Marshall Ford School is one the many forgotten schools of Austin and Travis County. Not too much history is known about this school. Not too much history of this school has been preserved in documentation offline or online. This news article will explain the history behind Marshall Ford School. Marshall Ford School was also known as Marshall Ford Dam School.
Marshall Ford School was built because the construction of Marshall Dam brought an influx of workers and their families to the area near the dam site and necessitated the need for construction of a school building for the dam worker’s children.
Construction for Marshall Ford School started on September 1, 1937. This school was located parallel between Mansfield Dam and FM 620. The school building was built for use by dam workers' children. The news made headlines in the Austin American newspaper under the caption of STATE OKEHS MARSHALL FORD DAM SCHOOL FUND BOOST. Marshall Ford School was part of the Nichols School District and had a few of their students sent to Nichols School while construction was in progress. McKenzie Construction Company worked on building the dam and Marshall Ford School. (Ref: Austin American, STATE OKEHS MARSHALL FORD DAM SCHOOL FUND BOOST, Page 10, Wednesday, September 1, 1937)
“Building Is Ready Start of the Marshall Ford Dam brought an influx of workers and their families to the area near the dam site and necessitated the emergency census in order to obtain state funds or operation of a new school at the dam site. The regular census taken last, spring showed a total of only 40 scholastics in the Nichols District. The school building, for use of dam workers' children, already has been constructed and equipped by Brown and Root, Inc., and McKenzie Construction company, contractors on the dam. Mr. Popham's estimate of the $2,178 additional funds to be received was based on the $22 per capita allotment set recently by the slate board of education.”
Mrs. Gibbons Poteet was one of the teachers for Marshall Ford School. Mrs. Walton Poteet was the principal. A. R. Hibbetts was the second principal of the Marshall Ford School.
Marshall Ford School would officially open its doors and start its first class on the date of September 9, 1938. The Austin American newspaper boasted about the high attendance rate of this school. An news article titled MARSHALL FORD SCHOOL OPENS SEPT. 19 was printed in the Austin American newspaper (Ref: Austin American, Page 7, Saturday, September 10, 1938)
“MARSHALL FORD SCHOOL OPENS SEPT. 19 MARSHALL FORD, Sept 9. School will open here Sept. 19 with Mrs. Walton Poteet as principal and Mrs. John Crawford as primary teacher. The building wag erected and opened for classes in September 1937, having an attendance of around 75 pupils for the term. An increase in attendance is expected for the 1938-39 school year.”
Marshall Ford School had an enrollment of 83 students in 1938. So close to 100 students were attending Marshall Ford School by 1939.
Marshall Ford School had a student citizenship club called Marshall Ford Club. This club had several committees. This made news in an Austin newspaper. (Ref: Austin American, Page 3, Thursday, October 27, 1938)
Marshall Ford Club Selects Its Officers Special to The Austin American
MARSHALL FORD, Oct. 26. Students of Marshall Ford school have effected organization of a citizenship club. Officers are: Hoy Burns, president; Bill Henderson, vice president; Jeanette Meyer, secretary; Mary Jack Robuck, treasurer; Lyle Smith, reporter. Committees are: Entertainment committee, Betty Jean Clancy, Marion Meyer, Lavern Hudson, C. W. Fulks; good manners committee, Mollie Kirby, Bill Clancy, Jr., Marvin Estes, Joan Darnell; safety first committee, Kenneth Yancy, Robbie Frietag, Mildred Benoit, Vera Wilson: thrift committee. Katherine Kirby. Lola Bee Nicholson, Orville McFarland, Jean Darnell; character study committee, James Roy Nicholson. Georgia Davis. Francis Weaver, Hershfll McFarland.
(Ref: Austin American, Page 3, Thursday, October 27, 1938)
Travis County Schools superintendent I. W. Popham talked briefly about an increase of students at Marshall Ford Dam during the past year in an article printed in the Austin American newspaper under the heading of “School Closed For Two Years Is To Re-Open Pleasant Grove And Decker Schools Are Abandoned for Year”. (Ref: Austin American, Page 15, Friday, September 6, 1940)
“During the past year, Mr. Popham said, an increase of pupils has been noted at Marshall Ford Dam School and at Colorado School, the latter located near the Montopolis area. A new bus will be operated this year from Marshall Ford dam to bring about 15 students to high schools in Austin.”
Marshall Ford School was a 1-8 school which taught students in grades 1 through 8 in 1940. High school students attended the high schools in Austin. This school never educated high school students.
Enrollment had dropped at Marshall Ford School in 1942. That was due to the end of construction of the Colorado River Dam (Mansfield Dam). Clearly that was the bulk of the loss of enrollment at Marshall Ford School. Marshall Ford School lost at least 100 students.
(Ref: Austin American, Page 12, Monday, September 7, 1942)
“Enrollment Drops In Travis Schools Travis County school enrollment declined by 115 students last year as compared with the Receding year. The bulk of the loss resulting from the completion of work at Marshall Ford Dam, County Supt. I. W. Popham has reported. The scholastic census for 1942 showed a total of 23,085 school-age boys and girls enrolled. The preceding year at the same time, 23,200 were enrolled. Nearly all this loss can be attributed to the end of construction at the Colorado River dam, the Marshall Ford School losing at least 100 pupils. Meanwhile the city of Austin remained almost stationary in population, with a gain of only 99 students in the Austin independent school district, according to the summary of scholastic census sent to the county superintendent by John Olson, director of school census for the state department of education.”
So the Nichols School District shut down the school in 1943. Now what happened to the building remains unknown.
Marshall Ford School was located near 4358 Ranch Road 620 North, Austin, Texas, US 78732.
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