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San Antonio High School

San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Marker Inscription

The first public secondary school in the city, San Antonio High School opened in September 1879 with one teacher, F.M. Halbedl. Classes were initially held in the Fireman's Hall on Broadway. Following several moves, a school building was constructed at this site in 1882 on land owned by the city. The first graduates, three girls, received their diplomas in February of that year. In 1917 the name was changed to Main Avenue High School because of the projected district growth and the addition of new secondary schools. Reflecting district emphasis on vocational training, it became the San Antonio Vocational and Technical High School in 1932. The name was changed in 1961 to honor Louis W. Fox (d. 1978) who served as principal, 1934-1942. A pioneer in Texas vocational education programs, Fox helped develop the technical training curriculum for the school and the district. This historic school has one of the three oldest student government organizations in the state and an alumni association formed in 1892. An annual football game against Lanier High School, called the "Chili Bowl", has been held since 1940. (1979)

Erected by Texas Historical Commission

The Story

San Antonio's first public secondary school opened in 1879 with a single teacher and a borrowed room in the Fireman's Hall, graduating three young women in its first class. Renamed and repurposed over the decades—Main Avenue High in 1917, a vocational and technical school by 1932, and finally Louis W. Fox in 1961—it became a proving ground for Texas vocational education. Its student government is among the state's three oldest, and its 'Chili Bowl' football rivalry has run since 1940.

Why it matters

As one of the earliest public high schools in a major Texas city, it charts the rise of free secondary and vocational education in the American Southwest.

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Related people

  • · F. M. Halbedl
  • · Louis W. Fox

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EducationSchool

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