Who Was Nell Burks?

(Photo of Nell Burks in 1957-58 compliments of John Mark White. Nell Burks is with her 2^nd grade class.  Mr. Bennet was the principal at the time.

Nell Burks was a second grade teacher in the McKinney Independent School district for forty-three years. She started teaching in McKinney in 1916 and continued until she retired in 1960.

Ms. Burks's teaching career began in Westel, Texas in 1910. She remained there until 1914. Nell Burks held a State Permanent Certificate from the State of Texas. This certificate was issued on May 23, 1916 form North Texas State Normal College, Denton, Texas.

She received her B A Degree from North Texas State College in Denton in May of 1940. She completed this degree by attending courses during the summers until her degree was finished. She also attended Columbia University in the summer of 1946. She received a Permanent Life Elementary and Permanent High School Certificate form the Texas Education Agency in 1955.

Nell Burks originally taught second grade at Central Ward Elementary and then at West Ward when this school opened in 1953. She remained at West Ward until her retirement in 1960. West Ward is now Nell Burks Elementary.

She was an active member of the First Christian Church in McKinney devoting herself to the youth of the church. She was a resident of McKinney living on North Kentucky Street close to her church.

A special thanks to Mr. Arthur McNeil, Dr. Mike Hill, and Margarete Lewis for their assistance in locating this information about Nell Burks.

Information provided by:

Lynda Swanner