

Taken apart. The property passed into the hands of former stockholder J.C. Kimmel.

And then, in 1915, his widow gave it to the city. Not sold it. Gave it.

For use as a park. So what Works founded as a school, what became a college, what was finally taken down board by board; it ended up as a place where people could just... rest a while. There's something in that, if you sit with it long enough.

What the marker says

Founded in 1883 by W.W. Works (1856-1895), Polytechnic Institute was a private, coeducational school. A respected educator and native of this area, Works left here in 1888 to attend the University of Texas. When he returned in 1892, local stockholders erected a two-story school building at this site. After Works died, the facility became Whitten Institute, with the Rev. Thomas G. Whitten as president. It was also operated as Midlothian College. In 1907-08, the building was dismantled, and the property was acquired by former stockholder J.C. Kimmel. In 1915, his widow gave it to the city for use as a park.