Proclamation from Mayor of Grapevine,
Bill Tate
October 27, 2006

WHEREAS, Grapevine High School was designated as a state high school in l906 with students beginning formal instruction in September of that year in the old Grapevine College facilities on East College Street; and

WHEREAS, Grapevine High School graduated four students; Hugh Corbin, Alma Nash, Louell Goodfellow and Ela Dunn in the spring of l907 at the end of its first school year;

and

WHEREAS, the school's roots go back well before its formal establishment in l906 with the early settlers of Grapevine, many of which were illiterate, recognizing the value of education for their children. The first was a one room log schoolhouse on Dooley Street with George Bushong serving as one of its first school masters and married one his students and started on of historic families, and

WHEREAS, in l856 the Reverend Charles Pierce founded the Grapevine Academy. There were several other private, church related, and public school systems in what is now Grapevine; including the Kennamer School located in a two-story white frame structure near Church Street; and the Miller School located near North Main. The Miller School building was moved to Austin Street and used as a cafeteria for the public schools; and

WHEREAS, in l869 the Grapevine Masonic Institute was built on College Street on land donated by Mr. E. N. Hudgins, and operated upon a tuition basis except as to the children of deceased Masons. It was non-sectarian and open to both sexes. The public school apportionment was received and to this extent the school was public and offered an extensive curriculum for that time period; and

WHEREAS, by l872 a public school system had been established, with Mr. J. DeGress serving as the first superintendent of public schools; and

WHEREAS, Professor J. S. Brown purchased the Grapevine Masonic Institute in l886 and operated it as a private school under the name of Grapevine College from l887 until l900 when he sold the school to Professor G. T. Bludworth who continued to operate the school until l906 when the school was bought by the public school system; and

WHEREAS, in l907 Mr. B. R. Wall, a local attorney, incorporated the Grapevine Independent School District; and

WHEREAS, to meet the educational needs of the youth in the community, a new red-brick, two-story building with a bell tower was constructed and opened in l907 on Austin Street next to a cotton field. The bell rang for the opening of class, again at noon, and for the beginning and end of recess. There was no indoor plumbing in the building but two rows of l2 privies in the back for boys and girls. The new school had only eleven grades; and

WHEREAS, in l9l6 a new two-story brick high school was constructed by Mr. Frank Estill on the corner of Worth and Austin Streets next to the elementary school. Stalls and pens to rest the horses and store the buggies during school hours were, also, built on the north side of the school yard, and some families made arrangements with neighbors on Worth and Austin Streets for the same purpose; and

WHEREAS, the first year book was published that year with Joe A. Parsons, as editor-in-chief who named the annual The Mustang for the mustang grapes that grew in the area; and

WHEREAS, in 1938 the Mustang horse became the official mascot of Grapevine High School; and

WHEREAS, in l938 the school colors were changed from gold and purple to red and white with blue being added in l975 after the opening of Colleyville Middle School; and

WHEREAS, in the early l930s Starr Frank composed the music for the lyrics to the school song, first written as a poem in a literary contest in Grapevine High School, by Addie Millican; and

WHEREAS, the school system has been augmented several times by the consolidation of smaller outlying school districts. On October 3, l936 the Pleasant Glade School joined the district, on August 30, l939, the Miller School also joined. Minter's Chapel School was consolidated on June l0, l948. Pleasant Run School District became a part of the Grapevine District on April 7, l962; and

WHEREAS, in l952 a new high school building was constructed on the northeast corner of the school grounds, serving as Grapevine High School from l953-l968 when increased enrollment led to the construction of the current high school in l969 on Mustang Drive; and

WHEREAS, in l954 the original high school was remodeled, the second floor was removed, and it became a junior high school; and

WHEREAS, Mr. W. F. Cannon served as superintendent for over 20 years, longer than any other person and Cannon Elementary School was dedicated in his honor; and

WHEREAS, the enrollment has grown from fewer than 20 students in its first years to almost 2,200 today; and

WHEREAS, Grapevine High School, located in Grapevine, Texas, will celebrate its l00th anniversary this year.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM D. TATE, Mayor of the City of Grapevine, along with the Grapevine City Council do hereby congratulate Grapevine High School upon the momentous occasion of its l00th anniversary and join in celebrating the school's rich history and tradition which has enhanced the quality of life for residents in Grapevine and Tarrant County.