Nicolas Street School

The Nicolas Street School, built in 1938, is the only surviving school to tell the story of African-American education in Uvalde. Mrs. T. B. "Susie" Harris, who came to Uvalde to teach at the Oak Street School in 1912, was integral in the establishment of Nicolas Street School. By 1937, increasing enrollment led the Uvalde school board to apply for federal aid to build three new buildings, two for Mexican-American students and one for Anglo students. Although they had originally promised new facilities for African-American students, the board instead decided to transfer the students to one of the older school buildings. Mrs. Harris wrote to U.S. Vice-President John Nance Garner, a Uvalde resident, asking for his assistance in obtaining a new campus. The board later received a telegram from the vice-president in support of Mrs. Harris. In 1938, the board approved the purchase of land on Nicolas Street for a new school. In a time of segregated but seldom equal facilities, the Nicolas Street School contributed significantly to the education of local African-American children. San Antonio architect Will Noonan designed and Uvalde contractor Robert Holcomb built the rectangular, single story brick schoolhouse with metal hipped roof, open eaves and exposed rafters. Two teachers, Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Jewel Kinchlow, taught eight grades here. Mrs. Kinchlow, a former student of Mrs. Harris, later became principal of Nicolas Street School until 1956. Although the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District voted to integrate public schools in 1955, Nicolas Street School remained in operation until 1965, when the school board transferred ownership of the property to the City of Uvalde. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2011