Romana Street School is one of the lesser known schools of San Antonio, Texas. Hardly any history related to this school can be found or discovered anywhere. This news article will explore and explain the history behind Romana Street School.
The City of San Antonio bought some property on Romana Street for a school in 1877. Romana Street School was established as a public school in 1877 by San Antonio ISD and the City of San Antonio. Mrs. Jones was one of the first teachers who taught at Romana Street School until 1880. (Ref: The Texas History Teachers' Bulletin, Volumes 7-14)
[In 1877 the city bought some property on Romana Street and erected a more fully equipped building. Here Mrs. Jones taught until 1880. She became the first principal of the San Antonio public schools. Thus ended the work of these two "Yankee School Marms," as the people of San Antonio called them in the early days.]
Romana Street School was re-established as a public school in 1892 by San Antonio ISD to serve primary grades and secondary grades similar to how Center Street School did. Romana Street School would open again in late 1892 during the 1892-1893 school year on the Main Avenue High School property. The school building was original 2 stories. A third story was later constructed on top of the school to accommodate the growing student population. The floor on top of the second floor (2nd floor) was the third floor (3rd floor). Romana Street School was a 3-story building by 1893. There were windows on all sides. Romana Street School was known as Romana Street School No. 1 then.
The student population was 45% white and 55% Hispanic. The school was regarded as a “Mexican school” due to the high Hispanic population. Rates of enrollment at this school were very high.
Romana Street School was located directly across the street from Main Avenue High School on Main Avenue near Romana Street. Romana Street School was connected to Main Avenue High School at one point in time.
Romana Street School was comfortably filled in 1904 due to the new buildings and additions that were constructed that year. A single story building facing south of Romana Street was constructed that year. (Ref: A Twentieth Century History of Southwest Texas, Volume 1)
“The additions and new buildings are comfortably filled, and we are obliged to maintain half-day sessions in Schools No. 1 (Romana Street), No. 2 (Marshall Street), No. 3 (Avenue E), No. 4 (Mason Street), No. 8 (San Fernando Street), No. 12 (Starr Street).”
The single story building facing south of Romana Street was the manual training building for Romana Street School. This building provided vocational education training for minors. Professional training was offered at the manual training for Romana Street School. This building was bounded Efron’s lot and Main Avenue High School. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=dxMzAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA4-PA42&lpg=RA4-PA42&dq=%22Romana+Street%22+School%22)
Romana Street School needed room for expansion by 1907. So the Efron property located on Romana Street was purchased in 1908 by San Antonio ISD for the purpose of establishing a school. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/30932004/)
The school stopped appearing on maps after 1922. Romana Street School closed down sometime in 1923 around the 1923-1924 school year. The exact reasons as to why Romana Street School closed down are highly unknown and remain unknown.
A Sanborn map from 1924 shows Romana Street School as "San Antonio High School" at 637 Main Avenue. 1924 was the year Romana Street School was incorporated into San Antonio High School. (Ref: https://digital.utsa.edu/digital/collection/p9020coll008/id/4151/)
The campus of Fox Technical High School changed drastically during 1977. This included the Romana Street School. Romana Street would no longer be used as a public road and was turned into a sidewalk for the campus. Romana Street would also be used for utility easement purposes beginning in 1977. Only a 20 foot portion of Romana Street would be kept as a public road. The building for Romana Street School remained untouched for the most part. (Ref: Bexar County Plat Book 8000, Page 74)
The campus of Fox Technical High School changed drastically during the 2000s. This included the Romana Street School. New easements were installed under the building which had once served as Romana Street School in the middle of 2001. Romana Street would continue until turning right at Jackson Street at a sharp 75ยบ degree angle. However most of Romana Street had not been used as a public road since 1976. (Ref: Bexar County Plat Book 9551, Page 120)
A gas pipeline was installed underneath the building which had previously served as Romana Street School in the year of 2001. Romana Street would be turned into a sidewalk and be used for utility easement purposes. A sewer easement and electric line were installed during the summer of 2001. (Ref: Bexar County Plat Book 9551, Page 122)
Romana Street School would incorporated into Fox Technical High School (Fox Tech High School) during the early winter of 2002. This included both buildings.
Today Romana Street School serves as the San Antonio Day Care Center right behind the music hall for Fox Technical High School. The other building which once served as Romana Street School has since been incorporated into Fox Technical High School (Fox Tech High School). That building is a 2 story building located north of the main building.
Romana Street School was located at 216 West Romana Street, San Antonio, Texas, US 78205. The original address for Romana Street School was 637 North Main Avenue, San Antonio, Texas, US 78205
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