Historic Houston Schools

[WestUNative]

isuredid!

Astounding, thank you so much for including the info I was looking for all this while. The building from 1913 was so old-fashioned, I did think is was from further back. The classrooms were enormous, much bigger than ours at West University, which was built in the 1920's, I believe.

What really interests me from this article is the touting of the fine families in the area, plus the presence of prominent Jewish ones. Only 30 years later, the neigborhood was entirely changed, as I have described previously. In fact, I recall only one Jewish student attending and her family was not as poor as the others. Very possibly her family had remained in the area since the early days. I am overwhelmed to hear I walked the same halls as the wife of Heifitz! Wow.

At first I decided your scanner must be in a state of total exhaustion, but now I am wondering just how many of them you've done in today! All of it fascinating.

[Heights2Bastrop]

isuredid, you posted some great photos, at least from the few I saw, and I

[ImTomTerrific]

Is there a source about HSPVA being in the San Jac building?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_School_f...and_Visual_Arts

Is there a source about HSPVA being in the San Jac building?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jacinto_H...l_%28Houston%29

[isuredid]

Here is a link to all of the photos that I had posted on old Houston and Harris County Schools:

Old Houston and Harris County Schools

Edited October 12, 2006 by isuredid

[musicman]

I am overwhelmed to hear I walked the same halls as the wife of Heifitz! Wow.

As in Jascha?

[ImTomTerrific]

Here is a link to all of the photos that I had posted on old Houston and Harris County Schools:

Old Houston and Harris County Schools

thanks for posting the pictures, idid.....it's the 1st time I've seen my old Montrose School in 25 years. I'm going to have to hunt down my class pictures from the 60's that were taken inside the classrooms and post them.

[isuredid]

Is there a source about HSPVA being in the San Jac building?

[isuredid]

[VicMan]

Thanks! I posted links to both documents from Wikipedia

[Heights2Bastrop]

isuredid, thanks for moving those photos. The page loads much, much faster, now.

I went to Love Elementary on Shepherd and W 13th, but it is still in use. Cooley Elementary is long gone, but I do remember it well. It was at 16th and Ashland, I believe. My dad went there for a short time when they lived in the Heights. I always loved the school because the slide fire escapes looked like so much fun!

Heights High served the Heights until the new high school was built at Heights and W 20th. That building became Hamilton Junior High when Reagan opened. Heights High was at 13th and Yale on the property where Milroy Park is now.

[isuredid]

[J W]

Anyone remember or better yet was an allumni of St Christopher's Catholic school , located on the Gulf Freeway at Park Place . I went there from 56 to 58 . It was already an old building back then . It was demolished around 1960 or so . And yes the nuns were tough !

[mwkellner]

Well, while we're at it, if any one has any info on the old Addick's High School or Cedar Bayou High School, it would be appreciated.

I am fairly confident Addicks closed in the late 1940s when construction started on the reservoir. But what happened to the students and the district itself? I live on Westheimer and Gessner, and according to an old map, the northwest corner of that intersection was the southeasternmost part of the Addicks school district. Now it's part of HISD. Apparently, the district was split between Katy, Spring Branch and HISD, and perhaps Cy-Fair too. Anyone know about that or the history of the school?

As for Cedar Bayou, I know the school became a junior high in the Goose Creek ISD in 1953 when the Cedar Bayou district was absorbed by GCISD. Anyone know the history of that school?

Reason I'm asking is that I'm doing a history of my high school's football team and we played both of these schools in the 1940s.

Firebird, I grew up in Baytown (Goose Creek CISD) and attended Cedar Bayou Jr. High in '83-'86. I can tell you that the whole Cedar Bayou school system was located there (K-12) before consoldating. The campus was piecemilled together from the older seperate schools. The oldest building being used was built in 1928 and had about 8 classrooms. It said Cedar Bayou High School on it, but I know that one of the other buildings on the block was used as the high school at a later date (it appeared to be from the '30's). there was a brick building on this same block that was built in 1921, but had a bad foundation and did not last long at all. Before this school was held in the old masonic lodge about 1/4 mile down the street right on Cedar Bayou. There were additions in 1942, a cafeteria in 1947, more additions in the forties and a seperate gym in the 50's(?). The older gym was turned into the auditorium. Additions continued through the70's. The whole complex was razed about 6 years ago and a new campus with the same name was built. Even the football stadium went, it was old and apparently there were some very good class B football teams there. I do know that the Cedar Bayou people wanted their FB coach to be hired at Lee HS when consolidation took place and there was bitterness over the fact that he was not. He did have success elsewhere, but I can not think of his name right now. At this time Lee HS also had HS student from Channelview because they didn't have a high school until 1955(?) Sterling HS was opened in '66 and many of the cedar bayou families chose to attend there because of the bitterness that lingered toward LeeHS. I do know from old schedules that CB and Lee played the first game of the year many time despite the difference in size. One of my Dad's friends went to Aldine in the mid fifties and said he remebered the Cedar Bayou gym (it was the auditorium when I went to school there) had a low ceiling that made shooting the basketball difficult because it looked strange and the CB boys were used to it.

There is alot of random info that I remeber. If you have specific questions I can answer them of find out. The baytown historical museum has some info on the school as well. I hope that is helpful. It is not often that I find anyone interested in the history of local schools. Do you know of any publications on the history of HISD or surrounding school disrticts? I got a good book several years ago on Pasadena ISD.

Well, while we're at it, if any one has any info on the old Addick's High School or Cedar Bayou High School, it would be appreciated.

I am fairly confident Addicks closed in the late 1940s when construction started on the reservoir. But what happened to the students and the district itself? I live on Westheimer and Gessner, and according to an old map, the northwest corner of that intersection was the southeasternmost part of the Addicks school district. Now it's part of HISD. Apparently, the district was split between Katy, Spring Branch and HISD, and perhaps Cy-Fair too. Anyone know about that or the history of the school?

As for Cedar Bayou, I know the school became a junior high in the Goose Creek ISD in 1953 when the Cedar Bayou district was absorbed by GCISD. Anyone know the history of that school?

Reason I'm asking is that I'm doing a history of my high school's football team and we played both of these schools in the 1940s.

[isuredid]

The Mykawa School

[Firebird65]

Do you know of any publications on the history of HISD or surrounding school disrticts? I got a good book several years ago on Pasadena ISD.

I don't know a thing about HISDs history, but there are probably several posters (including isuredid and vicman) who could help you on that. I know a lot about Aldine ISD, should you have any question on that district.

Thanks for your great info on Cedar Bayou. I liked that part about the basketball gym. That was funny. Call it a "home court advantage."

From my research on Aldine's FB team, I know that Cedar Bayou cancelled its 1943 season - ostensibly to conserve gasoline for the war effort. At least that's what they said. La Porte also cancelled their 1943 campaign, but they did so because a tornado from the surprise July hurricane of that year destroyed the school.

I only have Cedar Bayou's FB records for the years they played Aldine. I know they had a good team in several years, but during the time they were in Aldine's district, they didn't win any titles.

Game results

1942 Aldine 52 Cedar Bayou 0

1943 cancelled

1944 Aldine 21 Cedar Bayou 6

1945 Aldine 13 Cedar Bayou 6

1948 Aldine 27 Cedar Bayou 13

1949 Aldine 6 Cedar Bayou 6 (tie)

Aldine won series 4-0-1.

Cedar Bayou's record:

1942 0-9-0 (0-6-0 in 27-1A)

1943 cancelled

1944 5-2-1 (4-2-0 in 27-1A)

1945 7-2-0 (4-2-0 in 27-1A)

1948 4-5-1 (4-2-0 in 25-1A)

1949 6-2-2 (4-2-2 in 25-1A)

[Vertigo58]

If you really want to go back in time, go to M.E.C.A. on 1900 Kane street in 6th Ward or right off Washington street. Its the multicultural center that once "was" a school a long time ago. Just walking up these steep wide stairs takes you back. Be sure to go to the auditorium and especially the basement. Most of all the exposed plumbing is still there & the tiny little stalls to change for gym. Its bizarre. Twilight Zone people.

http://www.meca-houston.org/history.html

PS, See East End section under Rufus Cage Elementary. Let's do the Time Warp

Edited May 31, 2007 by Vertigo58

[JLWM8609]

My high school no longer exists. It was called Middle College For Technology Careers High School (whew! I hated telling people where I went to school because the name was so long and nobody had really heard of it, so we called it MCTC for short). I was there from 2001 to 2005. It was orginally located somewhere on the southwest side, then relocated on TSU's campus in the late 90's. It was VERY small, only 300 or so students at its peak. It was in the technology building, then beginning with the Fall 2001 school year, which is when I began, they'd moved into the old George Allen Building at Tierwester and Wheeler. It was less than a block away from Yates, and once there was an "attack" on some of our students from a gang of guys from Yates. Some "he said/she said" mess started that. The building was in serious need of repair, for a technology high school, we had some mighty old desks and computers. Ceiling tiles were missing. It was cold in winter and at times, the AC would stop working when it would get hot out. The basement would leak, and the walls had cracks in them. I graduated in May 2005 and was gladly looking forward to college. HISD finally realized early on in the Fall 2005 school year that the building was unsafe and moved it to share a building with a middle school in one of the hoods south of the South Loop East. After Spring 2006, the school merged with Wheatley High School. This meant a brand new building, state of the art technology, etc... But, it was now Wheatley, no more MCTC.

[kristiw]

This site is amazing!

WestUNative, I'm a general contractor on the (new) Longfellow Elementary Replacement School. The pictures you've posted and the information you included is awesome. I'm going to forward your information to the Principal at Longfellow ES. I think he'd really fancy them.

[JLWM8609]

I was at Longfellow for a short period of time in the mid 90's. Is Mr. Beringer still principal?

Edited June 8, 2007 by JLWM8609

[Kittycattex]

I've enjoyed checking out the old school pictures and replies. My parents moved alot in the city and I had the opportunity to go to many inner loop schools you were talking about like River Oaks Elem (62-63) Memorial Elem (67-69) Lanier Jr. (71-72) Lamar High (72-73) and others!

[kristiw]

JLWM8609, the new principal is Dr. O'Neil. He's from Louisiana, and is a great (young) asset to this school.

[isuredid]

Here is an article from 1951 on the old Brookline School. I wonder how hard it would be to remove the stuco from the Brookline and Cage Schools and take them back down to red brick:

[JLWM8609]

I'm gonna steal this list from the Houston ISD entry of Wikipedia:

All of these schools closed!

* Southland Elementary School

Southland Elementary never closed down. It first opened in 1915 on Allegheny St. Another structure was built on Dixie Dr in 1949. It's address was changed from Dixie Dr. to Tampa St. in 1978 when a new wing was added, and it's name was changed to Ruby L. Thompson Elementary school in the 80's. It will be moving to a new facility at 6121 Tierwester for the Fall 2007 semester. There was a farewell ceremony today for the old facility, I attended it since I went to Thompson from 1992 to 1994.

Edited June 25, 2007 by JLWM8609

[Cobra]

Anyone remember or better yet was an allumni of St Christopher's Catholic school , located on the Gulf Freeway at Park Place . I went there from 56 to 58 . It was already an old building back then . It was demolished around 1960 or so . And yes the nuns were tough !

I know this post is dormant, but I felt compelled to mention that I graduated from St. Christpher's (8th grade, that is) in 1983.

J W, if you happen to read this, you might like to know that "St. Chris" is still there. You might be mis-remembering the address; the church isn't right at the intersection of the freeway and Park Place, it's actually a couple of blocks NE on Park Place. Their website is here: http://www.stchristopherhouston.org/index.htm

[Vertigo58]

Here is an article from 1951 on the old Brookline School. I wonder how hard it would be to remove the stuco from the Brookline and Cage Schools and take them back down to red brick:

OK, this school needs to have a historical marker on it before they demolish one day. Unlike the topic, it does still exist. Built in 1914! What!

It deserves as much as attention as Rufus Cage down the street at Lawndale and Telephone Rd. (See Cage topic in East End section)

[Vertigo58]

I know this post is dormant, but I felt compelled to mention that I graduated from St. Christpher's (8th grade, that is) in 1983.

J W, if you happen to read this, you might like to know that "St. Chris" is still there. You might be mis-remembering the address; the church isn't right at the intersection of the freeway and Park Place, it's actually a couple of blocks NE on Park Place. Their website is here: http://www.stchristopherhouston.org/index.htm

Maybe you can share school photos and experiences in similar East End (or Holy Places) topics? Most of us East Ender's would love to hear. Most kids we knew from area went there or Queen Of Peace Catholic schools.

[yams69]

To my knowledge Spring Branch has been razed, and Westchester is in the Houston Community College system. Soooo, both are in essence gone.

The SBHS school buildings themselves are still there. There was a tax office building on the property that was razed several years ago, but that was it. It's now a magnet school for the district.

[J W]

I know this post is dormant, but I felt compelled to mention that I graduated from St. Christpher's (8th grade, that is) in 1983.

J W, if you happen to read this, you might like to know that "St. Chris" is still there. You might be mis-remembering the address; the church isn't right at the intersection of the freeway and Park Place, it's actually a couple of blocks NE on Park Place. Their website is here: http://www.stchristopherhouston.org/index.htm

Yes I know the school by the church ( went there from 58-61) , but talk to some real old-timers at the parish and they will tell you that the church once owned property at the southwest corner of Park Place and Gulf Freeway . In fact , that was the original site of the church . Up until about 1958 part of the parish school was also on that corner . I know , I went to Ist and 2nd grade there in 56-57.

Read the Church's history on their website. It explains that the construction of the Gulf Freeway forced the parish to move to the present site.

Edited February 15, 2008 by J W

[robhan]

Where was South Main High School located or rather where on South Main?

[plumber2]

There is an old school building on the corner of Lamar and Paige east of downtown that looks like it is being used as a residence of sometype.