North Beach School aka North Beach Elementary School is one of the lesser known and forgotten schools of Corpus Christi, Texas. Only so much history and information has been archived on documentation. This news article will explain the history behind North Beach School.
North Beach School was established as an elementary school called North Beach Elementary School by Corpus Christi ISD in 1940. North Beach School was built and constructed using WPA funds. Basically North Beach School was a WPA project. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/23677895/)
1941 is when North Beach School would open. North Beach Elementary School was opened to relieve overcrowding at David Hirsch School (Hirsch School). Students attending Hirsch School were transferred to North Beach Elementary School. David Hirsch School would not stay open for too long after North Beach Elementary School opened. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27640428/)
“The new North Beach Elementary School is also expected to be completed in about 10 days and will soon be ready for occupancy. North Beach children who are now attending David Hirsch School will be transferred to the new building.”
There were approximately 120 students enrolled at North Beach Elementary School in 1941. Corpus Christi ISD expected such high enrollment and attendance. This school could meet the demand for the rapidly increasing number of school children attending classes. North Beach School was a 1-4 school where students in grades 1 through 4 were educated. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Approximately 120 Students Enrolled At North Beach, Tuesday, February 11, 1941)
[Classes at one new city school were started this morning and preparations were being made for opening another tomorrow, following acceptance of the two recently completed buildings by the school board at its regular meeting hist night. The new North Beach Elementary School, located on Timon Boulevard, was opened this morning, with approximately 120 students in attendance. All of the students were moved to the new building from David Hirsch School.]
[The new North Beach School has four rooms, four grades and four teachers, according to Freeman Martin, principal. Transferring 120 students from David Hirsch will reduce the size of classes there, which in some instances has been as high as 70 students per class. In the past, 10 teachers have been doing the normal work of 18 with addition of four teachers at North Beach.]
James A. Howry was a principal at North Beach School for 4 years. He came to North Beach School after receiving his master’s degree. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=31651007)
North Beach Kiwanis Club began buying parts of the North Beach School property out from Corpus Christi ISD starting in 1947. They would eventually buy out the whole campus later on before selling it to the City of Corpus Christi. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/22252529/)
[The Kiwanis Field at North Beach School on Timon is wearing the final stages of planned development. A project of the North Beach Kiwanis Club and the City Recreation Department, the park doubles as a school play area. A shelter and a shuffleboard court are planned for the space behind the sign. 'Softball, basketball and volleyball courts already are in use.]
[North Beach Kiwanis Club, which began buying the park at North Beach School with the idea of making it into a play area for their children. The city offered its help. The result today is a highly developed park which draws young and old. In the past year at the park a street which halved the area has been closed and baseball, tennis, basketball and volley ball court's have been constructed. The seating capacity of the old ball park has been enlarged and the entire grounds have been sodded. Playground equipment was purchased by the Kiwanis club. When a shelter and a shuffleboard court are completed, the park will be fully developed.]
The building located on North Beach Kiwanis Park adjoining North Beach School was purchased by the North Beach Kiwanis Club in 1951. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/23941189/)
“The building located on North Beach Kiwanis Park adjoining North Beach School, on Timon Boulevard, will contain a large recreation room. Another room to be used primarily by Boy Scouts, rest rooms, and a small storeroom. Sidewalks are being constructed.”
However the school did not operate without any issues or incidents. Burglary, heating issues, and misplaced priorities were some of the problems this school had to deal with.
The school had trouble keeping students warm in the winter. The school closed for a day in 1951 because the school had trouble keeping students warm during that winter. Heating issues is one of the issues this school had faced when in operation. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/23943396/)
“Only one building, the North Beach Elementary School, was closed. The building could not be warmed sufficiently and pupils were dismissed. Efforts will be made to have it warmer tomorrow.”
School trustees would often be dissatisfied when any additional rooms were added to North Beach School. This was because their focus was shifted onto the construction of other facilities.
A two-room addition was to added on to North Beach School in November of 1952 because “The board also authorized the calling of bids to be opened Nov. 2 on a two-room addition to North Beach School.” However this did not happen quick enough as not enough bidders took the bid. Plus school trustees were focused on expansion projects of other facilities. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/21967331/)
Eventually at some point a two-room addition was added on to North Beach School in November of 1952. “The board also authorized the calling of bids to be opened Nov. 2 on a two-room addition to North Beach School.” Hinchberger Construction Co. was the low bidder responsible for the construction of two classrooms at North Beach School on Tuesday, December 2, 1952. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/21977658/)
However school trustees expressed dissatisfaction with all the bids submitted on a two-room addition to the North Beach School. They refused at least for the time being, to accept any of the bids they were constructing Orlon Yard. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/21974550/)
“School trustees, meeting last night, expressed dissatisfaction with all bids submitted on a two-room addition to North Beach School. They refused, at least for the time being, to accept any of the bids because they were constructing Orlon Yard, he adds, there will be a solution, to the bottleneck. It was estimated the North Beach building could be put up for loess than $14,000.”
Eventually North Beach Elementary School was expanded for a cost of $30,000 dollars in 1953. This was done as part of Corpus Christi ISD’s expansion projects. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/24254442/)
North Beach School was a constant target for burglary as burglars would often hit up this school and take several belongings which belonged to students and faculty. This school had been burglarized more than thrice.
A group known as the "Three Aces" burglarized North Beach Elementary School in 1953. Ironically they took nothing from the school. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/24231498/)
“Police reported that the arrests made yesterday broke up a group known as the "Three Aces" which has committed at least 10 burglaries in the North Beach area. The lead on the case came, early yesterday morning: after Patrolmen K. C. Cranfield and J. J. Arisman arrested a 20-year-old youth for breaking a window at the Breakwater Lounge, 2910 North Shoreline. When the youth was questioned by Detectives Tom Goates and Cliff Hamil, he told them the names of three teenagers involved in the gang. A 19-year-old youth and the 13-year-old boy were arrested later in the day by the detectives. Goates reported that the boys said their tenth and last burglary as a group was at North Beach Elementary School Thursday night. They said they entered the building by breaking a pane from a door but took nothing from the school.”
Some burglars took two radios from North Beach School in the night of Tuesday, March 16, 1954. Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported about the burglary the next day in a news article titled “Burglars Take Two Radios From School”. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Burglars Take Two Radios From School, Tuesday, March 16, 1954)
“Burglars who broke into North Beach School last night stole two table model radios from the office and drank seven bottles of chocolate milk taken from a refrigerator in the storeroom. They broke a window to enter and cut a hole in the door to get into the storeroom, said Detective Sgt. Gene Milton and Detective W. G. Peter, who investigated. Detectives also investigated the theft of several items from the car of Patrolman J. C. Whidden. The car was entered while Whidden was attending police school.”
According to Corpus Christi Caller-Times, three suspects were arrested after a burglary was reported at North Beach School in 1961. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/22071876/)
North Beach School was recommended to be shut down by school officials in 1956 due to scheduling conflicts with half-day periods. However that did not happen due to the high attendance rate. Sixth graders were now attending classes at Hirsch School by 1956 as reported by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. This was done to relieve overcrowding. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27792022/)
Miss Joyce Ingle's fourth grade class at North Beach School constructed a 9-foot Dutch village on the date of Friday, February 20, 1959. News about the construction of this 9-foot Dutch village made headline news on the Corpus Christi Caller-Times under the caption of “FOURTH GRADERS BUILD VILLAGE” (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, FOURTH GRADERS BUILD VILLAGE, Page 25, Friday, February 20, 1959)
“Cereal boxes made into houses and paper cups shaped as windmills, Miss Joyce Ingle's fourth grade class at North Beach School has constructed a Dutch village. The 9-foot city of cheese factories and dog carts is part of the class' unit study of Holland. They constructed the village in three days. Feature characteristics of the city include clay dog, cart, a Dutch airport, a school, store, a market, warehouses and tulip beds. A watercolor mural depicting blue sky hangs on the wall as background for the brightly colored city. The pupils in the picture arc Pete Garcia, 11 and Thelma Rogers, 10.”
Corpus Christi ISD shut down North Beach School sometime before 1970. Exactly when is unknown. The Kiwanis Club managed the property for a number of years. 
Corpus Christi ISD sold the North Beach School property to the City of Corpus Christi in 2008 on a special warranty deed. Some of the original buildings had been demolished and renovated over the years. (Ref: https://propaccess.trueautomation.com/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=75&prop_id=202106)
Today only the gym and administration building remain of North Beach School. Kiwanis Park is now in its place today. (Ref: https://propaccess.trueautomation.com/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=75&prop_id=202106)
North Beach School was located at 3922 Timon Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas, US 78402. The original address for North Beach School was 4100 Timon Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas, US 78402. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/22084888/)
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