Sandy Creek School is one of the many forgotten schools and educational institutions of Austin, Travis County, and Leander. Many Austinites never knew this school even ever existed at one point in time. This news article will try its best to reflect accurately about the history of Sandy Creek School.
Sandy Creek School was built in 1870 as a log cabin that would serve as a one-room school house for the Round Mountain School District (School District No. 3). It was started in a log cabin on land donated by Jesse Smith and J. R. Faubion in the 1870s. Sandy Creek School was built 8 miles south of Leander near the Travis County line - Williamson County line as the building was said to be located on Sandy Creek and Liberty Hill Road (now FM 2243).
The Sandy Creek School served students in grades 1 through 8 as Round Mountain School did. After 8th grade is when students transferred to Leander High School in Leander, Texas. The school never held Kindergarden classes.
Students in grades 1st through 5th had geography, language, reading, writing, and arithmetic. 5th grade students learned history. History was the most important subject for 5th graders of the Sandy Creek School and Round Mountain School. Eighth grade students learned algebra, English and Spanish.
The two schools in the Round Mountian School District writing were taught by Ms. Thelma Jones Faubion. Terms of the one-teacher school was six months a year at a salary of $65 a month. Drinking water was retrieved by teachers and students at nearby creeks called Sandy Creek and Long Hollow. All students and teachers walked several miles to school. There was no transportation.
According to The Austin Weekly Statesman (Now Austin American-Statesman), the Sandy Creek School goes back to at least 1875 and is called or referred to as “Sandy Creek Schoolhouse”. [Ref.: The Austin Weekly Statesman, December 16, 1875.]
In 1939 during the 1938-1939 school year is when a water well and added a new hand pump were installed by WPA workers. By 1939 the water well and new hand pump were fully functioning. Two teachers at each of the schools located in the Round Mountain School District. However by 1940 the water well was reported to fail during droughts.
In 1942, Sandy Creek School consolidated into Round Mountain School. After consolidating into Round Mountain School and after being consolidated into Leander ISD, most of the Sandy Creek School building was demolished. The other portion turned into an additional building for the school district. By 1942, Sandy Creek School stopped appearing on Travis County maps.
During the 1940's, Leander ISD school boundaries were extended to include the Round Mountain community. In conclusion, the students whom had attended Round Mountain School and Sandy Creek School were transferred to Leander ISD.
In 1973, Appellees (trustees) brought this suit against the members of Round Mountain community and sought to have determined the validity of a charitable trust at the Court of Civil Appeals of Texas, Austin. Appellees were E. M. Fulkes, Jr., Rosco Faubion, R. Morris Faubion and Ed M. Faubion.
As cited from the ROUND MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY et al., Appellants, v. E. M. FULKES, Jr., et al., Appellees lawsuit No. 12087 from Court of Civil Appeals of Texas, Austin on November 7, 1973 501 S.W.2d 474 (1973).
“By warranty deed dated January 19, 1900, J. A. Faubion and his wife conveyed certain real property in the Round Mountain Community to T. T. Hamilton, J. A. Smith, and D. Landy, "Trustees of the Round Mountain Community and their successors in officer for the sole use and benefit of said community." Members of the Round Mountain Community used this property as a schoolhouse for their children. During the 1940's, Leander School District was extended to include the Round Mountain Community Area. Thereafter, the children who had attended the Round Mountain School were transferred to the Leander School District. Since that time, and to the date of hearing in this case, Round Mountain Community has used the trust property for community functions, socials, and meetings for the various clubs in the area.”
So that means both Round Mountain School and Sandy Creek School both served as community centers that held community functions, social gatherings, and meetings for various clubs in that area.
Today a portion of the Sandy Creek School is now located at 14340 Round Mountain Road, Leander, Texas, US 78641 where Round Mountain School is. The Sandy Creek School building has now merged into Round Mountain School which is now Round Mountain Community Center.
Sandy Creek School was located at the intersection of Round Mountain Road & FM 2243, Leander, Texas, US 78641.
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