The history of Summitt School itself has been long forgotten having faded away with time away from people’s minds. Summitt School was one of the many schools historians never wrote a book about. Most never really heard or seen the old Summitt School.
The first Summitt School was probably built in 1875 on the Northeast corner of what is now the Balcones Research Center operated by the University of Texas at Austin. Summitt School was first built as a log cabin which served as a one room schoolhouse in the beginning of 1875. What was a one room schoolhouse eventually became a two room schoolhouse.
The Summitt School was remodeled in 1880 with a second additional room added. A second room was needed to accommodate growth. The 1880-1881 school year saw an increase in growth. The assistant teacher taught 1st grade through 4th grade. The principal taught 5th grade through 8th grade and 9th grade.
Several families donated land for this school to be built on upon. The Summers family donated the original acre of land for Summitt School. The Bell family donated of land for the Summitt School as well. (It was the custom at that time for families to donate land for schools where they were needed with the understanding that the land would be returned to them if the school was closed.)
School semesters only last 4 ½ months due to the agricultural lifestyle surrounding the area. Students had to work in the fields to plow crops during harvest season. Food had to be sold. School hours in those days went from 9 AM to 4 PM. School semesters operated on a tight schedule due to budgetary concerns.
There was not always enough money to operate on a 4 month semester schedule. Both schools had students attending 2 ½ months at Waters Park School and then 2 ½ months at Summitt School. The school year was increased 3 months at both schools later on.
Summitt School had its own school district called Summitt Common School District (Summitt School District). Schools that were zoned to the Summitt School District were Waters Park School, Summitt School, Fiskville School, and Esperanza School.
[The school districts Fiskville School District (Fiskville Common School District), Esperanza School District, and Waters Park School District were later consolidated to Summitt School District following a series of school consolidations from the 40s to the late 50s.]
The Summitt School District was a very large school district. Almost as large as Colorado Common School District, Austin ISD, Pflugerville ISD, and Round Rock ISD. The boundaries for the Summitt School District were Anderson Lane (south), Lamar Boulevard (east), Howard Lane (north), and Mountain Pacific Railroad (west).
Summitt School history itself has a less than an excellent account of history. Racism and segregation were law of the land in Texas. So the Summitt School had separate schools for white students and black students. For instance there was Summitt White School and Summitt Negro School.
•White students would attend Summitt White School located at the intersection of Burnet Road and Kramer Lane. White students would attend Austin High School after finishing 8th grade.
•Black students would attend Summitt Negro School at 3807 Adelphi Lane (near Duval Road and Burnet Road). Black students would attend Anderson High School after finishing 8th grade. (Of course both Summitt Schools taught 9th grade as well. This was depending on availability of space.) Summitt Negro School started its beginnings as Waters Park School on 3807 Adelphi Lane. After the school burned down, Waters Park School became Summitt Negro School and relocated to 3605 Adelphi Lane at St. Stephen’s Church.
When it came to school funding, racial segregation came into place. Texas State Legislature often gave more money to white schools than to black schools. Nonetheless both schools ran on a tight fiscal budget. The Summitt White School was more well funded than the Summitt Negro School. Negro schools got less funding than their white counterparts. Thus negro schools operated on a tighter schedule than white schools.
In 1914 the Summitt School log cabin was demolished. The Bird family donated 2 acres of land of what is now IBM property that same year. (Additional land was bought from the Bird family for a new school.) This time the school building was located at what is now the intersection of Burnet Road and Kramer Lane.
In 1915, Summitt School went from being a K-9 school to a K-8 school. If students wanted to go on to high school, they went in carpools to attend Austin ISD high schools. The Summitt School District paid their tuition. Round Rock ISD and Pflugerville ISD let high school students attend their schools for free in hopes the Summitt School District would eventually join them. 1915 is when Waters Park School was closed and consolidated with Summitt School District. The Waters Park School District consolidated with Summitt School District as well.
World War II was a period the Summitt School District was in its prime during its peak as World War II brought a lot of tax revenue to the school district and area. Summitt School Districts was one of the richest school districts in northern Travis County next to Pflugerville ISD. It was due to the high taxes paid by the Magnesium Plant during World War II.
After the Magnesium Plant property was sold to The University of Texas in 1948, tax revenue decreased and the district found it harder and harder to pay the tuition for all the students enrolled in Austin high schools.
The 1950s brought forth some new changes. Fiskville School consolidated with Summitt School District in the 1950s. Summitt School went from being a K-8 school to a K-6 school. In 1954, a new building that was a two-wing structure was opened. A 3rd wing was added that same.
A petition was finally circulated and a vote was taken on joining Austin ISD. The first vote went against joining Austin ISD. Many residents residing in the Summitt School District were afraid of much higher property taxes if they joined with Austin. The petition was recirculated and when the second vote was taken, residents voted in 1960 to become part of Austin ISD. People along the Lamar Boulevard chose to consolidate with Pflugerville ISD.
In 1960, Summitt School and Fiskville School became a part of Austin ISD. Both schools consolidated into the school district. The community pursued intense efforts to keep the school open.
In 1980, the Summitt School located at Burnet Road and Kramer Lane became a K-3 school as part of Austin ISD's desegregation plan mandated the same year as ordered by US Court. Students in grades 4th, 5th, and 6th were bussed to Webb Elementary School on East St. John's Avenue. (Webb Elementary School shares the same campus as Webb Middle School.)
1986 was a year brought forth much needed new change for both Summitt School and Austin ISD. Summitt School opened in its current facilities on September 2, 1986, as a 66,263 square-foot building complex constructed on a 14.4 acre site on 12207 Brigadoon Lane. Enrollment was 580 students. Summitt School became Summitt Elementary School in September 2, 1986. The original school name plate was brought over from the old Summitt School and placed it in the new entrance hall of Summitt Elementary School.
An additional eight classroom wing was constructed during 1990. In the 1990-1991 school year, grades 4th, 5th, and 6th were brought back. 4th grade and 5th grade were brought back first. By 1990, the Summitt School was deemed outmoded and outdated by Austin ISD officials. The school had no central heating system. Though it continued use as an alternative school.
In 2003, the Summitt School at Burnet Road and Kramer Lane was demolished. In 2004, all of what was left of the former school building was gravel in a vacant green field. In the year of 2008, land property of the Summitt School at Burnet Road and Kramer Lane was built as a shopping center, Firehouse Subs, and a Freebirds restaurant.
Today the history of Summitt School lives on at 12207 Brigadoon Lane, Austin, Texas, US 78727 for where it is located at.
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