Public Education in Anna
Anna, Collin County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The earliest citizens of Anna were determined that their children should have the best educational opportunities possible. Founded in 1883 with a population of twenty, Anna was named for the daughter of a Houston & Texas Central Railroad official. In 1885, the town sought and was granted Collin County School District Number 23. Former teacher and future mayor J.L. Greer deeded a 2.5 acre tract of land on this site for $125. A small frame building served as a school until 1909, when the school district became one of very few incorporated school districts in Collin County. In keeping with their new status, the citizens erected a more visionary three story edifice. The younger students were taught in small wooden buildings by 1939. Since enrollment had reached 350, a new building, W.L. Roper High School, was opened in honor of a longtime educator who served the schools from early in the century until 1943 as principal and superintendent. His devotion inspired two former students, who followed in his footsteps. A new elementary school went up in 1974; a new high school was built in 1987 and includes a cafetorium, library, offices, and a gymnasium. The community and its educational system continue to grow. (1997)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Founded in 1883 and named for the daughter of a railroad official, the small town of Anna was determined from the start to educate its children. It secured a county school district in 1885, incorporated its schools in 1909 — a rarity in Collin County — and raised an ambitious three-story schoolhouse to mark the occasion. Growing enrollment brought W. L. Roper High School, named for a long-serving educator, and successive schools that carried the community into the modern era.
Why it matters
Anna reflects the deep faith rural Americans placed in public education, investing scarce resources in ever-grander schoolhouses as a mark of a community's ambitions.
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Related people
- · J. L. Greer
- · W. L. Roper
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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