Anderson High School (Austin, Texas)

Infobox School
name=L.C Anderson High School
type=Public
location=8403 Mesa Drive, Austin, TX


caption=
motto=In Pursuit of Excellence
established=1973
district=Austin Independent School District
grades=9 through 12
colors=Blue and Gold
conference=UIL 25-AAAAA
principal=Donna Houser
mascot=Trojans
website=http://www.andersonptsa.com
information=512-414-2538

L.C. Anderson High School is a public high school located in the city of Austin, Texas, United States.

History

Anderson High School began life in 1889, when a high school was added to Robertson Hill School (itself established in 1884) the city's first school for African-American children. It was located in the same building as the lower school, at San Marcos and 11th Streets. In 1907 the high school became independent and moved to Olive and Curve Streets. It was named for E.H. Anderson, who had served as Principal of Prairie View Normal Institute (now Prairie View A&M) from 1879 to 1885. In 1913 it moved again, to Pennsylvania Street (now the location of Kealing Middle School).

In 1938 the school was renamed for Laurine Cecil Anderson (1853-1938), a local black educator (and brother of E.H. Anderson) who served as principal of the school for 33 years, from 1896 to 1929. Anderson was unanimously granted the posthumous honor by the AISD school board. In 1953 the school moved yet again, to 900 Thompson Street.

In 1971, the school was ordered closed by a federal judge as part of desegregation, and a new, integrated L.C. Anderson High School was opened at its current location at 8403 Mesa Drive in 1973, with its first class graduating in 1974. The new Anderson's first principal - another prominent African-American educator, Dr. W. Charles Akins - now has an AISD school, Akins High School, named after him.

List of Principals

* Dr. W. Charles Akins - 1973-1982
* Ronald D. Beauford - 1982-1991
* Darrel P. Baker - 1991-1996
* Dr. David A. Kernwein - 1996-2007
* Donna L. Houser - 2007-present

Academics

Anderson is one of the top-ranked schools academically in Texas. It was ranked one of the nations's top 250 high schools by the Washington Post, one of the top 500 by Newsweek, and one of the top 10 in Texas by Texas Monthly. It is the only school in AISD and one of only a few in Central Texas to have the International Baccalaureate Program, with 72 IB graduates in the Class of 2003.

Athletics

Anderson is not as successful in athletics as in academics, especially since it recently was promoted from Conference AAAA to Conference AAAAA of the University Interscholastic League. The most visible athletic program for any school in Texas, its football program, has not done well since the switch, usually achieving only two or three wins out of ten games each season. This is partly due to the fact that there are many very strong athletic schools in its conference. (The team had a better season in 2007, though, under new head coach Marcus Reiland; its record for the year was 6-4). Its other teams are more successful, though - for example, its wrestling team has won the district championship thirteen years in a row, and its golf team went to the state championship nine years in a row. The swim team has also continued to do well despite the change to 5A, having eight state finalists at the 2007 state swim meet.

List of Athletic Directors

* James S. Acker - 1973-1989
* Ray Dowdy - 1989-1994
* Terry Morris - 1994-1997
* Trent W. Gregory - 1997-2007
* Marcus Reiland - 2007-present

Feeder Schools

Middle School

*E.A. Murchison Middle School
*Paragon Prep

Elementary Schools

*Will Davis Elementary School
*Summitt Elementary School
*Hill Elementary School
* Doss Elementary School

External links

* [http://www.austinisd.org/schools/website.phtml?id=001 Anderson High School]
* [http://www.leaguelineup.com/andersontrojanfootball Anderson Trojans Football]
* [http://www.andersontrojanband.com/ Anderson Band Program]
* [http://www.andersonrobotics.com/ Anderson Robotics: AusTin Cans]

References

* [http://www.statesman.com/news/content/life/stories/other/02/20aaplacesofinterest.html Early Anderson History]

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