Many Austinites of today never knew a University Junior 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 Junior High School opened in September 1933 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 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). Much space was needed for Austin Public Schools in terms of enrollment for students receiving secondary education. So University Junior 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 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 Junior High School was built 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 junior high schools in Austin.) Labs were built using the amphitheater plan. Eagles was the school mascot.
September 1933 is when University Junior High School opened with an enrollment of 831 within its first year. 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. In many countries, 6th grade is the last year of elementary school.
During the 1930s, University Junior High School was dubbed as a “model junior high school” by the The WPA Guide to Texas: The Lone Star State. University Junior High School was dubbed as a “model junior high school” for not only Texas but Austin as well. Of course this junior high school was opened during the height of segregation when segregation was law of the land in Texas. So only white students were admitted. African American students were not permitted to attended University Junior High School at that time.
Later on in 1938 during the 1938-1939 school year, University Junior High School shifted from a “7-9 junior high school model” to “6-8 middle school model” to a which taught 6th grade through 8th grade. From thereon out, 6th grade through 8th grade was taught at University Junior High School. 1938 is the last year 9th grade students would ever attend this junior high school for a short while.
6th grade through 8th grade were taught at University Junior High School. That is what made this junior high school (and school) so unique from the other junior high schools in Austin. Junior high schools did not use the “6-8 middle school” model as most middle schools and junior high schools of today use in some school district across the state of Texas. (9th grade was added later on.)
University Junior High School became overcrowded by 1942. It was almost overpopulated at the time. Austin Public Schools held board meetings and discussions to build another junior high school. However plans to build another junior high school were halted by World War II. Lack of funding is what also halted plans to build another junior high school for Austin Public Schools.
This junior high school was almost overpopulated at the time during the 1942-1943 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. So grades 6 through 10 began attending both University Junior High School and University High School in 1942 during the 1942-1943 school year.
It was in 1942 that 6th grade students would begin attending University Junior High School. Sometimes 10th grade students from Austin High School would be transferred to University Junior High School to relieve overcrowding during the 1940s. This school zoning practice was done due to overcrowding. What exact grades would be assigned at this school always shifted around to relieve and accommodate overcrowding in other Austin ISD schools of the time. It was from the 1940s to the 1960s that University Junior High School would operate on a “6-10 model”.
What was unique about this junior high school is that this junior high school operated on a “6-10 model” meaning that University Junior High School taught grades 6 through 10 which was unusual because most junior high schools in the United States operated on a “7-9 junior high school model” instead of a “6-8 middle school model”.
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. The practice of University High School teaching students in grades 10 and 11 lasted from 1942 to 1946.
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.
In 1949, school buses served only those students in the 7th grade from the Govalle School in the Govalle School District to University Junior High School and only those in the 5th and 6th grades from St. Elmo School (now St. Elmo Elementary School) to Fulmore Junior High School (now Fulmore Middle School). Despite 6th grade students from St. Elmo School being bussed to Fulmore Junior High School, 6th grade students still attended University Junior High School.
School bus service to Austin High School, Austin Senior High School, Allan High School, and Allan Junior High School was eliminated along with service for junior high school students and senior high school students for the following school districts: Govalle School District, St. Elmo School District, Rosedale School District, and Esperanza Common School District. School bus service for Negro students continued in operation on the same schedule used that year.
1949 is when Austin ISD began bussing 6th grade students from Govalle School in the Govalle School District and St. Elmo School to University Junior High School. University Junior High School began accepting students from both Govalle School and St. Elmo School.
Sometime in the 1950s is when University Junior High School became a 6-9 school teaching 6th grade through 9th grade which was unusual because most junior high schools at the time did not operate on a “6-9 model” or a “6-9 middle school model”. That is what made this school unique from the other junior high schools in Austin, the state of Texas, and the United States. From thereon out, 6th grade through 9th grade was taught at University Junior High School. However students in grade 10 would still attend the school despite that.
Enrollment decreased in 1953 due to the opening of O. Henry Junior High School and Porter Junior High School relieving student load. The opening of the 2 junior high schools relieved overcrowding by nearly 200%! University Junior High School became UJH in 1953.
1965 is when University Junior High School became integrated. University Junior 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 Junior High School was an all-white school. University Junior High School led desegregation for Austin ISD schools. It was a struggle for Austin to desegregate its schools. But University Junior High School desegregated successfully. Other Austin ISD schools desegregated slowly.
On some evening in 1967, the UJH school band performed the songs from the South Pacific film which helped promote racial sensitivity. The theatrical production South Pacific had the theme of racial sensitivity. "Bali Ha’i” was the band's favorite. A mystical tune.
June 3rd, 1967 is when 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 Junior High School is 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 Junior High School was 1925 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, Texas, US 78712. The school is now a historical landmark.
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