Hunters Bend School is and was one of the lesser known schools of Austin, Del Valle, and Travis County. Not too much history can be found out about this school online or offline. This news article will explain and explore the history behind Hunters Bend School. Hunters Bend School is one of the many forgotten negro schools of Austin and Travis County that has wiped away from time and people’s minds.
Hunters Bend School was established as a negro school for African American students sometime around 1859 on Hunters Bend Road in Austin, Texas. The school building was a one-story wooden frame building. Hunters Bend School was also known as Hunter’s Bend School which has/had been historically referred to as a “colored school” and a “negro school”. Teachers such as Mrs. A. V. Johnson, Hiram Sneed, and Melvine Roland taught students at Hunters Bend School during the 19th century and 20th century.
Hunters Bend School was operated by Hornsby-Dunlap Common School District. The school never had its own school district.
Hunters Bend School was huge on about baseball. Hunters Bend School has boasted a baseball team in the early 20th century. Most of their baseball games were held at Wheeler's grove. However Hunters Bend School would play against Webbervile School constantly because the two schools were located near each other in terms of proximity. There were a handful of clubs representing Hunter's Bend.
(Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/366630345/)
(Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/357506095/)
By the 1920s, Hunters Bend School had nurses that would visit the school on a monthly basis. There would be two nurses dispatched to Hunters Bend School. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/357628242/)
The Boy Scouts would collect magazines the county superintendent to be distributed to the rural schools in Travis County during the 1920s. Hunters Bend was one of those schools the Boy Scouts collected magazines for. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/366348049/)
“Magazines The magazines which the Boy Scouts collected for the superintendent to be distributed to the rural schools, together with other magazines brought to this office or collected by this office, are being received by the rural children and teachers. Magazines this term have been distributed to Cloud, Colorado, Garfield, Pilot Knob, Creedmoor, Manchaca, Pflugerville, Johnson, Oak Hill, Hamilton Pool, Govalle, St John (colored), Hornsby-Dunlap (colored), Colorado No. 2 (colored), Hunter's Bend, Manchaca.”
Hunters Bend School was one of the 11 negro schools that closed during the 1927-1928 school year. It was stated Saturday by County school superintendent Mrs. George H. Felter announced that Hunters Bend School was forced to close from a lack of money. Funding had been cut. (Ref: Austin American, Travis Schools Started Closing 3 Weeks Ago, 1927)
Hunters Bend School would reopen in 1930 after Hornsby-Dunlap Common School District received enough funding. The Austin American newspaper reported that the condition of Hunters Bend School was satisfactory. County school superintendent Mrs. George Felter made a visit to this school and several others in 1930. County school superintendent Mrs. George Felter would often visit Hunters Bend School. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/366240182/)
By 1931, Hunters Bend School was one out of the handful of negro schools which were classified as 7 grade schools which educated students in grades 1 through 7. Hunters Bend School educated students in grades 1 through 7. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/385808331/)
“All except three of the negro schools were classified as seventh grade schools. They are Summitt, Fiskville, Gregg, Sprinkle, Govalle, New Sweden, Willow Ranch, Carlson, Richland, Kimbro, Cottonwood, Gravel Hill, Webberville, Hornsby-Dunlap, Hunter's Bend, Colorado No. 1 and 2. Dry Creek, Pleasant Hill, Bluff Springs, Carl. Creedmoor, St. Elmo, Pecan Springs, Elroy, J. B. Norwood, Pilot Knob and Maha.”
Hunters Bend School began offering classes for adult education starting in 1934. Classes were held by a group of 40 teachers employed by the CWA. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/385871869/)
Hunters Bend School stopped appearing on maps by 1942. The school consolidated into Webberville Negro School in 1943. All wooden buildings were demolished within the same year. No trace of the school remains today as a subdivision has built over the campus.
Hunters Bend School was located on Hunters Bend Road in Austin, Texas, US 78725.
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