Pittsburgh Coach To Head School to Farmers Branch

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas, March 24. Morris Roach, high school football coach at Pittsburg, Camp County, has resigned to become superintendent of the Farmers Branch Independent School  District. He will assume his new post July 1.
Roach, former school superintendent at Carrollton (1942-1945), also was at one time coach and high school principal at Masonic Home and School in Fort Worth.
At Farmers Branch, Roach will succeed A. H. Pritchard, who resigned to become superintendent of schools at Amherst, Lamb County.
Also announced was the re-election for the 1953-54 term of the thirty teachers and nine other staff member of the Farmers Branch School District.

The Dallas Morning News - March 25, 1953
Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams

Local Coach Gets New 2-Year Contract

Coach Morris S. "Fannie Roach, who this week completed two years of coaching in the Carrollton high school, was given a two-year renewal contract.
The first two-year contract expired Monday night. Roach was formerly head athletic coach at Emory where his understudies didn't loose a home game in seven years of play, ad his basketball teams there won five successive district championships.
Almost the same success has followed the coach to Carrollton. In his second year as head football coach here, his football team finished third in District 14-A with 248 points to only 92 for all their 10 games by opponents. Local boys basketball team is leading the northern division of the Dallas County Interscholastic League race this year with six wins and no losses.

The Carrollton Chronicle - Friday, January 17, 1941
Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams

SUPT. ROACH TAKES OVER DUTIES AT MASONIC SCHOOL

Coach and Superintendent of Schools, M. S. Roach, who came here seven years ago to lead in both exiciting games of football and progressive scholastic growth, went Monday to the Masonic school at Fort Worth to open the summer session. Mr. Roach accepted the position of Principal of Schools and Athletic Director, which is the same as Superintendent of Schools, there a short time ago.

Replacing him here  will be R. L. Turner as School Superintendent and Dale B. Davis as coach. Mr. Turner, who plans to move here with his family as soon as possible, comes from Duncanville, where he has served as Superintendent for the past 11 years.
Mr. Davis, coach and principal at Sanger high school, will also have high school principalship here, replacing J. L. Wheeler, who is leaving to enter Columbia.

Mr. Roach has been Superintendent of Carrollton schools for the past two years havng gone in on April Fools Day in '43, as he recalls. At that time he replaced C. C. Carver, who is now in the army stationed at San Antonio..

Mr. Roach came to Carrollton seven years ago from Lone Oak High School where he had been head coach and principal. At the time he became Superintendent he was president of the Carrollton Lions club and before and since -- taken active part in committee and club work and all type of civic and community affairs.
Last summer he led Carrollton in a record purchase of war bonds during the Fifth War Loan Drive, sponsoring a big Jeep riding bond-boosting after noon of sales that totaled $83,000.

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--ROACH

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He has also headed the War Chest campaign and aided in scrap iron, rubber, paper and other salvage projects and in the sale of war stamps in the schools.  He is a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and has been active in the Masonic organization for the past eight years.
Outstanding improvements have been made under the leadership of Mr. Roach during the past two years as superintendent. Six new affiliated credits have been added, three in band, two in glee club and one in home economics, with both cooking and sewing being added for a half credit each. Also a course in grooming for boys was brought into the curriculum this semester.
Teachers salaries have been raised from $900 to $1300 in high school and from $810 to $1200 in grade school.

A National Defense Shop that cost near $5,000 has been built and properly equipped in addition to the government equipment provided.
One new bus has been purchased, with $5,000 spent on painting and reconditioning the others.
Both school buildings have been extensively repaired, redecorated and improved.
Not least among improvements accomplished during the past two years has beeen the affiliation of the school with the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools without a single adverse criticism from the recommending committee.
And then there has been football. Good pigskin games have added prestige for Carrollton high school and for Carrollton for although a relatively small school CHS has placed first once and second twice in conference during the past three years, running neck to neck with Garland up to the last draw in the '44-45 season and then getting smacked in the mud by a team that has been reclassed into the larger-school group for the next year.

His squad at Masonic is in the AA category and already preparing for a top season, Coach having been with them three weeks for spring training this semester. He also coached Lions for that three-week period.

He is going to Fort Worth Monday, planning to live in the boys' dormitory until a house on the grounds and provided by the school is vacated later in the summer.  Until that time Mrs. Roach and Patsy will live here.  Coach will come back anf forth when possible and will have the following address when in Fort Worth; Care of masonic Home, etc. They expect to be able to move into their new place by August, at least.
While in Carrollton the Roaches have been active in the First Baptist church. Mrs. Roach has also participated in the Parent-Teachers association, aided in substitute teaching and in other civic organizations and projects. Their son, Hoot, was graduated from Carrollton High and is now serving in the Armed Forces.

ROACH
MORRIS S. - JUNE 28, 1903 - OCT 19, 1978
NELL - MAR. 27, 1905 - SEPT 7, 1953

Rose Hill Cemetery, Pittsburg, Camp County, Texas