History of Neches:

Neches Independent School District was created in 1928 by the consolidation of the following common school districts: Neches, Hollywood, Copperas Grove, and Pert. There was a majority vote of the patrons of each individuals district with the high school being located at Neches and the elementary schools were maintained at their original locations, including two colored schools, one at school was let in the early part of 1928 so as to be completed by the fall term, but several setbacks during construction delayed completion until around the first of November.

The high School was one month late in starting the term. There was only one vacant building in Neches suitable for temporary quarters for the high school which was at the time grades eight through eleven. The building was the one now housing the Post Office and Masonic Lodge. The second story was used for the school for six weeks until the new school building was completed.

Mr.J.H Houser from Oak, Texas was the first superintendent of Neches School. Miss Mary Button was principal, and Miss Mary Katherine Cely was a teacher. After the school had been in operation six weeks Miss Evelyn Cone of Palestine was employed as a teacher. Neches Independent School District was the tenth independent school district in the state at that time, and was the first in Anderson County. We also had the first school busses in the county, two in number.

The original building consisted of three classrooms and an auditorium. By 1931 the high school had grown to the saturation point. Two more rooms and a gymnasium were added. Vocational agriculture and home economics were added to the curriculum. At this time the staff consisited of George Tipton, Superintendent; Charles A. Doris, principal; Helen Richardson, Home Economics: Floyd Shckelford, Vacational Agriculture; Mary K. Cely, Clyde cauthen, and Jewel Hudspeth, Teachers.