Brackenridge School is one of Austin’s earliest schools for serving African American students. Austin ISD operated Brackenridge School as an elementary school for students in grades 1 through 7 from 1879 to 1965. Brackenridge School went under the names of South Side School, South Austin School, and Brackenridge Elementary School.
Austin ISD established Brackenridge School as a negro school for negro students in 1879 after an election bond. Its building was a single story white house and a 3 room schoolhouse. Contractors built this school out of wood. Paint was donated by residents. The school had a bungalow terrace. It was first known as South Austin School in the 19th century and then Brackenridge School during the 20th century. At first the school only educated students in grades 1 through 6 and later expanded to add 7th grade classes.
The school was named after John Thomas Brackenridge, a Confederate veteran in the American Civil War. John Thomas Brackenridge donated some of his land to Austin Public Schools (Austin ISD) for Brackenridge School.
School officials complained about the cost of maintaining Brackenridge School around 1900. Austin ISD refused to install new playground equipment citing maintenance costs. John Thomas Brackenridge donated an additional sum of his land to Austin Public Schools (Austin ISD) for Brackenridge School in 1905. Portable classrooms were added a decade later.
Austin ISD shut down and closed Brackenridge School in 1965 as a part of Austin’s desegregation efforts similar to what happened with Clarksville School and Kealing Junior High School. The building was demolished in late 1965. A new 2 story house sits on the site.
Baseball player Wille Wells was its most famous alumni to have graduated from Brackenridge School. He attended this school during his elementary school years from 1st grade to 7th grade.
Brackenridge School was located at 319 West Elizabeth Street, Austin, Texas, US 78704.
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