Willis Male and Female College
Willis, Montgomery County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Founded 1888, when coeducation was rare. Willis citizens raised funds for 2-1/2 story building put up by contractor Sidney L. Inglet. Taxes funded three of the six months of school; monthly tuition for rest of year ranged from $1.50 (first grade) to $4.00. First directors -- M. H. and S. N. Barker and N. A. Cravens -- sold out (1890) to C. H. Stovall and F. P. Crow, who in turn sold (1894) to Cyril M. Jansky and Marion Kline. College drew boarding students from wide area, and at least two diplomas were awarded. The plant was sold (1901) to city of Willis for public school purposes.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Founded in 1888 when coeducation was still uncommon, this college rose from funds raised by the citizens of Willis, who erected a two-and-a-half-story building for it. Local taxes covered three months of schooling a year, with modest tuition funding the rest, and it drew boarding students from a wide area. After passing through several owners, the campus was sold to the city in 1901 to serve as its public school.
Why it matters
A small-town college that taught boys and girls together decades before it was common, it shows how frontier communities invested in education well ahead of their means.
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Related people
- · Sidney L. Inglet
- · Cyril M. Jansky
- · Marion Kline
Themes & tags
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