Three Bottom Island School is one of the forgotten schools of Del Valle and Travis County. Only so much history has been documented and preserved about this school. Both offline and online. This news article will explain and explore the history of this school. Three Bottom Island School was also known as Three Island School too. 
Three Bottom Island School was located somewhere near Three Island Road (3 Island Road) & Fallwell Lane in Del Valle, Texas. The school was built sometime in the late 1870s on land owned by J. N. Littlepage and had its own school district called Three Bottom Island School District/Three Island School District. Teachers were paid $40 per month. Miss Mae Wilson taught all classes. There was one principal for the whole school.
Austin Weekly Statesman announced Three Island Bottom School may be consolidated with the Colorado School and the Colorado Common School District in the near future in 1908. Students of Three Island Bottom School would be transferred to the Colorado School on Old Austin-Del Valle Road. (Ref: Austin Weekly Statesman, Page 5, Wednesday, June 17, 1908)
CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS IN COUNTY THREE ISLAND BOTTOM DISTRICT MAY COMBINE WITH COLORADO SCHOOL OAK HILL AND LONGVIEW MAY UNITE.
“W. T. Fallwell of the Three Island Bottom School District in the bend of the river below Del Valle was in the city yesterday and called on County Superintendent Hartman to discuss school matters relating to this district with a view to providing further opportunities for the children of that district. This district has a very small enrollment of white pupils, the total attendance last year having been night pupils, which were at school at a cost of $30 per child, on basis of enrollment, or $40 per child on basis of average daily attendance. This was first proposed to erect a new school house on the macadamized road, two miles from the present site, but a better plan than this has been proposed and is finding favor with the patrons. This plan proposes to consolidate this district with the Colorado district, where two teachers are employed and where three teachers could be employed if consolidation were effected. To make this plan feasible it will be necessary to macadamize two miles of road, which will be done during the present summer and fall and the pupils of the former school district will be transferred to the Colorado School.”
The idea of Colorado School, Three Island Bottom School, and Cloud School was brought to discussion in 1909. This was an effort to have a high school construction closer to home that way students would not have to travel so far to attend school. The Colorado Common School District did not have a high school at that time. High school students attended school in Austin at Austin High School. Colorado Common School District did not have a graded school until 1921. (Ref: Austin Weekly Statesman, SCHOOLS MAY CONSOLIDATE THREE DISTRICTS COMBINED COULD HAVE HIGH SCHOOL Page 2, Wednesday, June 9, 1909)
SCHOOLS MAY CONSOLIDATE THREE DISTRICTS COMBINED COULD HAVE HIGH SCHOOL
Leading Citizens of Colorado, Three Island Bottom and Cloud School Districts Appear Favorable to the Proposition
The subject for discussion was the consolidation of the Colorado, Three Island Bottom, and Cloud School District, to erect a six-room brick or concrete school house near where the Colorado School House now stands and establish a graded school there. It is estimated that the parents of the school have and will in the near future have children ready for the high school. This will save thousands of dollars by having a high school right at home, and besides many children whose parents could not afford to send them to the high school will have an “opportunity of attending the high school” there. The children in the lower grades will, however, enjoy the superior advantage of a graded school. These schools now employ five teachers altogether, so that a five-teacher school will be ran and maintained without additional expense. All of those present expressed themselves unanimously in favor of the proposition. It was derided to appoint a committee of twenty of the citizens to canvass the district. In order to win approval for the plan. The committee will meet at the Colorado School House in several weeks in order to organize.
Three Island Bottom School and its school district ended up being consolidated into Colorado School and the Colorado Common School District in 1912. Students of Three Island Bottom School were transferred to the Colorado School on Old Austin-Del Valle Road to complete their education.
Three Bottom Island School was located somewhere near Three Island Road (3 Island Road) & Fallwell Lane in Del Valle, Texas, US 78617.
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