Pine Tree Middle 7 School


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PINE TREE SCHOOL EARLY LANDMARK

It began in 1847 with a small group of parents and children who were studying under a cluster of pine trees. The Pine Tree Independent School District has really grown since then. The formation of the original Pine Tree School came about over 100 years ago when citizens in a small community three miles north of the Sabine River began the Pine Tree Cumberland Presbyterian Church at a site where the middle is presently located. Paralleling the church organization was the beginning of the present Pine Tree School. When it was first established, the school was supported by tuition and both church and school were housed in a log cabin until 1858, when two separate buildings were erected. It was a two-story frame with two classrooms on the lower floor and on the top floor was the Masonic Lodge. The lodge was also credited with making major contributions to the school in its early days.

Before the Civil War and later until about 1870, Pine Tree was the leading school in East Texas. Boarding students often came from communities nearby and came there to finish their education.

In 1873, Gregg County was created and from that date until about 1930, Pine Tree's enrollment averaged approximately 100 pupils and three teachers. When the oil boom came in 1931, the size the size of the school grew rapidly. Shotgun shacks were hastily erected to keep up with the enrollment boom and in the year 1932, the first brick structure was opened. In 1935, the north wing was constructed for the high school students. Four years later, a full high school plant was in operation for grades 1-12. It had a football stadium, cafeteria and a gym. These were in use until the enrollment increased to about 700 in 1949.

Today, Pine Tree Independent School District has expanded to 7 separate campuses including Primary (Pre-K, Kindergarten), Elementary (Grades 1-2), Intermediate (Grades 3-4), Middle 5/6 (Grades 5-6), Middle 7 (Grade 7) Junior High (Grades 8-9), and Senior High (10-12).

Complements of Pine Tree High School Cutlass - Special History Edition 1997

Pine Tree schools celebrate 150 years of education, 1847-1997

Students attending school in 1907 either walked, rode a horse or possibly carpooled with a horse and wagon. A near-by spring and well supplied the drinking water to go with lunches they brought in tin pails from home. Looking back 150 years, PTISD grew out of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, still located in its original site on Pine Tree Road. The founders discussed ideas for organizing the church and school under the shade of a cluster of pine trees in October 1847. The pastor was Rev. Solomon F. Awalt, a pioneer of Cumberland Presbyterianism. He left Tennessee in 1846 with his wife on their journey to the tiny Texas community of Pine Tree where they were to be reunited with her parents. On the way they made stops in Alabama and Jefferson, Texas, organizing new churches in each location before continuing on their way. The Pine Tree Presbyterian Church is the oldest church in Gregg County.
One of the first concerns in organizing was to build a structure to serve as a church and school. Joseph Castleberry deeded three acres of land to the church for this purpose. A small log cabin for both church and school was built in 1850 and was used until it was replaced by two separate buildings in 1857. A hexagon-shaped building was constructed for the church and a two-story building, for the school. The Masonic Lodge made major contributions to the early development of the school and was housed on the upper level of the school building as shown in the 1907 photo above with Pine Tree classes held on the lower floor. Later an extra room was built which made an "L" shaped structure off the original frame building.
Since the school could not be supported tuition-free, it was at first a "pay school." Prior to the Civil War and as late as 1870, Pine Tree was the leading school of the East Texas area. Many boarding students from adjoining communities and even other counties attended the school.
When the railroads came in 1872, more people moved into the area, and as neighboring communities grew, they organized their own schools. Gregg County was formed in 1873. The area was previously Upshur County.
From 1873 until 1931 Pine Tree had an average attendance of 100 pupils and three teachers, but the discovery of oil in 1931 changed that. Population rose quickly when the oil boom hit, and to keep pace with the enrollment, a shotgun building was erected in front of the two story school and another shotgun building with six classrooms was built on the south side of Hwy 80 near the railroad tracks. With the oil boom came money and in 1932 the first brick structure was opened for grades 1-8. It contained 12 classrooms and an auditorium. Much more was to come.