Jollyville, Texas – on the western outskirts of Austin. Now actually a part of Austin.

I went to this school, starting in 1st grade in September 1958 and went there through the 7th grade, May 1965.

It was a 3-room school, with 1-3 in one room, 4-6 in another and 7-8 in the other. There were probably about 8 to 10 kids per grade. The older kids helped with the younger ones.

It was located at the northeast corner of US 183, (the old highway, now called Pond Springs Rd) and Anderson Mill Rd. A new modern school was built adjacent to the old building during the 1964-1965 school year. The last day of class in May 1965 we picked up our desks and moved them over to the new building as we prepared to leave for summer.

For the first couple of years of my schooling the food was cooked in a small kitchen area and we brought our plates back to our desks to eat. In about 1960 an old barracks style building was moved on the site that served as our lunchroom. It was attached to the rear of the old wooden structure. I am hopeful that I can find a picture of the old school but haven’t found one yet.

In the picture below that shows the 4 kids on the steps at the rear of the school building, you can see a rock building. That was the restrooms. It has solid rock walls with no heat to speak of, so trips to the restroom in the winter were usually done without dilly-dallying around.

In the picture of class room scene, with desks spaced widely apart. That shows there was no over crowding problem back then, although 3 grades were in each room.

Going into my 7th grade year, the 8th grade was moved to Round Rock, in anticipation of the school becoming a 1-6 school the following year. (In the new building) That left us 7th graders being the upperclassmen. That one year, it became a school where only 2 grades per taught in each room, with the 7th grade being taught by the principal in what had previously been his office. The one picture below shows that class with only 8 or 9 students with the boys slouching at their desks.

This room, where we held class in our 7 grade year was many things over the years. I think this was the only year during my time there it was used as a classroom. It had been the Principal’s Office, storage Room, Copy Room – (where the mimeograph was located where the distinctive smell of ammonia was always in the air) and also where the chest type freezer was kept so kids could buy ice cream bars after they had lunch.
Of course it remained the Principal’s Office, since he was our teacher as well.

The historical marker for the Pond Springs states that that school consolidated with the Round Rock ISD in 1969. Prior to that it was part of the Williamson County School District. Somehow we were like a bastard child of the Round Rock School District all along. We rode Round Rock buses and got their hand-me-downs. I’m really not sure what the relationship was.

There is now a Pond Springs Elementary School in a development, not to far a distance from the old school.

I wouldn’t take for the education I received in that old school. We have had a couple of Pond Springs reunions during the past few years for students of the 50’s and 60’s. I will be ever grateful for the many friendships that came out of that little country school and have lasted for well over 50 years.