Many Austinites of today never knew a University High School ever existed. Most question the existence of this school. It has been almost long forgotten despite being located on the internationally acclaimed University of Texas at Austin campus. University High School opened in 1942 and operated until June 3rd, 1967 when the school closed. Students who attended this school were taught and had received secondary education training at this school.
Building a new junior high school and another high school was first brought to discussion in the year of 1932. University Junior High School was the proposed school to be built as the new junior high school for Austin Public Schools (now Austin ISD). University High School was the proposed high school. Much space was needed for Austin Public Schools in terms of enrollment for students receiving secondary education. So University Junior High School and University High School would provide much needed space for Austin Public Schools growing secondary education students.
Funding was scarce. Especially during the Great Depression! So Austin Public Schools (now Austin ISD) turned to UT (University of Texas at Austin aka UT Austin) for financial aid because there was not enough funding for the school district to operate this particular junior high school at the time. So an agreement was made between University of Texas and Austin Public Schools. Their agreement eventually evolved into a joint contract.
University of Texas and Austin Public Schools came up with a written contract that was written into a joint contract. The agreement that was reached stipulated that the University of Texas would provide the site and building at a cost between $300,000 to $400,000 dollars while the Austin Public Schools selected and paid the regular teaching staff and half the salary for the principal. The University of Texas at Austin funded the construction This proposed school was used as a tool for the University of Texas Education Department staff to observe and explore educational theories.
Austin’s only junior high (Allan Junior High School) was already becoming increasingly overcrowded. Allan Junior High School was extremely overcrowded by 142% way over capacity. University Junior High School was the answer and solution to the problems Austin Public Schools was facing at that time. University Junior High School (along with University High School in the same building) was built to serve as a secondary school operating on from a joint contract between the University of Texas (UT Austin) and Austin Public Schools (now Austin Independent School District bka Austin ISD).
University High School was built in 1932 as a Spanish Renaissance style structure that was 2 stories tall and had a basement. The cafeteria was located in the basement. (That is what made this school so unique from the other schools in Austin.) Labs were built using the amphitheater plan.
The Spanish Renaissance style structure would become University Junior High School in 1933. The 1933-1934 school year was the first school year University Junior High School operated on. At first University Junior High School operated on a “7-9 junior high school model” serving grades 7 through 9. (University Junior High School would serve grades 7 through 9 until 1938.) 6th grade students would either attend elementary school (as that was the norm of the time) or be transferred to another junior high school.
1942 is when one half of the University Junior High School building was split into two schools thus University High School was born. One side of the building would be University Junior High School and the other side of the building would be University High School with students in grades 10 and 11.
Splitting the building into two separate schools was the solution for overcrowding in Austin ISD schools at the time. This measure saved the school district money from building another junior high school or a high school. The practice of University High School teaching students in grades 10 and 11 lasted from 1942 to 1946.
What was unique about this high school is that this high school operated on a “10-11 model” meaning that University High School taught grades 10 and 11 which was unusual because most high schools in the United States operated on a “10-12 high school model” also seen and viewed as a “10-12 senior high school model” instead of a “10-11 high school model”.
Of course University High School was a segregated high school at that time. African American students were not permitted to attended University Junior High School at that time.
However University High School became overcrowded by 1944. It was almost overpopulated at the time. Austin Public Schools held board meetings and discussions to build another high school. However plans to build another high school were halted by World War II. Lack of funding is what also halted plans to build another high school for Austin Public Schools. This high school was almost overpopulated at the time during the 1944-1945 school year.
So in an effort to relieve overcrowding, some students attending Austin ISD junior high schools and students attending both Austin High School & Allan High School attended both University Junior High School and University High School. During the 1943-1944 school year. 6th grade students would begin attending University Junior High School and 10th grade students would begin attending University High School.
By 1944 University High School was its own accredited high school with state approval. University High School was its own accredited high school along with Allan High School, Anderson High School, and Austin High School.
1946 is when students in grades 10 through 12 were being taught at University High School. University High School began accepting 12th grade students in 1946 during the 1945-1946 school year. This practice would last until 1967 when the school closed.
Enrollment decreased in 1947 due to the opening of Baker Junior High School. The opening of Baker Junior High School relieved overcrowding by 150%. Baker Junior High School taught grades 6 through 10. (This included grades 9 and 10.) Some Baker Junior High School students in 10th grade were bussed to attend University High School and also University Junior High School in an effort to relieve overcrowding.
Sometimes 10th grade students from Austin High School, Allan High School, and Baker Junior High School (Baker School) would be transferred to University Junior High School to relieve overcrowding during the 1940s.
1965 is when University High School and University Junior High School became integrated. University High School became fully integrated during the 1965-1966 school year. African American students were finally permitted to attend University Junior High School and so are Hispanic students.
Prior to 1965, University High School was an all-white school. Both University High School and University Junior High School led desegregation for Austin ISD schools. It was a struggle for Austin to desegregate its schools. But University High School and University Junior High School desegregated successfully. Other Austin ISD schools desegregated slowly.
June 3rd, 1967 is when both University High School and University Junior High School closed. University Junior High School closed down because UT needed the space to accommodate campus expansion for the growing population of the time. The property belonged to UT from the beginning anyway. Students already attending this school were transferred over to the new Martin Junior High School better known now as Martin Middle School. The University Junior High School building became an annex for the UT school.
In 1967, Martin Junior High School (now Martin Middle School) was opened to replace University Junior High School. Martin Junior High School was Austin ISD’s first fully integrated school serving a diverse array of all races including African American students and Hispanic students. Not only was Martin Junior High School Austin ISD’s first fully integrated school, it was Austin ISD’s first fully integrated middle school/junior high school.
University High School and University Junior High School are now owned by the University of Texas operating as the School of Social Work. The school building remains intact at its original location. Location for University High School was 1925 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, Texas, US 78712. The school is now a historical landmark.
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