Friday, May 18, 2018

History of Blue Bluff School in Austin, Texas forgotten.

In 1885, a wooden school building called Blue Bluff School was built for Blue Bluff Church to become a private school located in a separate building at the corner of FM 969 & Blue Bluff Road which was operated by Blue Bluff Church. The Blue Bluff School educated students in grades 1 through 5. Middle school grades 6 and 7 were included by 1886. 



 

Blue Bluff School was a private school considered by the Decker community to be a religious school. The Blue Bluff School was a church school indeed. Blue Bluff Church owned the Blue Bluff School.

By 1898, this school would become a public school during weekdays (Monday through Friday) for the Decker School District (of what is now Manor ISD) and a private school on weekends. Church services and religious ceremonies were held in the school building on weekends.

In 1900, Manor ISD oversaw allocating funds for the school. The school was a public school by 1900 officially seen on city and county maps. Blue Bluff School operated as a public school at one point for the Decker School District from 1898 to 1941. Blue Bluff School had educated students in grades 1 through 6.

Blue Bluff School was a negro school due to the high population of African Americans living within the area. A Blue Bluff Negro School was built as well. Blue Bluff Negro School educated students in grades 1 through 6.

During the year of 1901 is when Blue Bluff School stopped educating 7th grade students. 7th grade was dropped for the Blue Bluff School and students in 7th grade now had to transfer to Manor ISD or Austin ISD to attend school. However most 7th grade students transferred to Manor ISD to attend schools in Manor, Texas. Most if not all 7th grade students were bussed to Manor Junior High School (now Manor Middle School) in Manor, Texas. 



Blue Bluff School was consolidated into Manor ISD in 1941 along with the Decker School in the Decker School District. Blue Bluff School was operated by Manor ISD for a couple of years before shutting down in 1943. By 1943, Blue Bluff School closed and the property reverted back to Blue Bluff Church. The school was demolished shortly thereafter. No remnants of the school exist today.

Blue Bluff School was located at 4701 Blue Bluff Road, Austin, Texas, US 78725.

No comments:

Post a Comment