Site of Wesley College

Duane's take

Well, here's my telling of what the official marker has to say, so settle in. There's a school in Hunt County whose story starts in one Texas town, finds its footing in another, and leaves behind something that no closing date can fully take away. This is the story of Wesley College.

It was founded in 1905 by the North Texas Conference of the Methodist Church. Started out coeducational, started out in Terrell, Texas, and carried the name North Texas University Training School. That's a mouthful for a young institution, and maybe they knew it, because in 1909 they raised it to junior college status and gave it a new name to match.

Then, with support from local people, the whole operation picked up and moved to Greenville in time for the fall session of 1912. Now that kind of move, with a community pulling together to bring a college to their town, that's not a small thing. The curriculum emphasized liberal arts, which is to say they were in the business of shaping minds broadly, not narrowly.

And over the years, a long line of presidents stood at the helm. The Reverend J. J.

Morgan. The Reverend S. M.

Black. Dr. D.

H. Aston. S.

E. Green. Dr.

G. F. Winfield.

Dr. J. E.

Roach. Dr. G.

B. Jackson. J.

E. Blackburn. And J.

G. Roach. Nine names.

Nine seasons of leadership across the life of one institution. Before closing in 1938, Wesley College enriched the lives of thousands of students. That's the marker's own words, and they don't need dressing up.

Thousands of students. The marker was erected by the Alumni and Ex-students Association, which tells you something right there. The people who passed through those doors thought it was worth remembering.

And so here we are, remembering it.

What the marker says

Founded 1905 by North Texas Conference of Methodist Church as the North Texas University Training School (coeducational), in Terrell, Tex. Raised in 1909 to junior college status and renamed. With support from local people, moved to Greenville for the fall session of 1912. Curriculum emphasized liberal arts. Presidents were the Rev. J. J. Morgan; the Rev. S. M. Black; Dr. D. H. Aston; S. E. Green; Dr. G. F. Winfield; Dr. J. E. Roach; Dr. G. B. Jackson; J. E. Blackburn; J. G. Roach. Before closing in 1938, Wesley College enriched the lives of thousands of students. Incise on base: Erected by the Alumni and Ex-students Association.