SCHOOL DAYS

The year was 1952. In the August 10th edition of The Austin American newspaper, the headline read:

Directly below the headline the story began:

The stated purpose of the bond election was to raise money to construct a new elementary school replacing a building that was badly crowded and out of date. 

In this article, Superintendent R. L. Simmons said that the present building had been constructed about 40 years previously, meaning that it no longer met the requirements for lighting, heating and ventilation for current school buildings. Further details were given in a letter that Simmons was sending to the citizens of Manor explaining the need for the bond election. He said, "...architects tell us that it is one of the most dangerous fire traps in Texas today for school children. Money spent in an attempt to modernize the present structure would be useless, for the architecture of the building is such that it cannot be modernized."

He went on to state that more than 100 children spent their days in the upper story of the building and that there were only two fire escapes that they could possibly use, one of those being on the outside of the building, and as Simmons wrote, it was "to some extent unsafe." 

He also said, " If fire were to break out in the lower hall or stairway, only one means of escape would be available for the 100 children upstairs; if fire were to break out in the upper hall or stairway, at least 50 children would have no means of escape at all other than to jump from a second story window."

Night-time photo of the back side of the building where I attended 3rd, 4th and 8 grade classes. Taken from the football field just east and downhill from the school building. 

I well remember that white, wooden, two-story building that stood at the top of the hill where Manor Excel High School now stands. I remember the "to some extent unsafe" metal stairs that extended from the second floor down to the ground on the north side of the building. I remember the long, metal water trough (drinking fountain) along the outside, back wall of the building. Yes, I remember many things about that building, because only two months after that bond election was held, I enrolled, at the beginning of the second six-weeks, in the third grade of Manor Elementary School and attended classes in that building for my third, fourth and eighth grade years. 

One thing I don't remember is ever hearing or being informed in any way that the place I was required by law to spend many days each year, was a "dangerous fire trap". Perhaps it's a good thing that I learned about this only recently. 

On August 17th, the newspaper reported that the bond issue had been defeated by a vote of 130 to 100 because Manor residents didn't want to pay increased taxes that were needed to cover it. One of the reasons given for the defeat was a "proposed $75,000 sewage system in Manor." 

Oh! One other thing that I remember; the old "fire trap" school building was also on the old "sewage system". I guess either way the school kids might receive some kind of relief from their current situation.