08.10.2023

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Today’s Forecast

69º | Rainy | 87% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:28 a.m. | Sunset 5:42 p.m.

167 years of history

The Texas School for the Deaf’s humble beginnings and strong legacy

The Texas School for the Deaf campus, with a tree in the foreground overhanging a blue sky.

The Texas School for the Deaf still stands where it was first founded, between South 1st Street and South Congress Avenue. | Photo by ATXtoday

The first day of school is just around the corner, so we’re taking the opportunity to share the story of one of Austin’s most storied educational institutions: the Texas School for the Deaf.

In addition to being the oldest continually operating public school in the state, the Texas School for the Deaf is one of the oldest sites in Austin. The 167-year-old institution is older than the Texas State Capitol building.

The school’s origins can be traced back to a deaf man named Matthew Clark, who petitioned the state to open its first school for deaf residents in 1856. According to a former student, after the sixth legislature approved his plan, Clark traveled around Austin and neighboring counties in search of deaf children in need of education.

The school opened its doors — with just three pupils — in January 1857. Back then, reports say it looked very different from how it looks now, largely constructed of a cottage, cabins, and an old smokehouse.

A black and white photo of the Texas School for the Deaf's campus in 1918. — The Texas School for the Deaf began as a collection of cottages and morphed several times before becoming the 67-acre campus it is today.
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Photo [PICA 12970] via Austin History Center, Austin Public Library

Just a few years after the institution opened, the Civil War struck. Funding ran dry, but rather than abandon the school, teachers and students supported themselves on the property by farming and making clothes using wool from sheep raised on-site.

The school survived, and by 1923, the campus was believed to be the second-largest school for the deaf in the US.

Even so, it wasn’t until 1949 that the school graduated from its role as an eleemosynary institution — one dependent on charity — into a certified educational institution. The school was desegregated in 1966, after it was placed under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Education.

Today, the 67-acre Texas School for the Deaf campus still stands where it was founded between South 1st Street and South Congress Avenue, educates ~540 students, and serves as a statewide resource center.

Asked

Which historic site would you like to learn about next?

A. Scholz Garten
B. O. Henry Museum
C. Dirty Martin’s Place
D. Other

Pick our next feature

Events

Thursday, Aug. 10

LiteratureLive! presents “Jack and the Beanstalk” | Thursday, Aug. 10 | 10-10:30 a.m. | Austin Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez St., Austin | Free | Kids age 4 and up will love this nontraditional puppet show in the Children’s Area.
Free Week at The Jones Center | Now-Sunday, Aug. 13 | 12 p.m. | The Contemporary Austin, 700 Congress Ave., Austin | Free | Peruse The Jones Center’s collection for free until Sunday, Aug. 13.

Friday, Aug. 11

Kind Of A Big Dill - Pickle Party! | Friday, Aug. 11 | 12-10 p.m. | Blue Owl Brewing, 2400 E. Cesar Chavez St., Ste. #300, Austin | Free | Wear green to celebrate the return of Pickled Little Boss with pickle-themed games, micheladas, and pickled beer slushies.
The Offspring | Friday, Aug. 11 | 7 p.m. | Germania Insurance Amphitheater, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin | $37-$500 | Simple Plan and Sum 41 will join on this tour for this evening of punk rock hits.
Cedar Park Rodeo | Friday, Aug. 11-Saturday, Aug. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, 2100 Ave. of the Stars, Cedar Park | $25-$35 | Prepare for two days of horseback riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, mutton busting, and more rodeo fun.

Saturday, Aug. 12

City-Wide Vintage Sale | Saturday, Aug. 12-Sunday, Aug. 13 | Times vary | Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | $9-$12 | Shop from dozens of local vintage sellers at this expansive market.
Austin Pride: Keep Austin Queer’d | Saturday, Aug. 12 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Fiesta Gardens, 2100 Jessie Segovia St., Austin | $20 | Start the celebration early with the free parade starting at the Texas State Capitol, or stick around to party all day at the festival.

Sunday, Aug. 13

Handmade Seeded + Floral Paper Making Workshop | Sunday, Aug. 13 | 12-3 p.m. | The Paper + Craft Pantry, 1023 Springdale Rd., Bldg. 6A, Austin | $129 | Use scraps, dried florals, and seeds to create eco-friendly paper sheets and cards.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Environment

A fire in Cedar Park destroyed a 24-unit apartment complex and caused two minor injuries this week. This joins other recent blazes near Kyle and San Marcos, as windy, hot, and dry conditions put Central Texas in “extreme fire danger.” (Austin American-Statesman + KXAN)

Civic

Williamson County will put the largest bond package in county history on the ballot this November. The $884 million package is largely for transportation projects, but also sets aside $59 million for park improvements. (Austin American-Statesman)

Development

A “multimillion-dollar” upgrade is underway at The Domain. The renovations will not add any square footage to the development, but will update the building facades to be more contemporary. (Austin Business Journal)

Closing

Sammataro’s East 12th Street food truck is closed indefinitely, the business announced on its Instagram stories this past weekend, citing “unfortunate circumstances.” The popular pizza spot’s brick-and-mortar location at 900 W. 10th St. is still open. (Austin American-Statesman)

Number

$63,800. That’s how much an Austinite would need to earn in income annually to afford the median monthly rent of $1,595 for a one-bedroom apartment. Learn more. (CultureMap Austin)

Shop

Time to stock up on fall threads. A North Face store is now open at Domain NORTHSIDE, offering its signature hiking and athleisure apparel in a 4,500 sqft space. (CultureMap Austin)

Correction

If you read yesterday’s announcement about ZACH Theatre’s upcoming production of “Head Over Heels,” then you know that original Go-Go member Kathy Valentine is leading the accompanying band. What you might not know (since we unfortunately left out a word) is that the band is all-girl. Rock on, Austin.

Shop

Our online store (Six & Main) now features kathyphantastic, an Austin-based brand led by Kathy Phan, a watercolor illustrator and pet portrait artist. Illustrations include Texas favorites, trendy food and beverages, and culinary traditions popularized in the US as a result of immigration and the Asian diaspora. Shop now.

Civic

Water you waiting for?

City pools will be free for the rest of the summer

People splashing in a pool in the foreground, with a big, cloud-filled blue sky in the background.

Deep Eddy Pool is one of the city pools that will be free for the rest of this summer. | Photo by @v_maier_daily

Splish, splash — Austinites can now swim for free at pools citywide.

The City of Austin announced it will waive admission fees to all city-owned pools — except Barton Springs Pool — until Saturday, Sept. 30 due to ongoing excessive heat.

Austin has now seen temperatures higher than 100º for 33 days in a row, smashing the previous streak record of 27 days set in 2011. With the city under frequent excessive heat warnings, don’t forget to:

Stay hydrated
Know the signs of heat stroke
Practice fire safety
Keep yourself, children, and pets cool

Pack up the beach towels, remember to wear sunscreen, and find a city pool near you using our interactive map.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
London

From the editor

This week is National Farmers Market Week and if I weren’t out of town this weekend, I’d definitely celebrate with a trip to the Texas Farmers Market at Mueller for some fresh veggies and a nice coffee walk.

Which farmers market do you frequent in ATX? (Psst — if you’re still looking for one, we have a guide for that.)

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