For individuals in the 19th century who resided in this locale, the concept of a school akin to Pioneer Heritage Middle School would have been unimaginable. The Robertson School, established in the 1850s, lacked modern amenities such as a gymnasium, cafeteria, library, or computers. Students navigated their way to school through challenging terrains of mud and ice, often on mules or horses, and completed their assignments by the dim glow of lamplight. Genevieve “Sis” Newman Kerley fondly recalls her brothers carrying her on their shoulders through the biting winter winds. The Newman children, living closest to the school, were perpetually under the watchful eye of the teacher, who frequently resided in their home. In severe weather, children from distant homes found refuge for the night with the Newmans.
The original Robertson School, situated near the present-day Pioneer Heritage, was a modest one-room structure with outdoor restroom facilities. Physical fitness in those times was naturally achieved through rigorous activities like threshing wheat, picking cotton, and fetching water for laundry using a scrub board and tub. The curriculum focused on fundamental skills – reading, penmanship, and arithmetic. Texas history was actively unfolding on the black land prairie, and some students had relatives with living memories of the Civil War, predating textbook accounts. Subjects like robotics and video production were beyond comprehension, although children west of Frisco in the early 1900s witnessed railroad construction and many were adept at operating complex farm machinery, considered too hazardous for today’s youth.
Among the families associated with Robertson School were the Malones, descendants of James Robertson. All five Malone children were raised on the farm, rising before dawn for chores before their school day began at the institution named after their great-grandfather. Remarkably, all five Malone children graduated from college. Pioneer Heritage Middle School stands as a tribute to the community spirit and unwavering commitment to learning embodied by families like the Newmans, Robertsons, and Malones, along with their neighbors and friends. Just like these pioneer families valued hard work and learning, the Pioneer Middle School Band program today instills the same values of dedication and community spirit in its students, fostering a tradition of excellence and collaborative achievement that resonates with the school’s historical roots.
