Mary Allen Seminary 11

Mary Allen Seminary

In 1886 the board of Missions for Freedom of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, under leadership of the group's secretary, the Rev. Richard Allen, began planning for the establishment of a black girls' school in Texas.

After a statewide survey, they chose Crockett as the school site because of the area's large black population and because of a local black parochial school operated by the Rev. Samuel Fisher Tenney, pastor of the city's First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Allen's wife Mary, for whom the school was named, was instrumental in raising the organizational funds for the new seminary.

Dr. Byrd R. Smith became the school's first black president in 1924 and initiated a period of growth which included the adoption of new programs and the admission of male students. Transferred to the Missionary General Baptist Convention of Texas in 1944, Mary Allen College became a 4-year Liberal Arts Institution. In 1972, plagued by a series of legal and financial setbacks, the school closed.

Once the site of a 12-Building campus and the home of a noted academic program of quality education and religion, this site serves as a reminder of the once proud heritage of Texas' historical black population. - Texas Historical Commission 1982

Just a little fyi to you guys: I, who happen to have a law degree, trespassed for the sake of stock to art creation! I seriously hope you guys enjoy the risk I took.

I had to perform a `jademacalla type of maneuver to get over the massively rotted floor and gaping hole in the building entrance. Just imagine me doing this and praying to G-d that I don't die:


Aside from my slick maneuvering I felt as though I was being watched once I got to the center of the building and reached the staircase. I was worried at first that transients or locals may have been using the building for a meth lab and/or crack house, so my senses and guard were on high alert.

Once I reached the staircase I decided to turn back around and head out. I wasn't about to head upstairs. The stairs appeared pretty sturdy and solid, however the second story floor did not.

As I was making my way out of the back room and past the stairs I heard what clearly sounded like old leather soled shoes on wood walking with haste. I started to turn around to tell, who I was sure was a policeman or neighbor telling me I was trespassing and to vacate the premises, that I was indeed on my way out. However, no one was in sight. Once I turned around the footsteps stopped.

I was unable to explain what I heard, but, needless to say, my exit was a bit more expeditious than I initially planned!

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