Some may remember that Round Rock Independent School District (Round Rock ISD) operated the Round Rock Mexican School from 1933 to 1948. The school operated for 15 years before being shut down in 1948.
Prior to 1933, Hispanic students (students of Mexican descent) attended school with white students in the Round Rock ISD schools. Mexican students attended the white schools.
The need for a “Mexican School” arose during a Round Rock ISD School Board meeting of November 3, 1931. According to board meeting minutes from November 3, 1931, a petition was presented to the school board regarding the establishment of a “Mexican School” by then president Rev. Theodore Krienke.
The question of establishing a Mexican school was deferred to another year. Meaning that the Round Rock ISD School Board pushed the idea of opening a Mexican school back to 1932. A. H. Kaufman was appointed as a member of the committee. (Ref: Round Rock ISD School Board Meeting Nov. 3, 1931)
Board President Rev. Theodore Krienke and A. H. Kaufman petitioned the idea of opening a Mexican school in 1932. The need for a Mexican School was in demand. Round Rock ISD looked for property to lease from for a Mexican School. (Ref: https://history.roundrockisd.org/1932-05-03-theo-krienke-begins-22-year-stint-as-board-president/)
On February 7, 1933, Board President, Rev. Theodore Krienke asked that a committee be appointed to “look into the situation of teaching the Mexican children”. (Ref: https://history.roundrockisd.org/1933-02-07-situation-of-teaching-mexican-children/)
It was on the date of August 1, 1933 that the “Mexican School” opened for Mexican-American students in a space leased from the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. Round Rock ISD rented from this church for a year during the 1933-1934 school year. (Ref: Round Rock ISD School Board Meeting Aug. 1, 1933)
Norma Pfluger was elected to be the teacher of the Mexican School at $75 per month for 7 months on August 1, 1933. The school year was 7 months long. The effects of the Great Depression were being felt in Round Rock and teachers had been recently ordered to work without pay. Round Rock ISD agreed to pay rent in order to establish a separate school for students of Mexican descent.
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| The Round Rock Mexican School building that was used from 1934 to 1948 by Round Rock ISD. |
On April 22, 1934, 1.5 acres were purchased from Mr. Tennie Q. Aten for $200 for the Round Rock Mexican School. 0.3 acres was added to the purchase for an additional $25 dollars in May 1934. Round Rock Mexican School was established were Round Rock Institute existed from 1883-1913 on land owned by Tennie Q. Aten.
Construction for Round Rock Mexican School began in summer 1934. A cornerstone was placed on the exterior wall of the school building showing the names of Round Rock School District Board of Trustees such as Rev. Theodore Krienke, O. L. Brady, and A. H. Kaufman. The school building was constructed using limestone from Round Rock White Limestone Company and Austin White Lime Company.
October 8, 1934 is when Round Rock Mexican School opened. Round Rock Mexican School educated Hispanic students (primarily Mexican students) enrolled in grades 1st through 9th. Students looking to attend school past 10th grade often migrated out of town as the public schools of Round Rock were segregated by race. The Mexicans students did go to high school, but very few of them finished.
(Ref: http://www.williamson-county-historical-commission.org/Old_School_Days_in_Williamson_County.html)
Round Rock Mexican School was located at the hilltop located on Chisholm Trail affectionally known as “College Hill”, northwest of the intersection of IH-35 & RM 620 (Round Rock Avenue). The Round Rock Mexican School was located at the address of 609 Chisholm Trail. (Ref: https://history.roundrockisd.org/history-of-schools/)
According to board meeting minutes from January 2, 1939,
“Motion was made and carried that the Negro and Mexican school terms for this year be made to run for eight months instead of seven months, it being understood that this action be for the current school term only.”
(Ref: https://history.roundrockisd.org/1939-01-03-extra-month-added/)
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| The Round Rock Mexican School building in 1939. |
Round Rock ISD School Board voted to connect the “Mexican School” to the sewer system during a school board meeting on April 2, 1940. (Ref: https://history.roundrockisd.org/1940-04-02-mexican-school-connected-to-sewer-system/)
It was following the 1948 court ruling of Delgado vs. Bastrop ISD against segregation of Hispanic students in public schools of Texas that many of its “Mexican Schools” were shut down. Delgado v. Bastrop ISD ruled the segregated “Mexican Schools” and practice of segregating Mexican-American students to be unconstitutional. Round Rock ISD shut down Round Rock Mexican School in 1948 during the 1947-1948 school year to comply with the lawsuit and court order. Students from this school were transferred to Central Elementary School (now Berkman Elementary School) during that same year.
(Ref: https://history.roundrockisd.org/1948-mexican-school-ruled-unconstitutional)
The McNeil Mexican School aka McNeil School was absorbed by Round Rock ISD in 1948 during the 1947-1949 school year to join the Round Rock Mexican School.
According to board meeting minutes from September 6, 1949, the question of selling the Round Rock Mexican School building was discussed. (Ref: Round Rock ISD School Board Meeting Sept. 6, 1949)
The building for Round Rock Mexican School was sold to Col. W.N. Todd, Jr., in February 1953 for a price of $4,500 and converted into a private residence. It was moved southeast to Creedmoor, Texas where he lived. Today the building no longer stands. (Ref: http://wbna.us/community/history-of-wells-branch/bill-todd-1920-2011-2/)
For many years the land sat vacant without any purpose. This was because the school was located within a 100 year floodplain and its close proximity to Brushy Creek.
Today the property of Round Rock Mexican School is now home to Chisholm Trail Crossing Park and the building for Round Rock Mexican School no longer stands. The former site of the school is now occupied by a fast-food restaurant and a Comfort Suites. (Ref: Austin American-Statesman, A1, October 2, 2014)
Round Rock Mexican School was located at 609 Chisholm Trail, Round Rock, Texas, US 78681.
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