History Of Schools In Aldine ISD

[billyf]

I grew up in the Aldine area in the Northline Terrace subdivision near Gulf Bank Rd and Sweetwater. I attended Inez Carroll elementary on Raymac Street as well as Aldine High School. Inez Carroll at one time was known as one of the best elementary schools in Texas. I just discovered last week that the old Inez Carroll building was torn down. It appears to have happened about 4 years a go now. It's pretty sad that everything I remember about that school is gone.

It got me wondering when the different schools were built and what additions have been added to the schools over the years. Here is what I remember about the school when I first started attending it in 1981. I remember they expanded the library around 1982 (I remember the contruction). I remember in 1st grade they removed the old radiator from the classrooms as they were not used anymore. Looking at different aerials of the school it looks like they added the chiller and cooling tower sometime between 1964 and 1973. I wonder what it was like not having A/C before then. They also added a wing on the back of the school between 1957 and 1964 and added new front and side section to the school between 1964 and 1973 which included expanding the cafeteria. It looks like the gym was added between 1973 and 1981. I remember the walls in the main hallways were redone in the early 80s. They moved the school to Gulf bank between Sweetwater and Airline in the late 90s.

Areal of the school in 1957

Areal from 2002 before it was demolished.

The front of the school scanned from my class picture.

Here is what it looks like now.

What I was wondering is when was this school built? I have been told it was built sometime in the early 1950s.

If anyone knows the history of any of the schools in the Aldine Independent School District lets discuss it here. I have read the thread about Aldine High School being built on the site of the Gulf Coast Airport after Marrs High School Burnt down on Thanksgiving.

Edited December 1, 2008 by billyf

[cosmic08]

Wasn't this school located in front of an Aldine ISD softball field? If so, that's the elementary school that was torn down due to massive flood damage after Allison I believe. It wasn't torn down right after Allison, but soon after because it was never fully repaired.

[billyf]

Wasn't this school located in front of an Aldine ISD softball field? If so, that's the elementary school that was torn down due to massive flood damage after Allison I believe. It wasn't torn down right after Allison, but soon after because it was never fully repaired.

No this school was located between W MT Houston and West RD and between Airline and Sweetwater at 222 Raymac. At far as I know this this area is not in the 100 year flood plain (very close though). It became W T Hall High School after they moved the elementary school on Gulf Bank. Not sure when W T Hall moved as I no longer live on the northside.

Edited December 3, 2008 by billyf

[cosmic08]

Oh ok, gotcha. I spoke with a friend of mine who went to Carroll (I'm an old northsider too) and she said that this school also closed due to Allison damage.

[Firebird65]

I grew up in the Aldine area in the Northline Terrace subdivision near Gulf Bank Rd and Sweetwater. I attended Inez Carroll elementary on Raymac Street as well as Aldine High School. Inez Carroll at one time was known as one of the best elementary schools in Texas. I just discovered last week that the old Inez Carroll building was torn down. It appears to have happened about 4 years a go now. It's pretty sad that everything I remember about that school is gone.

It got me wondering when the different schools were built and what additions have been added to the schools over the years.

Inez Carroll Elementary opened in 1953 to service the growing area just north of Halls Bayou. The school was named for an early educator in the Aldine district. She died around 1948. I accidentally came across her obituary in t he Houston Chronicle one day, but didn't bother to print it, so I can't give you any details about her. The school was very near the site of the Brubaker School, at Blue Bell and Airline, which was one of the first area schools (predating the creation of Aldine ISD in 1935). Inez Carroll Elementary was destroyed by Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.

Here are the opening dates of the Aldine ISD schools within today's Aldine High School attendance zone. There are other schools assigned to the zone, but I only researched the opening dates of the campuses physically located inside Aldine High's zone:

Early Childhood/Pre-K

Jerry Keeble - 1999

Academies

Carroll Academy for International Studies - 1998

Elementary Schools

Inez Carroll - 1953

Ralph Goodman (nee Hidden Valley) - 1964

Evelyn Thompson - 1971

Kenneth Black - 1989

Thomas Gray - 1989

Doug Bussey - 2003

Intermediates

Stelhik - 1994

Junior Highs

Thomas Stovall - 1964

Ninth grade schools

Aldine - 1999

High schools

Aldine - 1956

Aldine ISD's website, and those of their schools, are just horrible. Not just in terms of current information about the schools, but about the histories too. You can call the main office and the public affairs officer will tell you whatever you want to know, but why they don't put anything about their history on their websites is beyond me. Houston ISD does this for all their schools. If HISD can do it, why not AISD?

Aldine ISD's 75th anniversary is coming up in 2010. I wonder if they have anything planned? They had a big to-do back in 1985 on the 50th anniversary.

I went to Hidden Valley Elementary and Aldine High (went to a private school for junior high). I also grew up in Northline Terrace. I was supposed to go to Inez Carroll for kindergarten, but Carroll's program was full, so they sent me to Hidden Valley instead. I never switched to Carroll, going to Hidden Valley all the way to 5th grade. No one ever asked why I was going to the wrong school.

As I went to a private junior high, I actually never went to school with any of the kids from Northline Terrace until I went to Aldine High.

I've written a history of the area and of Aldine's football team. The area history includes dates of when most of the area's major businesses started, when neighborhoods and apartment complexes opened, and when all the big roads came into being. Looks like someone used at least part of it to update Aldine ISD's wikipedia page. Not that I mind. The football part has every Mustang game score and highlights, going back to the very first game against La Porte in 1936.

If you want a copy of the 2007 version (I'm not finished with 2008, not that it was a memorable season anyway), e-mail me at aldinefootball@sbcglobal.net.

Edited December 11, 2008 by Firebird65

[cosmic08]

Inez Carroll Elementary opened in 1953 to service the growing area just north of Halls Bayou. The school was named for an early educator in the Aldine district. She died around 1948. I accidentally came across her obituary in t he Houston Chronicle one day, but didn't bother to print it, so I can't give you any details about her. The school was very near the site of the Brubaker School, at Blue Bell and Airline, which was one of the first area schools (predating the creation of Aldine ISD in 1935). Inez Carroll Elementary was destroyed by Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.

Here are the opening dates of the Aldine ISD schools within today's Aldine High School attendance zone. There are other schools assigned to the zone, but I only researched the opening dates of the campuses physically located inside Aldine High's zone:

Early Childhood/Pre-K

Jerry Keeble - 1999

Academies

Carroll Academy for International Studies - 1998

Elementary Schools

Inez Carroll - 1953

Ralph Goodman (nee Hidden Valley) - 1964

Evelyn Thompson - 1971

Kenneth Black - 1989

Thomas Gray - 1989

Doug Bussey - 2003

Intermediates

Stelhik - 1994

Junior Highs

Thomas Stovall - 1964

Ninth grade schools

Aldine - 1999

High schools

Aldine - 1956

Aldine ISD's website, and those of their schools, are just horrible. Not just in terms of current information about the schools, but about the histories too. You can call the main office and the public affairs officer will tell you whatever you want to know, but why they don't put anything about their history on their websites is beyond me. Houston ISD does this for all their schools. If HISD can do it, why not AISD?

Aldine ISD's 75th anniversary is coming up in 2010. I wonder if they have anything planned? They had a big to-do back in 1985 on the 50th anniversary.

I went to Hidden Valley Elementary and Aldine High (went to a private school for junior high). I also grew up in Northline Terrace. I was supposed to go to Inez Carroll for kindergarten, but Carroll's program was full, so they sent me to Hidden Valley instead. I never switched to Carroll, going to Hidden Valley all the way to 5th grade. No one ever asked why I was going to the wrong school.

As I went to a private junior high, I actually never went to school with any of the kids from Northline Terrace until I went to Aldine High.

I've written a history of the area and of Aldine's football team. The area history includes dates of when most of the area's major businesses started, when neighborhoods and apartment complexes opened, and when all the big roads came into being. Looks like someone used at least part of it to update Aldine ISD's wikipedia page. Not that I mind. The football part has every Mustang game score and highlights, going back to the very first game against La Porte in 1936.

If you want a copy of the 2007 version (I'm not finished with 2008, not that it was a memorable season anyway), e-mail me at aldinefootball@sbcglobal.net.

Wow - thanks Firebird! Lots of interesting northside info!

[Firebird65]

Wow - thanks Firebird! Lots of interesting northside info!

Here's some more info I've dug up.

Pre-Aldine ISD schools (prior to 1935)

Primary Schools (Grades 1-7)

Aldine (1910) (Replaced by Marrs in 1932 and destroyed in 1948)

Brubaker (between 1910 and 1920)

Higgs

Westfield

Secondary Schools (Grades 8-9)

Hartwell

Aldine ISD schools (after 1935)

Elementary Schools

Marrs (not to be confused with Marrs High. Today it's the Lane Center) (1932)

Kathryn Smith (now an HISD school)

Colonial Hills (1967)

Junior Highs

Aldine (1956)

Ninth Grade Schools

Two opened in 1999 and two in 2000. Don't know yet which ones go with each year.

High Schools

Marrs (aka Aldine) (1936)

Carver (1942)

Carver (current campus) (1954)

Aldine (current campus) (1956)

MacArthur (1965)

Eisenhower (1972)

Nimitz (1978)

Marrs High was expanded in 1939 and 1953. The school opened in September 1936 with J.E. Borden as principal.

Aldine High was expanded in 1959, 1971 (approx), and 1992 (approx).

AISD total enrollment

1939 - 1,100

1945 - 3,000

1952 - 5,000

1959 - 8,600

1965 - 15,000

1975 - 33,000

1985 - 36,000

1991 - 41,000

2005 - 56,000

In 1977, the district was 72% white, 15% black and 13% Hispanic. 25 years later, in 2002, the district was 56% Hispanic, 33% black and 8% white.

[billyf]

Inez Carroll Elementary opened in 1953 to service the growing area just north of Halls Bayou. The school was named for an early educator in the Aldine district. She died around 1948. I accidentally came across her obituary in t he Houston Chronicle one day, but didn't bother to print it, so I can't give you any details about her. The school was very near the site of the Brubaker School, at Blue Bell and Airline, which was one of the first area schools (predating the creation of Aldine ISD in 1935). Inez Carroll Elementary was destroyed by Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.

Here are the opening dates of the Aldine ISD schools within today's Aldine High School attendance zone. There are other schools assigned to the zone, but I only researched the opening dates of the campuses physically located inside Aldine High's zone:

Thanks for the info! I would love to read your research on the area as most of the old timers have left the area, plus I don't live there anymore.

I remember Hidden Valley, if I'm not mistaken in the 80s it was the only school in the district that offered bilingual education. I know for a fact Carroll didn't offer it, but they did offer deaf ED. As far as I know all of the kids with hearing issues (real ones) went Carroll.

We had lots of issues with the teachers when I went there that I will not get into now. I don't know if it was common just at Carroll (going to Aldine High makes me think it was), but the teacher were very strict back then. Many of the teachers had been teaching there for years. Corporal punishment was commonly used and I don't remember a single student getting suspended (unlike today). Yes I was one of those kids that were in the office at least once a month for something minor that was a big deal to them and yes my parent consented to CP. They pretty much kept a tight leash on the students and they didn't put up with any back talking. The school was mostly middle to lower middle class White just like most of the Aldine area. In fact if it wasn't for the Acres Homes bussing the school at the time would have been almost exclusively White with a hand full of Americanized Hispanics. The change they have today happened over several years, but happened rapidly in the late 90s after many of the veteran residents kids graduated and they sold their houses. Most got close to 3 times the original purchase price.

A little more history about Inez Carroll. Sometime in the 1970s one of the wings caught fire during the night and they had to be renovated. I remember the classrooms on that wing had more of a late 60s/70s look to them. The teachers told us several times about the fire. I'm sure there would have been a news story on it. This is getting long so I

Edited December 14, 2008 by billyf

[VicMan]

Here is Schooldigger info about Carroll: http://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/schools/...062/school.aspx - This is the racial demographic change

http://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/schools/....aspx?Entity=19 - This is the economic demographic change

[cosmic08]

Ninth Grade Schools

Two opened in 1999 and two in 2000. Don't know yet which ones go with each year.

I know the Aldine High 9th grade school opened in 1999 and I believe the Mac ninth grade school did too. Nimitz ninth grade opened in 2000.

[jrig]

There's a white building with "Marrs" written on it right on the corner of Aldine-Westfield and Aldine-Bender (FM 525). If the Marrs High school burned to the ground, then what was this building?

[cosmic08]

There's a white building with "Marrs" written on it right on the corner of Aldine-Westfield and Aldine-Bender (FM 525). If the Marrs High school burned to the ground, then what was this building?

That is very interesting. If anyone on here would know, it would prob be Firebird 65. Maybe something would turn up if you google the address?

[cosmic08]

Ok jrig - did some looking around. I knew the intersection you were talking about, so I was 99% positive you were talking about Aldine Middle School at 14800 Aldine Westfield. I found this on Wikipedia:

"Aldine High School originally opened in 1936 at the corner of Aldine-Westfield and Aldine-Bender. The first campus was officially known as Marrs High School, named for Starlin Marion Newberry Marrs, state superintendent of public instruction, who worked to improve rural education. The campus burned to the ground Thanksgiving Eve 1954. A new campus was built in 1956 on the site of the former Gulf Coast Airport on Airline Drive." - Wikipedia

So the white building with "Marrs" on it is Aldine Middle School - or I think it's now known as Lane Center or something like that. When I went to school in the district (in the 90s), I know for sure that white building was Aldine Middle School.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldine_ISD

[plumber2]

Ok jrig - did some looking around. I knew the intersection you were talking about, so I was 99% positive you were talking about Aldine Middle School at 14800 Aldine Westfield. I found this on Wikipedia:

"Aldine High School originally opened in 1936 at the corner of Aldine-Westfield and Aldine-Bender. The first campus was officially known as Marrs High School, named for Starlin Marion Newberry Marrs, state superintendent of public instruction, who worked to improve rural education. The campus burned to the ground Thanksgiving Eve 1954. A new campus was built in 1956 on the site of the former Gulf Coast Airport on Airline Drive." - Wikipedia

So the white building with "Marrs" on it is Aldine Middle School - or I think it's now known as Lane Center or something like that. When I went to school in the district (in the 90s), I know for sure that white building was Aldine Middle School.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldine_ISD

Is the Kathryn Smith School the one Mangum?

[Firebird65]

There's a white building with "Marrs" written on it right on the corner of Aldine-Westfield and Aldine-Bender (FM 525). If the Marrs High school burned to the ground, then what was this building?

The Aldine ISD's infatuation with the name Marrs can be really confusing. There were not one, but two schools with the name Marrs, believe it or not, and both existed at the same time.

The white building at the corner of Aldine Westfield and Aldine Bender you are referring to was not the original Aldine High School, but a separate school built earlier, in 1932, before Aldine ISD was even created. Today it is known as the Lane Center, but when built, it was called the Marrs School. According to AISD's own history it was the first brick school in the district and was built when voters passed a bond issue for its construction. Presumably, the Marrs School was CSD 29's (the predecessor to Aldine ISD) sole school for whites, as the Brubaker school had closed around this time and maybe Westfield and Higgs, too. I do not know if it housed all grades, from elementary to secondary. CSD's original high school was Hartwell, located near Westfield. I do not know Hartwell's years of existence.

Marrs High opened in September 1936 down the street and was a totally seperate school. It was on the site of today's Aldine Middle School, but Aldine Middle School was never Marrs High, having been built after Marrs High burned down. However there are some old buildings (maintenance and support buildings) on the Aldine Middle School campus that do appear date from the Marrs High era and the soccer field behind the school was the site of the Marrs High football stadium.

A story in the September 10, 1936, Houston Chronicle about the opening of Marrs High also clearly states there are two Marrs schools, one an elementary/junior high and the other being the high school. J.E. Barden is mentioned as the first principal of Marrs High and S.F. Fenner is listed as the district's first superintendent. I believe the article also mentions the principal of the Marrs School as well, along with the number of students enrolled in each, but it's been awhile since I've seen the article. I might be going to the library next week. I'll get that article and repost some of it here, if anyone is interested.

I guess the Marrs School was replaced by the original Aldine Elementary.

BTW... I do note with some interest the quotes from wikipedia in a later post on this thread. I can't help but notice that the wording in the wikipedia article is word for word from my Aldine High area history report. I don't really mind so much, as I do give away the report to anyone who asks. But c'mon... if someone is going to copy directly from my report, professional courtesy at least calls for giving credit where credit is due.

[Firebird65]

Is the Kathryn Smith School the one Mangum?

Yes, that's the one. Oak Forest was originally part of Aldine ISD. The initial boundaries of the district were much different when the it was created in 1935. The southwestern portion of the district ended around somewhere between the intersection of West Mount Houston and Veterans Memorial and where State Highway 249 curves to the north. The area west of that was part of the now-defunct North Houston school district. The area south of that was part of the White Oak district, which included today's Oak Forest.

From what I've been able to find out, AISD split White Oak with HISD in 1937. That's how Acres Homes and Carver High became part of AISD. AISD split North Houston with Klein and Cy-Fair apparently around 1949. If you've ever looked at a map of Klein ISD, you'll notice a long, skinny finger of land extending south from Klein down towards Acres Homes. That's how Klein got that - from the dissolution of North Houston.

In the late 1950s, the city of Houston annexed Oak Forest and Kathryn Smith Elementary. Apparently, there was some kind of law at that time that said anything in the city had to be part of HISD, so AISD had to cede Oak Forest and Kathryn Smith Elementary to HISD. That law must have been recinded a few years later because I've seen articles from the time Acres Homes was annexed in the 1960s or 1970s that said AISD would not be forced to cede that area.

[cosmic08]

The Aldine ISD's infatuation with the name Marrs can be really confusing. There were not one, but two schools with the name Marrs, believe it or not, and both existed at the same time.

The white building at the corner of Aldine Westfield and Aldine Bender you are referring to was not the original Aldine High School, but a separate school built earlier, in 1932, before Aldine ISD was even created. Today it is known as the Lane Center, but when built, it was called the Marrs School. According to AISD's own history it was the first brick school in the district and was built when voters passed a bond issue for its construction. Presumably, the Marrs School was CSD 29's (the predecessor to Aldine ISD) sole school for whites, as the Brubaker school had closed around this time and maybe Westfield and Higgs, too. I do not know if it housed all grades, from elementary to secondary. CSD's original high school was Hartwell, located near Westfield. I do not know Hartwell's years of existence.

Marrs High opened in September 1936 down the street and was a totally seperate school. It was on the site of today's Aldine Middle School, but Aldine Middle School was never Marrs High, having been built after Marrs High burned down. However there are some old buildings (maintenance and support buildings) on the Aldine Middle School campus that do appear date from the Marrs High era and the soccer field behind the school was the site of the Marrs High football stadium.

A story in the September 10, 1936, Houston Chronicle about the opening of Marrs High also clearly states there are two Marrs schools, one an elementary/junior high and the other being the high school. J.E. Barden is mentioned as the first principal of Marrs High and S.F. Fenner is listed as the district's first superintendent. I believe the article also mentions the principal of the Marrs School as well, along with the number of students enrolled in each, but it's been awhile since I've seen the article. I might be going to the library next week. I'll get that article and repost some of it here, if anyone is interested.

I guess the Marrs School was replaced by the original Aldine Elementary.

BTW... I do note with some interest the quotes from wikipedia in a later post on this thread. I can't help but notice that the wording in the wikipedia article is word for word from my Aldine High area history report. I don't really mind so much, as I do give away the report to anyone who asks. But c'mon... if someone is going to copy directly from my report, professional courtesy at least calls for giving credit where credit is due.

So somebody copied your report and posted on wikipedia? So not cool!

[calgofo]

Thanks for the info! I would love to read your research on the area as most of the old timers have left the area, plus I don't live there anymore.

I remember Hidden Valley, if I'm not mistaken in the 80s it was the only school in the district that offered bilingual education. I know for a fact Carroll didn't offer it, but they did offer deaf ED. As far as I know all of the kids with hearing issues (real ones) went Carroll.

We had lots of issues with the teachers when I went there that I will not get into now. I don't know if it was common just at Carroll (going to Aldine High makes me think it was), but the teacher were very strict back then. Many of the teachers had been teaching there for years. Corporal punishment was commonly used and I don't remember a single student getting suspended (unlike today). Yes I was one of those kids that were in the office at least once a month for something minor that was a big deal to them and yes my parent consented to CP. They pretty much kept a tight leash on the students and they didn't put up with any back talking. The school was mostly middle to lower middle class White just like most of the Aldine area. In fact if it wasn't for the Acres Homes bussing the school at the time would have been almost exclusively White with a hand full of Americanized Hispanics. The change they have today happened over several years, but happened rapidly in the late 90s after many of the veteran residents kids graduated and they sold their houses. Most got close to 3 times the original purchase price.

A little more history about Inez Carroll. Sometime in the 1970s one of the wings caught fire during the night and they had to be renovated. I remember the classrooms on that wing had more of a late 60s/70s look to them. The teachers told us several times about the fire. I'm sure there would have been a news story on it. This is getting long so I'll save the rest for next time.

Actually it had two fires. The first one was minor just a little roof damage. The second fire was the one that really did the damage. I lived on shane street 2 houses down from the school and I remember going out to watch the fire fighters put out the fire. Both were arson and both were started by my next door neighbor. He later went on to an illustirous career at Texas Dept. of Corrections.As for the year, it had to be sometime between 1969 and 1971 because I had 3rd grade class in that part of the building.

[calgofo]

I grew up in the Aldine area in the Northline Terrace subdivision near Gulf Bank Rd and Sweetwater. I attended Inez Carroll elementary on Raymac Street as well as Aldine High School. Inez Carroll at one time was known as one of the best elementary schools in Texas. I just discovered last week that the old Inez Carroll building was torn down. It appears to have happened about 4 years a go now. It's pretty sad that everything I remember about that school is gone.

It got me wondering when the different schools were built and what additions have been added to the schools over the years. Here is what I remember about the school when I first started attending it in 1981. I remember they expanded the library around 1982 (I remember the contruction). I remember in 1st grade they removed the old radiator from the classrooms as they were not used anymore. Looking at different aerials of the school it looks like they added the chiller and cooling tower sometime between 1964 and 1973. I wonder what it was like not having A/C before then. They also added a wing on the back of the school between 1957 and 1964 and added new front and side section to the school between 1964 and 1973 which included expanding the cafeteria. It looks like the gym was added between 1973 and 1981. I remember the walls in the main hallways were redone in the early 80s. They moved the school to Gulf bank between Sweetwater and Airline in the late 90s.

Areal of the school in 1957

Areal from 2002 before it was demolished.

The front of the school scanned from my class picture.

I can tell you what it was like. It was hotter than hell. You sweated all day and your hands and forearms stuck to any paper you were writing on. Sweat would drip off your face and cause spots on your paper. The smell was a combination of perspiration and old chalk dust. It was miserable but in my case it wasn't much better at home. We had a window unit but were too poor to run it that often. When the temp would get up into the mid 90's my mother would wait till I got home which was usually about 3 or so. She would close off the living room,which is where are unit was, and would turn it on and by 6, it was off. Man do I remember how wonderful that felt. I lived for those couple of hours. After 6 we just used fans till the next day. Even till this day I can't sleep with out the noise of a fan. I swore then and there I would make something of myself so I could afford A/C at least. Last year after Ike my part of town was w/o power for 14 days and man did that bring back some bad memories from the hood. My Aunt still lives over there on Raymac . Shes lived there nearly 50 years.

[calgofo]

Thanks for the info! I would love to read your research on the area as most of the old timers have left the area, plus I don't live there anymore.

I remember Hidden Valley, if I'm not mistaken in the 80s it was the only school in the district that offered bilingual education. I know for a fact Carroll didn't offer it, but they did offer deaf ED. As far as I know all of the kids with hearing issues (real ones) went Carroll.

We had lots of issues with the teachers when I went there that I will not get into now. I don't know if it was common just at Carroll (going to Aldine High makes me think it was), but the teacher were very strict back then. Many of the teachers had been teaching there for years. Corporal punishment was commonly used and I don't remember a single student getting suspended (unlike today). Yes I was one of those kids that were in the office at least once a month for something minor that was a big deal to them and yes my parent consented to CP. They pretty much kept a tight leash on the students and they didn't put up with any back talking. The school was mostly middle to lower middle class White just like most of the Aldine area. In fact if it wasn't for the Acres Homes bussing the school at the time would have been almost exclusively White with a hand full of Americanized Hispanics. The change they have today happened over several years, but happened rapidly in the late 90s after many of the veteran residents kids graduated and they sold their houses. Most got close to 3 times the original purchase price.

A little more history about Inez Carroll. Sometime in the 1970s one of the wings caught fire during the night and they had to be renovated. I remember the classrooms on that wing had more of a late 60s/70s look to them. The teachers told us several times about the fire. I'm sure there would have been a news story on it. This is getting long so I'll save the rest for next time.

Yes corporal puisnment was used. Recieved plenty of it but in my day they didn't give a damn wether your parents consented or not. They just did it.

[gonzo1976]

In the late 1950s, the city of Houston annexed Oak Forest and Kathryn Smith Elementary. Apparently, there was some kind of law at that time that said anything in the city had to be part of HISD, so AISD had to cede Oak Forest and Kathryn Smith Elementary to HISD. That law must have been recinded a few years later because I've seen articles from the time Acres Homes was annexed in the 1960s or 1970s that said AISD would not be forced to cede that area.

Smith was still part of Aldine by 1958. I've seen a picture that shows a black family being rejected from admitting their children to the school.

[mousekakat]

I lived in Northline Terrace on Terrydale until I was 13. I went to Inez Carroll, the aerial photo you posted brought back a TON of memories!

I had first grade in a double classroom in the new wing that connected the first and second wings. Second grade was in the first wing. Third grade was in the third wing, and fourth and fifth grade in the fourth wing.

Mrs Bledsoe was the principal the entire time I was there. I remember the lunchroom, also remember when they got the new dishwasher where we would take our trays to a hole in the wall and leave them there. Ohh, I remember so much, actually, all things considering! I remember my kindergarten teacher, Mrs Schaffer, and Mrs Bennet, who was either my first or second grade teacher; being terrified of my fourth grade teacher, Mrs Crawford with the long fingernails that caused us to call her Mrs Crawdad because we were terrified she was going to pinch us, my beloved fifth grade teacher, Mrs Hall, and her co-teacher Mrs Gallagher. I remember the stupid President's physical fitness tests we had to take every year and not being able to do the one where we had to hang from the bar with our chins above it. I remember them trying to integrate the deaf kids into our classes, back then they wore their hearing aids on their chest, a box with wires that went up to their ears. I learned the basics of band and how to play a flute there, performed in plays up on the stage a number of times, and remember also watching films on the stage since it could be so dark in there! I also remember my 'first love,' Matthew Borrel, hehehe!

I guess I must have gotten there after a/c was installed because I never remember having to sweat in class, although I can imagine it must have been pretty bad at times!

I remember the annual Halloween carnival with its cakewalk and kiddy carnival rides and riding bus number 25, a bluebird bus. I can't remember the bus driver's name, but her face is clear in my mind!

I didn't know until now that it had been torn down due to Allison. What a pity! I loved that school. It was the only time I was stable as a kid, as after that I went on to attend Stovall, Wunsche Middle school in Spring, Wells Middle school in Spring, Seton Catholic Junior High at Assumption Catholic Church in the area, Fondren Middle school in HISD, and ended up at Dulles High School for 10th grade to graduation in Sugar Land. 

It really does sadden me to know it's no longer there, that empty field photo just tears!

Naomi Bowers Olofsson

[AtticaFlinch]

Thompson Elementary... wut wut.

And north side!

Hadda do it.

[Firebird65]

I lived in Northline Terrace on Terrydale...

Really? Me too!

Funny story: I came across your post earlier this afternoon but couldn't reply. I was wondering who you were, figuring you must have lived on the other end of Terrydale from me (I lived by Beaver Bend). FIVE MINUTES LATER I'm on Facebook, and the first thing I see is one of my friends who also grew up on Terrydale adding you as a friend. LOL! What are the odds?

[Firebird65]

Got a new piece of information from former Aldine High English teacher Mr. Wesbrook the other day. Mr. Wesbrook gave me a story from a May 1935 Houston Post. According to the story, the original Marrs School (now the Lane Center) opened in 1933 and housed grades 1-11 (there was no 12th grade at the time). That means the Marrs School was the first high school and elementary school simultaneously. The first graduating class of Marrs High was in May 1935. This means the start date for Marrs (Aldine) High School is now 1933, not 1936. As far as I and Mr. Wesbrook know, Marrs High opened its own building in 1936, as the Marrs School was getting very overcrowded after only 3 years.

[mousekakat]

Really? Me too!

Funny story: I came across your post earlier this afternoon but couldn't reply. I was wondering who you were, figuring you must have lived on the other end of Terrydale from me (I lived by Beaver Bend). FIVE MINUTES LATER I'm on Facebook, and the first thing I see is one of my friends who also grew up on Terrydale adding you as a friend. LOL! What are the odds?

That must have been Dana . It's a small world, especially when you consider that I live in Sweden now, isn't it! We lived in the well kept pink house across the street from Dana, corner of Cool Spring and Terrydale. The street number was 9103. I have a little sister, too, she's 4 years younger than me. I was born in 66 and she was born in 70. Do you know what happened to Diane Verwold or Michelle Huey? Michelle was our next door neighbor and Diane lived across from Dana, but on Cool Spring. I have great memories from growing up there... do you remember Devil's Hill?

[billyf]

I lived in Northline Terrace on Terrydale until I was 13. I went to Inez Carroll, the aerial photo you posted brought back a TON of memories!

I had first grade in a double classroom in the new wing that connected the first and second wings. Second grade was in the first wing. Third grade was in the third wing, and fourth and fifth grade in the fourth wing.

Mrs Bledsoe was the principal the entire time I was there. I remember the lunchroom, also remember when they got the new dishwasher where we would take our trays to a hole in the wall and leave them there. Ohh, I remember so much, actually, all things considering! I remember my kindergarten teacher, Mrs Schaffer, and Mrs Bennet, who was either my first or second grade teacher; being terrified of my fourth grade teacher, Mrs Crawford with the long fingernails that caused us to call her Mrs Crawdad because we were terrified she was going to pinch us, my beloved fifth grade teacher, Mrs Hall, and her co-teacher Mrs Gallagher. I remember the stupid President's physical fitness tests we had to take every year and not being able to do the one where we had to hang from the bar with our chins above it. I remember them trying to integrate the deaf kids into our classes, back then they wore their hearing aids on their chest, a box with wires that went up to their ears. I learned the basics of band and how to play a flute there, performed in plays up on the stage a number of times, and remember also watching films on the stage since it could be so dark in there! I also remember my 'first love,' Matthew Borrel, hehehe!

I know I'm a little (ok a lot) late replying to this. Our second grade class was shared with another class (so two teachers) and was on the first hall when you walked in the front of the school. I never knew it was a "newer" addition until I viewed these aerials, but it makes sense now. These were the only classrooms that had indoor hallways in the school. These classrooms had natural gas heaters whereas the older wings had radiators (later removed). Neither was used when I was there as they used the same system for heat as they used for cooling. Each classroom in the school had these big, noisy belt driven Mcquay air handlers on the ceiling. These were common in many Aldine ISD schools built before the 1970s. There were no thermostats so when the cooling system was on you froze and when the heat was on you sweat. We use to have to open the windows at times it got so bad.

I remember the stage in the cafeteria well and yes with no windows it could get very dark in there. I still remember that smell of bread and chocolate milk when you walked in. Oh and those orange 1960s walls. They removed the tray washing machine when I was in the second or third grade for some reason. I remember they use to tell us to keep the food on the tray when we put them in there and I thought that was odd. I still remember that sanitizer smell and the steam. After they removed the tray washer they started putting the food in a separate trash can from the milk cartons. I think they sold the left overs to pig farms. I joked once to the lunch lady that they reused it for us. lol

The hall and grade setup was the same when I was there. I never knew any fifth graders there. I think there might have been a class or two, but in my neighborhood the 5th graders went to Bethune near Acres Home. I was at Sweetwater Christian in the 5th grade so I never went there. My bus driver was Mrs. Pride and she drove route 114 from the 70s till the late 90s.

[Firebird65]

Smith was still part of Aldine by 1958. I've seen a picture that shows a black family being rejected from admitting their children to the school.

Not sure if anyone still reads this thread or not, but just in case...

I've now started a history of Aldine High School. I've found out that a lot of the speculation in this thread and the other "History of the Area of Aldine" while close, was off. I'll address this one first.

Yes, Oak Forest was still part of AISD in 1958. Sometime in 1958 (and I don't have an exact date), apparently about 2,000 residents in Oak Forest complained to the Harris County School Board that Aldine wasn't doing enough for their area and they wanted out. Among their complaints were that Aldine junior and senior highs were 26 miles (that can't be right, but that's what the reports say) away, while Houston ISD schools were but a mile and a half away. On September 17, 1958, the county school board ruled for the residents and said AISD had to cede 3 square miles of Oak Forest and Langwood to HISD. AISD appealed to the state.

On April 11, 1959, the state rejected AISD's appeal and ordered they hand over Oak Forest to HISD.

One of the reasons AISD fought the measure was because Oak Forest was the richest part of the district and at the time, AISD was in serious financial trouble. A few days after the decision, the district's schools closed for two days April 16 and 17, 1959, when AISD couldn't make payroll. Oak Forest made up approximately 2 percent of the land area of AISD, but contained 17 percent of the district's revenue. So you can see why they didn't want to let it go.

The news stories say Aldine could appeal to a district court. However, seeing how the district had no money and had bigger, more pressing matters immediately at hand, I doubt they did so. All of the stories for the rest of April dealt with the school closing crisis. No mention is made of an appeal. If one happened, it must have been later.

So it would appear, unless I find information to the contrary, that AISD turned over control of Oak Forest for the 1959-1960 school year. Kathryn Smith Elementary and its faculty were part of the transfer.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Firebird65

[Specwriter]

Not sure if anyone still reads this thread or not, but just in case...

Firebird, glad to see you back from your hiatus. Your dilignet research on the Aldine area is appreciated. I'm an Aldine alum (won't give much more information than that other than to say I graduated when Vernon Lewis was principal of Aldine High School). I stay in touch with Mr. Wesbrook and am also aware of his knowledge of the district.

I don't know what to say about the old neighborhood now but it was certainly a great place to grow up in the 60's and most of the 70's. It seemd as if it might have hit bottom and is on its way back up. I'm heading over there now to pick up my parents and take them to dinner for their 51st anniversary. They still live in the same house they had built shortly after they were married.

[Firebird65]

Firebird, glad to see you back from your hiatus. Your dilignet research on the Aldine area is appreciated. I'm an Aldine alum (won't give much more information than that other than to say I graduated when Vernon Lewis was principal of Aldine High School). I stay in touch with Mr. Wesbrook and am also aware of his knowledge of the district.

I don't know what to say about the old neighborhood now but it was certainly a great place to grow up in the 60's and most of the 70's. It seemd as if it might have hit bottom and is on its way back up. I'm heading over there now to pick up my parents and take them to dinner for their 51st anniversary. They still live in the same house they had built shortly after they were married.

Great to see a reply! I had a nice response for you, but then my computer crashed. Shoot! I'm nopt going to retype it now. Let's just say that I've gotten lots of great information on the beginnings of Aldine High School. Some of the speculations we made here were right, others were wrong. One on which were were wrong is that the Marrs High School burned down in 1954. That was what I got from the district. They ought to know, right? Nope. That is wrong. It was another school that burned in 1954, and it was called... Aldine High School.

If you have Google Earth, you can see this school. Go to the 1953 view and you will see it. It will be the northernmost set of buildings.

The proper chronology for Aldine High is this:

1932 or 1933 to 1936 - the Marrs School (aka the Lane School)

1936 to 1947 - Marrs High School

1947 to 1954 - Aldine High School I

1954 to 1956 - classes held at Marrs High (then a junior high)

1956 to present - Aldine High School II

Can't believe the district had it wrong. Oh well, maybe I was just speaking to the wrong person. When in doubt, talk to someone who was actually there, which I did, and they set me straight, including me showing yearbook photos of the school.

Anyway, I'm now working on a history of Aldine High. I've got some great information, which I'll be happy to share here if there's some interest. I don't yet have the exact date of when the first high school classes were held (which would be the true starting date of Aldine High), but I'm close. I also have the roster of the first graduating class, the first principal and the first teachers.

[billyf]

Great to see a reply! I had a nice response for you, but then my computer crashed. Shoot! I'm nopt going to retype it now. Let's just say that I've gotten lots of great information on the beginnings of Aldine High School. Some of the speculations we made here were right, others were wrong. One on which were were wrong is that the Marrs High School burned down in 1954. That was what I got from the district. They ought to know, right? Nope. That is wrong. It was another school that burned in 1954, and it was called... Aldine High School.

If you have Google Earth, you can see this school. Go to the 1953 view and you will see it. It will be the northernmost set of buildings.

The proper chronology for Aldine High is this:

1932 or 1933 to 1936 - the Marrs School (aka the Lane School)

1936 to 1947 - Marrs High School

1947 to 1954 - Aldine High School I

1954 to 1956 - classes held at Marrs High (then a junior high)

1956 to present - Aldine High School II

Can't believe the district had it wrong. Oh well, maybe I was just speaking to the wrong person. When in doubt, talk to someone who was actually there, which I did, and they set me straight, including me showing yearbook photos of the school.

Anyway, I'm now working on a history of Aldine High. I've got some great information, which I'll be happy to share here if there's some interest. I don't yet have the exact date of when the first high school classes were held (which would be the true starting date of Aldine High), but I'm close. I also have the roster of the first graduating class, the first principal and the first teachers.

Thanks for sharing all the info you have provided Firebird65! I still have the Aldine football History PDF you sent me awhile back. If you have a newer one or just more info in general please email it to billybassman21@yahoo.com.

I was comparing aerials on Google Earth from the 1944, 1953, 1978 and today as well as the ones on Historical Aerials. I was surprised how many locations from the 40s and 50s that once had buildings are now vacant with grass. I also noticed that many locations that had buildings are now the ugly salvage yards/used car lots that have taken over much of the Aldine area. It would be interesting to see what might have been left behind in the soil near where those buildings once stood. It appears mobile homes were very common in the early days and many of them didn’t last very long. I wonder how many of them were farmer family’s. It appears much of Gulf Bank and Hill road was farm land. Their children would have gone to the Aldine schools I presume.

I would like to see some photos and yearbooks pre 1960s. Any photos taken inside or outside the schools would be interesting to see such as photos of students working at their desk. I wonder if Aldine ISD allowed students to come to school barefooted or in their overalls as many rural schools did. Something tells me bare feet at the very least wouldn’t have been allowed at any AISD schools. They didn't even allow shorts until the early 90s.

Edited March 6, 2011 by billyf

[Firebird65]

Billy,

I do have an update with all kinds of new stuff added. Don't rembember when I sent you a copy, but I have added lots and lots of things over the years. Right now I'm just checking it over for typos. Dang things keep popping like rabbits. I'm nearly done... sometime later this week I should be finished. I'd be happy to send you and anyone else who wants one a copy.

As for the Gulf Bank/Hill Road areas, yes, they were mostly farmland - small produce farms (aka truck farms because the produce was trucked to market in Houston). That area was owned by a man named W.F. Hill who started selling off the land in the 1920s. Hill Rd is obviously named for him. I've been told the original name for Gulf Bank was Pool Rd, but that it was changed because there already was a Pool Rd in Houston. No one knows where the name Gulf Bank came from.

Everyone who lived along Gulf Bank east of Stuebner Airline would have gone to Aldine schools. That area has always been Aldine, although it is just north of AISD's southern boundary. West of Stuebner Airline was not always in Aldine or its predecessor, District 29. It was part of the White Oak school district (District 26)originally. White Oak became part of AISD in 1937, two years after AISD was formed. I don't know the exact boundary, but pretty much everything south of Gulf Bank and west of Stuebner Airline was White Oak. Pretty much everything north of Gulf Bank and west of Stuebner Airline was part of the North Houston district (District 49) which Aldine absorbed a section of in 1935 shortly after its creation.

I've seen photos dating back to 1912 of Aldine schools and in none of the photos are the students barefooted. Can't remember if they were wearing overalls. But they are dressed as nicely as anyone else at the time, I presume. The earliest yearbook dates to the 1939-40 school year and other than the hairstyles are a little funny, they don't look that different.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Firebird65

[billyf]

Billy,

I do have an update with all kinds of new stuff added. Don't rembember when I sent you a copy, but I have added lots and lots of things over the years. Right now I'm just checking it over for typos. Dang things keep popping like rabbits. I'm nearly done... sometime later this week I should be finished. I'd be happy to send you and anyone else who wants one a copy.

As for the Gulf Bank/Hill Road areas, yes, they were mostly farmland - small produce farms (aka truck farms because the produce was trucked to market in Houston). That area was owned by a man named W.F. Hill who started selling off the land in the 1920s. Hill Rd is obviously named for him. I've been told the original name for Gulf Bank was Pool Rd, but that it was changed because there already was a Pool Rd in Houston. No one knows where the name Gulf Bank came from.

Everyone who lived along Gulf Bank east of Stuebner Airline would have gone to Aldine schools. That area has always been Aldine, although it is just north of AISD's southern boundary. West of Stuebner Airline was not always in Aldine or its predecessor, District 29. It was part of the White Oak school district (District 26)originally. White Oak became part of AISD in 1937, two years after AISD was formed. I don't know the exact boundary, but pretty much everything south of Gulf Bank and west of Stuebner Airline was White Oak. Pretty much everything north of Gulf Bank and west of Stuebner Airline was part of the North Houston district (District 49) which Aldine absorbed a section of in 1935 shortly after its creation.

I've seen photos dating back to 1912 of Aldine schools and in none of the photos are the students barefooted. Can't remember if they were wearing overalls. But they are dressed as nicely as anyone else at the time, I presume. The earliest yearbook dates to the 1939-40 school year and other than the hairstyles are a little funny, they don't look that different.

Yes please do!

The houses on Gulf Bank, Hill Rd and Airway by the old Fairway Foods seem to be some of the oldest in the area. I used to know a guy that lived on Busch St off Airline which is just before West Road. He told me when they first moved there in the early 50s they didn't even have a bathroom in their house. They used the one at the gas station until he could build one which was detached from the main trailer. He still had the original bathroom in the 1990s though they had a newer trailer with a bathroom inside.

Despite being a fairly poor area (by some people's standards), Aldine was quite conservative till the 90s. Most the kids in our old neighborhood growing up wore shoes even in the summer from what I remember. I went barefoot quite a bit till I was 11 or 12 and remember getting comments from adults and older kids about it. I knew some people that wouldn't even wear shorts. There were lots of old school people still around and I knew quite a few adults that attended Aldine schools as kids. I knew about the Gulf Coast airport and Airline being US 75 from a young age as well as the fires. I think we had a pretty good taste of what the culture might have been like even in the 70s and 80s. I used to get my hair cut at Buck and Carroll's off 525 (I think) and also Jim and Glen's off Airline. I know they were in the area a long time and never found out what happened to them.

Man I miss the old vibe the northside had.

[Firebird65]

Well, now oddly enough, I actually have an answer about whether kids wore overalls and went barefooted to school. I received an e-mail today from a former student who went to Marrs High during WWII and almost as if he had read your question, he mentioned to me that they wore overalls to school. How's that for timing! Nothing about being barefooted. But he did say that they would ride horses to go visit people.

[billyf]

Thanks for the info on the clothing!

So if I understand correctly Aldine High School was the far building behind the Lane School just south of Aldine Meadows RD? The site where the old Aldine High School stood is now part of Aldine Middle School?

On the 1944 aerial there is building as a backwards 7 behind the lane school. NE there are two small buildings possibly locker rooms. They are all still there and are part of Aldine Middle School. It appears they added on from that section expanding the school over to where the old Aldine High school once stood. The backwards 7 building could be seen on aerials up to a few years ago as an older wing. The last renovation makes it look like it is all one newer building. The building behind the old Aldine High school behind the Aldine Admin building is still there today and is part of Aldine Middle school I believe. Anyone know what that building is used for today? Is it one of the gym’s and possibly the old gym for Aldine High school I?

It appears on the 1953 aerial that it would have been Marrs School (elementary?) (now Lane), Aldine Junior High and next to it was Aldine High school going right to left.

Now on the 1947 aerial there is building to the right of what is now the Lane school. If you look on the 1957 aerial that building is gone and you can still see where the building stood. What building was that?

1944 aerial

1953 aerial

1957 aerial

Edited March 13, 2011 by billyf

[Firebird65]

In that 1944 aerial, the building in the lower right hand corner was the gym. It burned down in November 1948, which is why you don't see it in the 1953 photo. The school district was scrapped for money in the mid 1930s and they thought they got a good deal when the Humble Oil Company sold them discarded lumber for nothing more than a song. Problem was that wood had been used on oil tanks and was probably soaked with oil. So it went up in flames rather easily. Just because they worked at a school didn't make them smart, I guess. LOL!

To the left of the gym was the Marrs School. Those two small buildings above the gym were the cafeteria and the band hall. The cafeteria is probably the lower one as that extension on the back of is most likely a kitchen.

The "L" shaped building is Marrs High. The part that makes the L and the two small buildings to the upper left of it were added in 1939. One of the buildings is a home economics cottage. The other is a vocational agriculture building.

In the 1953 photo, going from top to bottom... the backwards "3" building is the first Aldine High School. It was built in 1947. I can't tell what those two squares are to the right of the high school. I can't tell if they are buildings are parking lots. I also notice two additional buildings have appeared next to the ag building and the home ec cottage. No idea what those are either. But I do know where to go to find out. Next time i see my contact, I'll ask him, as he attended Aldine High during this time.

Here is a mid 1940s aerial view from a bit lower and to the side. I've labeled some things on there. Note that the 1912 schoolhouse is in front of the gym. When the gym burned down, the fire also consumed it. Too bad, as that would be a great place for an AISD museum.

[Firebird65]

Here are the four high schools in chronological order:

The Marrs School (1933-36)

Marrs High (1936-47) and (1954-56)

Aldine High I (1947-54)

Aldine High II (1956-present)

[billyf]

In that 1944 aerial, the building in the lower right hand corner was the gym. It burned down in November 1948, which is why you don't see it in the 1953 photo. The school district was scrapped for money in the mid 1930s and they thought they got a good deal when the Humble Oil Company sold them discarded lumber for nothing more than a song. Problem was that wood had been used on oil tanks and was probably soaked with oil. So it went up in flames rather easily. Just because they worked at a school didn't make them smart, I guess. LOL!

To the left of the gym was the Marrs School. Those two small buildings above the gym were the cafeteria and the band hall. The cafeteria is probably the lower one as that extension on the back of is most likely a kitchen.

The "L" shaped building is Marrs High. The part that makes the L and the two small buildings to the upper left of it were added in 1939. One of the buildings is a home economics cottage. The other is a vocational agriculture building.

In the 1953 photo, going from top to bottom... the backwards "3" building is the first Aldine High School. It was built in 1947. I can't tell what those two squares are to the right of the high school. I can't tell if they are buildings are parking lots. I also notice two additional buildings have appeared next to the ag building and the home ec cottage. No idea what those are either. But I do know where to go to find out. Next time i see my contact, I'll ask him, as he attended Aldine High during this time.

Here is a mid 1940s aerial view from a bit lower and to the side. I've labeled some things on there. Note that the 1912 schoolhouse is in front of the gym. When the gym burned down, the fire also consumed it. Too bad, as that would be a great place for an AISD museum.

I'm pretty sure that isn't a parking lot on the 1953 aerial at the very top, but rather the gym for the old Aldine High School. If you look carefully it has the same outline as the building on the 1953 aerial and the same walkway. Also the rooftop doesn't have those white specs like the rest of the new wings. If that is the case not only does Aldine Middle School today have parts of Marrs High School, it also has parts of the old Aldine High School. It looks like they built on to Marrs High school to make Aldine Junior High and used the gym that was untouched from the fire of Aldine. If you notice the additions to the old Marr High School building look just like the aerials from new Aldine on Airline during that time. I bet they looked very similar inside too (probably same builder). I have never been inside Aldine Middle School so I do not know. I'm curious what the L shaped part looks like today. I know the inside of Aldine on Airline doesn't look all that different today from videos I saw on youtube than when I went there.

Do you have any pictures of the front of Aldine High School on Airline before the front 1973 addition was added on? The front entrance used to be where the auditorium is and there were a second set of doors where the yellow 200 hall is.

One thing I found odd was Aldine seemed to originally only had one set of restrooms in the whole school which is on the 300 hall (excluding ones that were probably in the locker rooms). They added two more on in with the 1960s addition which in part was the green 400 hall, which looks a lot like the inside of MacArthur BTW. They were both built around that time. They added two more restrooms on when they added the front addition in 1973. Must have been some long lines during class changes before they were added.

Edited March 15, 2011 by billyf

[Firebird65]

Hmmmm... come to think of it, you seem to have a point about the restrooms. There had to another one in the old front end of the school. At least one would hope. LOL!

Here are pictures of the front and sides of the school from the 1960-61 Aldine High Roundup yearbook.

Front

Gym

Vocational buildings

Field House and Stadium

[billyf]

Hmmmm... come to think of it, you seem to have a point about the restrooms. There had to another one in the old front end of the school. At least one would hope. LOL!

Here are pictures of the front and sides of the school from the 1960-61 Aldine High Roundup yearbook.

Cool thanks! The school looked much better in it's original form. The add ons in the late 60s gave the school a very dated look. Sort of like a NYC subway station. The 1973 addition looks modern inside even to today stadards, but the outside is very plain.

Unless they removed them for the addition, the restrooms in the front were not part of the original school. Maybe kids in those days just had really big bladders lol

Speaking of restrooms. What's up with Aldine schools not having stall doors? People that went to other disticts don't believe me when I tell them that. It is this way in even the oldest schools. I'm sure it was to discourage smoking and drug use, but why do it even in elementary schools?

Edited March 15, 2011 by billyf

[Firebird65]

Cool thanks! The school looked much better in it's original form. The add ons in the late 60s gave the school a very dated look. Sort of like a NYC subway station. The 1973 addition looks modern inside even to today stadards, but the outside is very plain.

Unless they removed them for the addition, the restrooms in the front were not part of the original school. Maybe kids in those days just had really big bladders lol

Speaking of restrooms. What's up with Aldine schools not having stall doors? People that went to other disticts don't believe me when I tell them that. It is this way in even the oldest schools. I'm sure it was to discourage smoking and drug use, but why do it even in elementary schools?

You know, you are right. The bathrooms didn't have stalls with doors on them, in none of the schools. That's an excellent question as to why. I don't know the answer. Sure seems odd, doesn't it?

When did you go to Aldine? I really could use some information from the 1960s. I'm a little patchy on those years.

[Specwriter]

You know, you are right. The bathrooms didn't have stalls with doors on them, in none of the schools. That's an excellent question as to why. I don't know the answer. Sure seems odd, doesn't it?

When did you go to Aldine? I really could use some information from the 1960s. I'm a little patchy on those years.

"Smokin' in the boys room . . . Teacher, don't you fill me up with your rules 'cause everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school."

As one who attended Aldine schools (elementary through high school; mid 60's through the 70's) I surmise it had to do with "monitoring" behavior. I wonder if the attorneys and civil libertarians have put an end to that by now. I haven't been inside an Aldine school in at least 20 years.

[Firebird65]

I wonder if the attorneys and civil libertarians have put an end to that by now. I haven't been inside an Aldine school in at least 20 years.

I went into Aldine High two years ago and it was still like that... at least in the boys room. I have no idea if it was like that in the girls room two years ago or if it has always been that way.

[billyf]

I attended Aldine High School from 1992-1996. Most of the staff was pretty clueless about the school’s history. Most of what I have learned has been from my own research and talking to old timers in the Aldine area over the years.

To my knowledge none of the schools in Aldine ISD have stall doors on the toilets to this day. I think it's wrong because some people have a hard time going when others are watching. I attended Grantham Middle School in the 8th grade when it was still zoned to Northline Ter. It was built in 1986 and the restrooms were just like the other schools except there were no doors going into the restrooms. They were like the ones at sports stadiums so you couldn't see inside from the hall.

I really liked the architecture of Grantham. Heck I liked just about everything about that school particularly the fact that few ghetto students attended there (they all went to Stovall). They also had some really good teachers too that helped me a lot. Anyway it was simple and almost every classroom had windows. It seems many newer schools have windowless classrooms to save on lot space. The whole school including the gym's had central A/C. It had a stage in the cafeteria like Carroll did. From looking at the satellite views nothing has been added on. I wonder how well they kept it up inside. The individual that was in charge of the designing of Aldine schools passed away some time back (or maybe retired). I don't know much about them, but the news article said they had been doing it for several years. I wonder if they had anything to do with Aldine.

Edited March 19, 2011 by billyf

[Firebird65]

It's a real shame the staff doesn't know the history, but it's even a bigger shame the students don't know. Can't remember if I mentioned this before or not, but did you know they no longer have yearbooks or a student newspaper at Aldine? Talk about a real travesty! I have the very first year book ever published at Aldine (from 1940) in front of me right now and it just oozes history of the school. I also have a copy of the sixth ever school newspaper (from 1934) that talks about the first graduating class. I may be one of the few people around who knows who the first valedictorian was (Elvada Middleton) or that the very first classes of Aldine High School were held at Memorial Baptist Church. Everyone else thinks the school was founded in 1936 when in fact that was the second high school (of four). The school was already four years old at the time.

I've really enjoyed doing the history and I am only too happy to share it. The only problem thus far has been finding people to talk about what went on when they were in school. I am hoping the school has kept its old newspapers and that they'll let me take a look through them. I've got a good handle on the beginning, but it's after 1950 I'm missing a lot. If you can tell me of some of the big events that happened during your years, both at school at what life for a high schooler was like during that time (where you hung out, what you did for fun), I'd sure appreciate it. It would make a nice contrast to the stories I have from the earlier days.

[billyf]

Are you kidding me? There is no more yearbooks? Maybe not enough of the students needed signed up for the class.

I hate to say it, but after Mr Norman got fired/resigned that school has not been the same. My experience there wasn't all that great (at least my first year), but there were still aspects that set it aside from the other schools that I liked. After he left I heard that they got crazy with the discipline. At one point I heard they were giving students SAC (in school suspension) and detention in the same day (talk about sadistic). I also heard there was a lot of disorganization. The former principal of Grantham took over for a few years and I think even one of the former assistant principal from Grantham took over for a year or two. They have been through several since I left. I know Mr. Norman had been there for over 20 years, but left after the rude behavior from the senior class at graduation (class of 1998 or 1999 I think).

I write more later, but here is a few think I remember.

There was a fire in the teacher lounge during the 1991-1992 schools year. It happened during the school day and students were not allowed back in till the next day.

The school switched to block scheduling during the 1995-1996 school year. It was 4 nine week terms and 4 classes per day. It was a pilot program and they did away with it a couple of years later. My yearbook and yearbook video talks about it. I actually liked the block scheduling since you only had for worry about 4 classes. I had co-op too, so I only had to worry about 3 classes one being co-op. There was one lunch block and it was an hour long They had stands all throughout the school where you could buy food. They did away with the hour lunch when Mr Norman left.

We also had a nutrition break during the second block and they allowed us to eat and drink in class. My senior year was actually pretty fun and the changes were for the better.

Edited March 21, 2011 by billyf

[Firebird65]

I hate to say it, but after Mr Norman got fired/resigned that school has not been the same.

Here is a list of the principals of Marrs/Aldine High School. Don't have the dates of their tenure, but I do believe this list is complete.

Marrs High

G.C. Cox

J.E. Barden

Harmon Watts

C.O. Dusek

Aldine High

Arnold Orsak (moved from football coach to principal as Aldine High I opened)

Ernest Harvell

W.L. Alvara

G.L. Chandler

Thomas Miksch

Floyd Tiggeman

Jimmy Hailey

Jim Smith

M.B. Donaldson

Vernon Lewis

Ralph Norman

Ron Galindo

Cecil Hutson

Janice DeBlance

Edited March 21, 2011 by Firebird65

[Firebird65]

There once was someone on here who wrote she was the mascot for the Aldine High School twirling troupe. I don't remember the person's name, but I do remember she said there was a photo of her as the mascot in the 1940 yearbook and she was wondering if anyone had a copy. Well, I came across a copy and here is that photo. Unfortunately, I do not know how to reach her. So... I hope she someday finds this post and if so, I am sorry I can't remember the name:

Here's a smaller version:

[Specwriter]

Here is a list of the principals of Marrs/Aldine High School. Don't have the dates of their tenure, but I do believe this list is complete.

Marrs High

G.C. Cox

J.E. Barden

Harmon Watts

C.O. Dusek

Aldine High

Arnold Orsak (moved from football coach to principal as Aldine High I opened)

Ernest Harvell

W.L. Alvara

G.L. Chandler

Thomas Miksch

Floyd Tiggeman

Jimmy Hailey

Jim Smith

M.B. Donaldson

Vernon Lewis

Ralph Norman

Ron Galindo

Cecil Hutson

Janice DeBlance

Jim Hailey must have been a very special person. Unfortunately, he died at a very young age (33, I think). He had a massive heart attack while playing basketball in his own driveway. He and his wife were friends of my parents and he had a daughter my age. Even though I was in grade school when he died I got the impression he was much admired by his students and other adults. Also, to be a high school principal at that young age speaks well of his abilities. Remember that Aldine ISD was entering its "golden age" at that time.

Sonny Donaldson and Vernon Lewis were principals when I attended Aldine High. I liked them both. Mr. Donaldson seemed laid back and very in control. Mr. Lewis was a pretty energetic guy and seemed to really want the students to like him.

My favorite "teacher" of all was not, in fact, a teacher at the time but my counselor, F. G. Bryant. He passed away a little over a year ago at the still young age of 65. He was retired from the Navy and had been a math teacher before becoming a couselor. He was the most friendly and approachable faculty member in the school. He was also very wise when it came to advising seniors about their futures after high school.

In a most ironic twist I sent a condolence card to his widow. She had also been a math teacher in the Aldine district at one time. Shortly after I received a letter from her thanking me and expressing a little surprise that her niece's neighbor would send a card. She did not realize that I had been one of Mr. Bryant's students. She did see, however, that I lived two doors down from her neice. It was news to me too. I called my neighbor and we had a good laugh. She has the same positive opinion of her uncle that I do.

[billyf]

For those of you that don't know a new high school and 9th grade center is being built in AISD off 12525 Ella Blvd. It will be called Oliver Davis High School or just Davis High School. It will open in 2012 and the 9th grade center will open in 2013.

http://www.gammaconst.com/portfolio.asp?category=current

http://www.aldine.k12.tx.us/sections/news/specific_article.cfm?articleID=5520

This will be the first major high school built since Nimitz in the 1970s.

Edited March 23, 2011 by billyf