The McNeil School is one of Austin’s many forgotten institutions from almost 2 centuries ago. Most never really heard or seen the former McNeil School. McNeil School was one of the many schools historians never wrote a book about or news stations have either covered. More so or less, McNeil School has faded away with ongoing time.
The McNeil School first opened in 1887 located southeast of the intersection of the A&NW Railroad and north of McNeil-Jollyville Road near the McNeil Post Office. McNeil School was built as a single story one-room log cabin building in 1887. One teacher had taught this school. The McNeil School taught grades 1st through 6th. The school never went past 7th grade. Students who desired to continue their education had to transfer to Round Rock Independent School District or to Merrilltown School in the Merrilltown School District. From thereon out, the McNeil School operated from 1887 to 1951. McNeil School operated on a full year schedule in 1887 under the name “McNeil Schoolhouse”. 1887-1888 was the first school year McNeil School operated on from.
McNeil School had its own school district called McNeil School District before being consolidated into Round Rock Independent School District (Round Rock ISD) in 1950. The schools that were a part of this school district were McNeil School and McNeil Mexican School.
Children who attended this school were primarily of Mexican descent. Although the majority of the student population was of Mexican descent, white students attended McNeil School. Children of workers/employees from Austin White Limestone Company attended McNeil School. In fact at one time, 100% of the students were children of Austin White Limestone Company employees. Company housing was provided and termed “the flats” by local McNeil residents.
1888 is when more improvements were added to the log cabin. McNeil School did not have indoor plumbing, electricity, central heating, lead painting, or even phone service until the mid 20th century. (McNeil School received indoor plumbing and electricity in the 1940s.) 1888 saw growth in enrollment for the McNeil School.
In 1889, the McNeil School still went under the name “McNeil Schoolhouse” for which it was held under at that time. The school had no indoor plumbing or electricity. The economic base of McNeil, Texas grew that year thanks to Austin White Lime Company.
In 1900, McNeil School was rebuilt into another log cabin. The 1900 saw growth in enrollment thus resulting in increased enrollment. Several repairs were made in the construction process that took some years. Meanwhile school was held in the old building while construction continued. Construction was financed by Round Rock ISD and private companies. The school was built at a cost of $1,200.
In 1906, McNeil School was rebuilt into a new one-room schoolhouse built of native stone. The native stone schoolhouse replaced the earlier school building. The 1906 McNeil School building was built out of limestone. The school year of 1906 saw growth in enrollment resulting in increased enrollment. The 1906-1907 semester was a big semester for the McNeil School. By 1908 things had calmed down.
In 1932 the McNeil Mexican School opened. Children who attended this school were primarily of Mexican descent. All of the student population was of Mexican descent. White students had attended this school as well. The McNeil Mexican School never went past the 7th grade. Grades 1st through 6th were taught at McNeil Mexican School. Students who desired to continue their education had to transfer to Round Rock Independent School District.
In 1939, a new school (McNeil Mexican School) was built again due to structural errors the first Mexican School had. (The McNeil School was rebuilt several times over the years.)
A 1939 news article from the Austin American-Statesman newspaper describes the construction of a new school for Mexican American children in McNeil, Texas. The new one-room schoolhouse was built of native stone for a cost of $1,200 and replaced the earlier school building. This one-room school would later become a two-room school in sometime in the 1940s.
In 1940, both McNeil School and McNeil Mexican School received indoor plumbing and electricity. Although there was no central heating system installed in the school. Property taxes were raised significantly to in order to receive funds to install indoor plumbing and electricity.
McNeil School was merged into the McNeil Mexican School building in 1946. The old log cabin building for the McNeil School was sold to a private homeowner in the same year. McNeil School was taught out of the McNeil Mexican School building. Despite being merged with the McNeil Mexican School, local residents and citizens referred to the school as the “McNeil School”. Both school were taught in that one building at one point. (McNeil Mexican School became McNeil School in the late 1940s before closing down in 1951.)
1950 is when McNeil School, McNeil Mexican School, and McNeil School District were consolidated into Round Rock Independent School District (Round Rock ISD). McNeil School was consolidated into Round Rock ISD due to declining enrollment, loss in property taxes, suburban flight, urban growth, and lack of funding. (The economic base of the community was centered on the Austin White Lime Company.) McNeil School continued to operate for a year. The McNeil Mexican School became the McNeil School in 1950 before closing the next year.
Although the school continued to operated until 1951, Round Rock ISD had took operating the school into their own hands. 1951 is the year when the McNeil School closed. The school and the school district itself were closed down and consolidated into Round Rock ISD.Students were bussed into Round Rock ISD schools to continue their education.
1951 is when the 1936 McNeil School building was sold to a private homeowner named A. Robinson who owned ranch land less than 7 blocks away from the school. He incorporated the school property into the Robinson Family ranch. After 1951, the school sat abandoned. The land reverted to A. Robinson after the school district (Round Rock ISD) sold the land and school building to him.
In 1995, the school property was converted into Robinson Ranch which is near the McNeil Store and US Post Office. The former McNeil School building has been converted into a cattle barn. A baseball field remains intact. The Robinson Family owns the ranch along with Austin White Limestone Company which has been in the family for generations.
Today Robinson Ranch owns the property while Austin White Limes Company owns the mineral rights. The property is off limits to the public. The former McNeil School building is hidden behind trees and has been converted into a cattle barn. Several cattle can be seen roaming the property in summertime heat.
The McNeil School is located northeast of Howard Lane and McNeil Road, Austin, Texas, US 78728. Another address for McNeil School is McNeil-Jollyville Road, McNeil, Texas, US 78651.
*McNeil School operated under Round Rock ISD for a short while.
*McNeil School was also known as the McNeil Schoolhouse for a short period.
*Austin White Lime Company is also known as Austin White Lime Co. and Austin White Limestone Company.
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