National Register Listing

Hardin, R.F.,High School

1009 Hall St., Brownwood, TX

Constructed in 1917 of salvaged materials from the city's school for white children, R. F. Hardin High School is the last surviving building associated with the education of African Americans during the early years of school segregation in Brownwood. Until 1960, it was the only school in the Brownwood Independent School District for African American children. Architect Henry Mount designed the Romanesque Revival style building. The school is a fine example of the "separate but equal" educational system and is therefore nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in the areas of Education and Ethnic Heritage/Black and for architecture at a local level of significance.

HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATION IN BROWN COUNTY, 1886-1970 In 1935-36

African Americans represented only 4.8% of the general population of Brown County. The few blacks who lived in the county resided in the urban centers since African Americans were not permitted to live in the rural areas of the county." This probably accounts for the fact that Brownwood was the only school for black children even as late as 1960. From 1910 to 1936, the greatest number of black scholastics reported was 144, whereas the greatest number of white scholastics was 3126 during the same period. However, the Great Depression caused a dramatic decline in the already small black scholastic population. Blacks were forced to seek employment in larger cities or on farms." By 1933-34, the scholastic population had dropped to 52.

Education for Brown County's black children can be traced back to the efforts of George Smith who came to Brownwood in 1885. Smith rented the servant's quarters at 1213 Dale Street upon his arrival to Brownwood. His quarters were not far from Tannehill Street where a small community of black families lived. He soon realized that there was no school for the small population of black children. George, who had served as a trustee for Colored District No. 1 in Tom Green County in 1881, used this opportunity to create a school for black children in Brownwood.

First African American School in Brownwood, 1886

George Smith approached the school board with his vision and agreed to take an examination to qualify him as a public school teacher. He passed the required studies and established the first school in Brownwood for African-American children. He became the school's first principal and teacher in 1886. Smith conducted class beneath a "brush arbor" in his yard and used his home as a classroom.

Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1999.