Brewton Springs School was one of the many forgotten educational institutions of Austin/Travis County that have been long forgotten. In fact, Brewton Springs School was one of the many Travis County rural schools. As a school, Brewton Springs School operated from 1879 to 1950. Brewton Springs School was devoted to education.
Brewton Springs School was also called Bruton Springs School which that school was sometimes referred to as. Brewton Springs School went under several names over the years as its time operating as a school such as Snuff Box School, Snuff Box, and Bruton Springs School.
Brewton Springs School was established in 1879 as a 1-12 school which taught grades 1 through 12. School was taught in an old picket house located on the Allen Farm taught by Miss Annie Gambee. Miss Annie Gambee was the first teacher. Students sat on benches made of elm logs. Each bench furnished seats for 5 to 6 students. Its earliest school trustees were Herbert H. Allen, Joe Hutson, and Pate Patterson.
The school was granted its own school district in 1879. Although Brewton Springs School was within bounds of present day Eanes ISD boundaries, Brewton Springs School had its own school district called School District #50 that was not connected with Eanes School or to the Eanes School District (School District #48 now known as Eanes ISD) at that time. Brewton Springs School was a completely autonomous school operated as cited in the book Eanes: Portrait of a Community. Brewton Springs School instead operated as a “county school” under Travis County Common School District aka Travis County Public Schools.
In 1881, the first school was built as a 15’ x 10’ foot box square building designed as a one-room schoolhouse located on the Jim Brewton farm. Hence the name Brewton Springs. The school only had one door. By 1881 Brewton Springs School had county funding allocated towards the school.
The architectural design of the school building was built as a snuff box. Because the school was shaped similarly to a snuff box, some students called the school Snuff Box. However the name Snuff Box did not derive from the architecture of the school building itself. The name Snuff Box came about because so many of its students chewed tobacco and dipped snuff.
As cited in the book Lone Star Travel Guide to Texas Hill County, Brewton Springs School was also known as Snuff Box. The Brewton Springs School was located east of Bee Cave. Brewton Springs School was located east of Bee Cave and west of Cuernavaca Drive near Patterson Road.
During its earliest years when tax funds ran low and there was not enough money to pay a teacher, students from Brewton Springs School attended school at Bee Caves School, Teck School, Cox Springs School, and Eanes School. It was only on occasion that Brewton Springs School students were sent to Bee Cave to attend the Bee Cave.
A split caused by a change and shift in scholastics resulting in a small house to be built at Walnut Springs. 2 houses in the school district proved to be too many. School terms were split. One term was taught half at one house and half at the other. So the school moved back to the Allen farm. Brewton Springs School moved a series of several times during its history throughout the 19th century and 20th century.
1892 is when the Walnut Springs house had burned. Around 1896 is when Brewton Springs School was moved to the Thomas Riley Place. At this point the school moved several times. The school district hired 3 more teachers to teach at the school.
Brewton Springs School was moved again in 1904. During the same year, the school was remodeled with more lumber from leftover donations. Benches were donated. 14 teachers were hired throughout the 1904-1905 school term. 34 students attended this school during the 1904-1905 school term.
Even in the 1920s when most schools were 1-8 schools, Brewton Springs School was a 1-12 school unlike Eanes School were school stopped at 7th grade. From the 1920s on, Eanes School did not go beyond the 7th grade. The 1920s is when Eanes School began changing its scholastics by primarily teaching elementary school grades.
(From the 1920s on, Eanes School did not go beyond the 7th grade. The 1920s is when Eanes School began changing its scholastics by primarily teaching elementary school grades. 8th grade students were bussed to O Henry Middle School. Although Eanes School did not go beyond the 7th grade, Eanes School still taught middle school students and high school students until 1943. After 1943, high school students attended Austin High School and Allan High School. Middle school students attended Allan Junior High School and O. Henry Middle School. Or had remained at Eanes School as their school had taught middle school grades until 1950.)
1936 is when the school district began making plans to tear down and rebuild the then current Brewton Springs School building. Meetings were held with the Superintendent of Travis County Public Schools.
In 1937 the school was torn down and rebuilt on John Teague’s property located on FM 2244 (Bee Cave Road) near Cuernavaca Drive by Patterson Road near Patterson Ranch. Homer Teague moved into the old schoolhouse afterwards. The other old schoolhouse remained as a private residence. While the school was being moved, classes were held in Watson Springs Baptist Church. Watson Springs Baptist Church was a single-room frame church. The church was also nicknamed “Snuff Box Church” because members of the congregation used to spit tobacco juice out of the window during services.
In 1948, Brewton Springs School began attempting to merge and consolidate into the Eanes School District #48. Some Brewton Springs School began attending the Eanes School.
In 1949, both Brewton Springs School and its school district were consolidated into Eanes ISD under Gilmer-Aiken Law. Gilmer-Aiken Law consolidated many rural school districts including Brewton Springs & Bee Cave and had reformed many Texas public schools. Eanes School students who wanted to continue their education past 7th grade either went to Brewton Springs School or to Allan Junior High School and Austin High School in Austin Public Schools (now Austin ISD). However Brewton Springs School continued to operate under Eanes ISD.
1950 was the year the Travis County Schools Superintendent and State of Texas closed down Brewton Springs School and its school district during the 1950-1951 school year. The school district itself was consolidated and abolished during the same year. Brewton Springs School students were merged with Eanes School and to Bee Cave School. Brewton Springs School students were merged to both Cox Springs School, Dripping Springs School, and Lago Vista School as well.
In 1950, Brewton Springs School was shut down by the State of Texas due to Gilmer-Aiken Law after Bill No. 116 of the 50th legislature was passed. After Brewton Springs School shut down, its students were transferred to Eanes School. Eanes School then had 80 students. A third room to the two-room rock building of Eanes School was constructed in the same year to relieve overcrowding.
It is unknown and unclear whether or not the final Brewton Springs School building was demolished after consolidation with Eanes ISD or sold in public auction/private auction held by Travis County to a homeowner whereas the school building became a private residence.
Although the school building of Brewton Springs School may no longer be extant or the memories of the Brewton Springs School have been forgotten, Brewton Springs lives on as a historic name under the street name of Bruton Springs Road located in the Cuernavaca neighborhood.
Brewton Springs School was located on FM 2244, Austin, Texas, US 78733.
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