Ellis County has been the home to one or more institutions of higher education almost since its existence as a county. The attraction for these schools to Ellis County included one or more of the following: a small town atmosphere and setting, a proximity to large centers of population, a strong economy based largely on agriculture, a dry county (free from alcoholic sales) except in Ennis, a strong religious influence, and a desire for educating the citizens of the county. The early schools included: Waxahachie Academy, Marvin College, South West Normal College, Waxahachie Institute, Ferris Institute, and Polytechnic Academy. They were all entrepreneurial in nature. Located in every part of the county, they provided college level work, while some provided all levels of education. The next three schools, Texas Presbyterian College for Girls, Trinity University, and Southwestern Assemblies of God College, were religious in nature. Trinity and Southwestern were both located in Waxahachie and Texas Presbyterian located in Milford was a college for girls only. Navarro College is the only public institution and is a two-year community college. The benefits to Ellis County as a result of the establishment of these institutions of higher education can be seen by their continuing existence and influence. The foresight of the many individuals involved in higher education in Ellis County has contributed greatly to the development of the citizens of its communities. The efforts of these institutions have lead the way for today's challenges in higher education in Ellis County. The citizens of the county will be better prepared for the next century because of the prior and continuing existence of higher education in Ellis County. With the locating of the Superconducting Super Collider in Ellis County, the future for higher education seems very bright. The history of higher education in Ellis County is an ongoing process, continually expanding and moving forward.
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Place Name coordinates. (May be approximate.)
