M.C. Lively Elementary was first known as Plymouth Park Elementary School when it opened in the fall of 1954. The school was renamed in 1968 after M.C. Lively who was the first school teacher in the Irving Community.

The school facility now has 5 wings of classrooms a cafetorium with a stage, a library, music room, art room, 2 gyms, and an office complex. When it opened there were only 2 wings of classrooms and the cafetorium with a stage. The current principal is Sean Flynn. Click here for a list of former principals.

M.C. Lively was born in 1839 and died in 1905. He married Florence Clark in 1868, and the couple had seven children. Mr. Lively is buried in Sowers Cemetery. His son, Edward Cash Lively was elected to the Teas Legislature in 1906. Edward authored the bill that created the Irving Independent School District in 1909.

Mark Callister Lively, known as M.C., was born in Benton, Alabama. He moved to Irving, TX after the Civil War in which he had been a Confederate Army Private. He tried his hand at cattle ranching on land just north of Rock Island Railroad. Once he shipped two rail car loads of steers to St. Louis. He brought back an organ, an accordion and two saddles. Mr. Lively was elected Justice of the Peace in 1900. He also owned the Davis and Lively cotton gin in Irving.With a land donation from Lee Britain, the first school in Irving was built in 1890. Mr. Lively organized and taught at this one room school which went to the 8th grade. Mr. Lively had earned his teaching certificate while recuperating from a broken leg. The locals called the school Lively School. It also served as a community gathering spot where several churches held services until they built their own church building.