History of Carlson School explored again.

Carlson School is one of the forgotten schools of Manor, Manda, and Travis County. Only so much history about this school has been documented. Manda had 2 school which served Carlson. These 2 schools were Carlson Primary School and Carlson High School. This news article will explain the history behind Carlson School.

Carlson School was first built in 1881 to serve the Manda Common School District. Miss Mitchell was one of the first teachers to have taught students at Carlson School. Her teaching career at Carlson School lasted from years 1881 to 1900. L. C. Nelson and K. H. Eklund were the school’s trustees. Mrs. Bert Nanguson served as the principal. Students who lived in Manor, Coupland, Lund, and Manda attended this school. Carlson School was a 1-7 where grades 1st through 7th were taught.

Miss Edna Slaughter taught the school in 1900. Miss Edna Slaughter was a strict school teacher who expected students to work hard during the school year. She did mete out corporal punishment when needed. Miss Edna Slaughter was strict and stern with her students. Students were often reprimanded if they were to get out of line with their behavior. She accepted no flaw from students in their own classwork. (Ref: The Defender, 1936)

A newer school building was built in 1907 that 76 ft x 24 ft in size. Construction to build the school took less than a year. The new school building replaced the old school building. The old school building was demolished in 1907. The original 1881 Carlson School was demolished. (Ref: The Defender, 1935)

Carlson Primary School and Carlson High School were located on the same campus in 1922. Carlson Primary School was located next to Carlson High School in adjacent lot. Both schools were 20 feet apart in length. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/384515802/)

Carlson Primary School and Carlson High School would often receive high acclaim and accolades during clean-up campaigns reported by the Austin American Statesman. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/384515802/)

Carlson School had an attendance rate of 41 students in 1934. Average daily attendance was 32 students per day. There was one teacher for 41 students. The cost per year for student was $11.68 per year on average. 120 days was the average school semester. The teachers who taught got paid for six months. (Ref: https://www.traviscountytx.gov/images/historical_commission/Doc/Histroical_Reports/african-american-settlement-survey_report.pdf)

The 1930s is when Carlson School became a 1-8 where grades 1st through 8th were taught. Students who wanted to complete their high school education past the 8th grade had to go into town in Manor, Texas. 9th grade was taught here for a short period in the mid 1930s. However that didn’t last long due to shortages in funding.

Officials announced plans to shut down Carlson High School in 1940 during the 1940-1941 school year due to a lack of funding and school district consolidation with Willow Ranch School, Elm Grove School, and Willow Ranch School.

Carlson High School was shut down in 1941 during the 1941-1942 school year due to a lack of funding. High school students attending Carlson High School were conveyed by bus to attend Manor High School and Manor Rural High School. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/358460372/)

1947 is Carlson School was consolidated into Manor ISD. 1951 was the year Carlson School was sold to a private homeowner. 2 private homes had since been built next to the former Carlson School campus by 1964. The original Carlson School has been demolished and no longer intact. Remnants of this school are no longer in tact. An empty field of green grass took over where Carlson School once was.

Carlson School was located at the intersection of Manda Carlson Road & Lund - Carlson Road, Manor, Texas, US 78653.