Frances Norton : An Allen Teaching Legacy
The impact that a good teacher has on students is hard to measure . That is especially true when the teacher works with small children who grow to be successful adults . Miss Norton started many of those students on that road to success .
Frances Elizabeth Norton was born in Renner , Texas on March 17 , 1906 . She graduated from Plano High School in 1925 and earned her teacher ’ s certificate from Denton Teachers College ( UNT ) in 1936 .
Miss Norton began her career in Renner and then came to Allen as an elementary grade teacher in 1939 . She retired from Allen in 1972 after thirty-three years of service to children . Norton Elementary School was named in her honor in 1997 .
For many years there was no mystery about who your teacher would be . Miss Norton and her colleague Gladys Watson were the only first and second grade teachers in Allen so every student , for several generations , passed through their classrooms . Norton taught a combination of first and second for many years while Watson taught second and third .
Shortly after the new school opened , Miss Norton spoke about her experiences in Allen .
According to Miss Norton , she entered the profession during the Great Depression and felt fortunate to have a job at all . “ I received no pay for that first month but
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Frances Norton at the school dedication in her honor , August 1997 .
grounds and put him in the locker .”
Frances Norton ’ s first grade class in the fall of 1968 . since jobs were few and far between , I continued to teach . Today I can look back and say I loved every minute of it .”
Looking back almost seventy years , Norton recalled her first day of teaching in Renner . “ I had the first and second grade and wanted the day to be perfect . As students filed into the room I heard a funny noise coming from a locker in the room . I opened the door and a dog jumped out . A little boy stood up and confessed he had found his dog on school
“ Miss Norton was strict but compassionate when necessary ,” according to former student Bob Curtis . “ Since there was no kindergarten , first grade was a kid ’ s first experience in school . Miss Norton made sure each kid felt welcome and learned the basics .”
Frances Norton devoted her life to children and her church . She never married and rarely missed a day of school . For many , it was hard to think of the Allen School without thinking of Norton and her colleague Gladys Watson .
Frances passed away in 2002 at the age of 96 but there are several generations of Allen kids who will never forget their first year of school with Miss Norton .