Bluff Springs School is one of the many forgotten schools of Austin/Travis County. Many people do not know of this school or its history. In fact, not many people are even aware of its existence at one point in life. More or so less, the Bluff Springs School has been erased from peoples minds by having faded away with time. Austinites of yesteryear attended Bluff Springs School many years ago. As for the history of Bluff Springs White School…
In 1856, a community school called Rhina Branch School was established in the present day Bluff Springs community of Southeast Austin which borders the community of Dove Springs. Bluff Springs School was sometimes known as Rhina Branch School or Reyna Branch School. Bluff Springs School had a large enrollment of 52 students to 104 students and educated students in grades 1 through 8 in a one-room school house setting.
In 1866, Rhina Branch School was renamed to Bluff Springs School. By 1867 during the 1866-1867 school year, Bluff Springs School had 104 students attending school.
Through the schools’ history, Bluff Springs School (Bluff Springs White School) educated students in grades 1 through 8. After 8th grade, students transferred to Austin High School, Allan High School, St. Johns School, or Creedmoor High School to complete education.
Bluff Springs School had its own school district called School District 39 (Bluff Springs Common School District. That was established in 1921 during the 1921-1922 school year. By 1931, Bluff Springs School became an accredited school. Bluff Springs Common School District operated Bluff Springs School (Bluff Springs White School), Bluff Springs Negro School, and Bluff Springs Mexican School.
According to the 1932 Travis County Map, Bluff Springs School (Bluff Springs White School) was located at the intersection of Nuckols Crossing Road & Bluff Springs Road at the exact address of 9140 Nuckols Crossing Road, Austin, Texas, US 78744. Bluff Springs School was located at the intersection Nuckols Crossing Road & Bluff Springs Road where the name of Bluff Springs Road changes to Old Lockhart Road.
In 1932, There was three teachers for 52 students. Enrollment had been slowly declining however due to the Great Depression. More teachers, secretaries, and employees were added overtime during the 1930s.
8.38 acres of land were donated by Polk Shelton and Betty Thomson to Bluff Springs Common School District on January 31, 1945. The 8.38 acres of land were donated to W. T. Smith and M. B, Shirley, trustees of the Bluff Springs Common School District.
(Ref: Travis County Deed Records, Volume 754, Page 711)
(Ref: Travis County Deed Records, Volume 771, Page 36)
In 1952, Bluff Springs School was consolidated into Austin ISD and its building was sold to a private homeowner for which the schoolhouse still stands today. The Bluff Springs School building was sold in a bid auction in late 1952. The building would become what is now a private residence. Bluff Springs School was located at 9130 Nuckols Crossing Road, Austin, Texas, US 78744 until being relocated during a move to 9140 Nuckols Crossing Road less than 3 blocks away.
Today Bluff Springs School is now a private residence that has been converted into a home. Betty Thomson and Lauren Diane Thomson now own the building. Bluff Springs School is now located at 9140 Nuckols Crossing Road, Austin, Texas, US 78744.
As for the history of Bluff Springs Negro School…
The Medearis family came to Texas in 1850. George Medaris was a slave who belonged to slaveowner John Medaris. George Medaris was a slave who had an uncommon desire for education. Even before slavery was abolished, his slave owner, John Medaris, allowed George Medaris to purchase 1,000 acres at $2 an acre in the Bluff Springs area sometime in the 1850s. George gave the acreage for a school house and church along with a 7 acre cemetery on Rinnard Road (Rinard Road).
The Bluff Springs Negro School was operated in white house on Rinnard Road off Old Lockhart Highway from 1862 to 1952. Bluff Springs Negro School was a 1-8 school were grades 1 through 8 were taught.
There was a wood stove in the school and Mr. Medearis would bring in the wood and light the stove in the morning. He would take care of all of the stove’s needs.
Local history buffs Minnie Kincheon Overton and Erma Miller Williams taught at Bluff Springs Negro School in the 1930s. In 1932, There was three teachers for 52 students. Enrollment had been slowly declining however due to the Great Depression. Ms. Lucy Upshaw was the principal and teacher for Bluff Springs School. Miss Erma Miller Williams was the head teacher for Bluff Springs Negro School.
In 1934 during the 1934-1935 school year, Bluff Springs School had 52 students enrolled with an average daily attendance of 33 students. There was two teachers for 52 students. The cost per year was $650 on average. The rate for each student was $19.69 per student per year that was later increased to $20 per student.
In 1952, Bluff Springs Negro School was consolidated into Austin ISD and its building either sold to a private homeowner for or demolished when Texas Disposal Systems bought the land around Rinnard Road during the 1990s.
Rhina Branch School was not the same as Bluff Springs White School. Rhina Branch was the African American school, next to what has been called the Rinard Cemetery. Both the school and cemetery are near a small branch of nearby Rinard Creek. (On death certificates, it's also called Rhina, Rhyna, Rhyner, and Medearis Cemetery, among other names. Jacob Rinard, who owned property near there, was white. He died before 1850; he, his wife, and his children are buried elsewhere. African American families, including members of the Medearis family, moved there sometime after that.) (Reposted to correct typos.)
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing that out. We will write another news article in the future.
DeleteHello Susan- I am currently doing research on the Rinard Cemetery...do you have additional information you can share? Thank you!
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