History of Chapman Ranch High School explained and explored.

Chapman Ranch High School is one of the forgotten schools of Corpus Christi, Texas and Chapman, Texas. This news article will explain and discuss the history behind Chapman Ranch High School.


The community of Chapman, Texas operated 2 schools, an elementary school and a high school. The elementary school taught grades 1 through 6 and the high school taught grades 7 through 12. Chapman Ranch Elementary School was the elementary school and Chapman Ranch High School was the high school. There was no middle school or junior high.

Two modern schools were erected at and turned over to a newly formed school district, the Santa Cruz Independent School District, located, within the Chapman Ranch in 1912. Each brick building contained 6 rooms. Eleven teachers provided instruction for both elementary school classes and high school classes. The second building erected was Chapman Ranch High School. Chapman Ranch High School was a school established for the community of Chapman Ranch, Texas located south of Corpus Christi, Texas in 1925. Chapman Ranch High School taught students in grades 7 through 12 and operated from 1925 to 1950. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/31148835/)

A new school building was built next to Chapman Ranch Elementary School in 1925. This building would be home Chapman Ranch High School where high school students were educated here. Although most middle school students/junior high school students and high school students attended school in Corpus Christi.

Chapman Ranch High School was an established school with accreditation by 1928. Chapman Ranch High School was rated as first class by the State Department of Education aka Texas Board of Education (now Texas Education Agency) in 1928. Chapman Ranch High School had been granted full affiliation by the Texas Board of Education. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30992014/don-winfred-prince/)

“The school system maintains high standards, requiring all teachers in the high school department to have college degrees, which is not the case in school systems in towns of a much larger size than this one. The Chapman Ranch High School is rated as first class by the state department of education and was recently granted full affiliation of 15 entrance units. Two years ago the school was not reorganized among the Class A schools but in this time, through hard work, it has been granted 15 affiliated units and rated as a first class school. At the opening of the school in September of this year there were approximately 50 students registered in the high school department, 125 in the elementary school grades, and 75 in the Mexican school making a total of 250 students This is an excellent record for a community of this nature and site.”

In 1928, a total of 250 students attended schools in Santa Cruz ISD. 50 students registered in the high school, 125 in the elementary school, and 75 in the “Mexican School” (Santa Cruz Mexican School), thus a total of 250 students altogether. (Ref: Lubbock Morning Avalanche, Page 14, December 8, 1928)

In 1949, school officials for the Chapman Ranch High School faced a health charge. Restrooms were deemed unsanitary by state officials from Texas State Board of Education (now TEA). Sanitation issues plagued the school during the 1940s as it did across many rural schools in the state of Texas, the West Coast, and across the Southern United States.

Chapman Ranch High School shut down in 1950. This led high school students to attend school in Corpus Christi. Student population for Chapman Ranch High School downsized due to Gilmer-Aiken Law which also allowed students in certain grades to transfer to neighboring school districts if their own school district did not have a high school, senior high school, or a middle school/junior high school let alone a school that held secondary school classes.

Chapman Ranch High School was located at 1046 CR 8B, Chapman Ranch, Texas, US 78347.