San Juan School was one of the many forgotten schools of San Antonio and Bexar County next to Berg’s Mill School. Not much is known about the San Juan School in San Antonio, Texas. What is known is that San Juan School was a rural school located way out in the county in San Antonio, Texas. Many historians have not covered this school written in books. Many citizens of San Antonio seemed to have forgotten about this school’s existence or its presence.
San Antonio Independent School District established San Juan School sometime during the mid-to-late 19th century. Its exact year of establishment is unknown. What is known is that San Juan School was an elementary school that was known as San Juan Elementary School and was a co-ed school. Students in grades 1 through 6 were educated here. 7th grade was added later.
School attendance boasted a small bumbling population. Attendance rate was very high. Student enrollment never went past 300. Most of the pupils were children of Mexican descent. 70% percent of the student population was Mexican.
As early as 1884, San Juan School had faced structural problems and health concerns. A San Antonio Light newspaper article had highlighted the issue in their newspaper that year. Citizens of San Antonio were protesting against San Antonio Independent School District dumping sewage into the San Antonio River. Many of whom were upset.
“The citizens below San Antonio assembled and met at San Juan School House for the purpose of protesting against throwing the sewerage into the San Antonio River. Such interference with the health and use of the water for their household purposes.
The meeting was called to order by Captain D. M. Poor. Ed Braden was appointed Chairman, and Frank Ashley Secretary. The following named gentlemen were appointed to draft a resolution and report the same next Saturday in the San Juan School House at 3 o'clock p.m. for a protest against throwing the filth of the city into the river and that a committee meet on Thursday in the County court room at 10 o'clock a.m.”
(Ref: San Antonio Light, Page 1, Tuesday, January 29, 1884)
School attendance in the 1930s boasted a bumbling population. On average, 30 students attended this school daily. In the 1930s, San Juan School educated students in grades 1 through 6. 7th grade students attended school elsewhere.
Over 60% of the student population was Mexican by 1932. The PTA was very involved with the quality of education upon its students. Manual training and sewing were taught at this school. Boys were taught manual training while girls were taught sewing. Girls learned sewing at a young age. Girls held an intense interest in sewing. Classes in dancing were held. (Ref: San Antonio Express, February 13, 1932)
The 1940s is when 7th grade was added to the school. By the end of the 1960s, over 70% of the student population was Hispanic. Over 200 students had attended this school during that time. 7th grade classes were discontinued.
In 1952, parents complained to the school district and city council that students were being deprived and denied of outdoor activities due to air traffic and noise pollution from Brooks City Air Force Base. Students were deprived of outdoor activities by playing indoors due to air traffic. However nothing happened. The school continued classes and remained open.
San Juan School closed in 1970 after the school building was found to be too closely located within the flight path of Brooks City Air Force Base. This led students to relocated to different schools across the school district.
It was at the suggestion of Frank Tejeda of the Southside Neighborhood Association who requested the school board consider leasing San Juan Elementary School at $1 per year. San Juan Society offered to become a tenant and use the property on a lease from the school district.
San Juan Society began using this building on a lease in 1970. San Juan Society used the San Juan School building as a community center for a year with a lease of $1 a year. The San Juan Society received legal permission from the board to lease the old San Juan School building for community meetings, recreational and educational activities. San Juan School was is the third retired school in the district (SA ISD) to be leased out in 1970 for such purposes. (Ref: San Antonio Express, Page 55, August 28, 1970)
In 1971, San Juan Society requested its lease be cancelled for some apparent reason. The school district delayed the lease. However San Juan Society pulled away slowly from the lease and took business elsewhere. This left the building to sit vacant for a few years until 1975. (Ref: San Antonio Express, Page 3, February 12, 1971)
By 1975, San Antonio Express referred to the school property as improved land for sale by San Antonio Independent School District offers. The school building and property was up for sale. The building was still extant then.
(Ref: San Antonio Express, Page 3, February 18, 1975)
(Ref: San Antonio Express, Page 19, February 18, 1975)
San Antonio Independent School District sold the property to Barthold Gilbert in 1976. The school bundling was demolished in 1977. Barthold Gilbert would own this property until his death in 1981. The lot was sold to a woman named Fay A Kiln in 1982. (Ref: http://bexardata.com/property/id/eBkP3iQ4j)
Restrictions were put on the property as part of the special warranty deed issued on December 14, 1992. The pretty was not to be used for educational purposes meaning that a school could not be operated on such property. $3,000 dollars was paid to Fay A Kiln. A quorum was present. (Ref: Bear County Public Records Doc No. 2372965)
Many people have lived address over the years especially during the beginning of the 2000s. However Fay A Kiln remained on record as property owner. Many people have had their mailing address located at this location.
The school building is no longer extant. No remains of the school are left. Today Fay A Kiln owns the property. She leases the property to various people in San Antonio and of Bexar County.
(Ref: http://bexardata.com/property/id/eBkP3iQ4j)
San Juan School was located at 8630 Old Corpus Christi Road, San Antonio, Texas, US 78223. Its other known address was 8632 Old Corpus Christi Highway San Antonio, Texas, US 78223.
Today its current address is located at 8638 Old Corpus Christi Road, San Antonio, Texas, US 78223.
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