Anderson High School (Texas)

Updated on Nov 11, 2023

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School type Public High School Principal Sammi Harrison Language English Mascot Trojan		Founded 1973 Grades 9–12 Phone +1 512-414-2538
Motto In Pursuit of Excellence Address 8403 Mesa Dr, Austin, TX 78759, USA District Austin Independent School District Feeder schools Murchison Middle School Similar Mc Callum High School, Murchison Middle School, Westwood High School, Vandegrift High School, McNeil High School Profiles Twitter

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

History

Anderson High School was formed 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 school became independent and moved to Olive and Curve Streets. It was named for E. H. Anderson, who served as principal of Prairie View Normal Institute (now Prairie View A&M) from 1879 to 1885. In 1913 the high school moved again, to Pennsylvania Street (now the location of Kealing Middle School).

In 1938 the school was renamed for E. H. Anderson's brother, Laurine Cecil Anderson (1853–1938), a local black educator who served as principal of the school for 33 years, from 1896 to 1929. Anderson was unanimously granted the posthumous honor by the Austin Independent School District (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 of 8403 Mesa Drive in 1973, with its first class graduating in 1974. The new school's first principal was another prominent African-American educator, Dr. W. Charles Akins. Another AISD school, Akins High School, was later 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—2016

Sammi Harrison, 2016—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.

Ranked 327 in 2010 by Newsweek

Ranked #6 public high school in Austin in 2012 by Children at Risk

Athletics

Anderson has been successful in some athletics as in academics, since it recently was promoted from Conference AAAA to Conference AAAAA of the University Interscholastic League. Its football program, the most visible athletic program for any school in Texas, has not done well since the switch, usually achieving only two or three wins out of ten games each season. The team had a better season in 2007-08, though, under new head coach Marcus Reiland; its record for the year was 6-4. In 2008-09, the team struggled with a record of 2-8. In 09-10, the team's record was 6-4, after starting out the season 3-0, but finished the season 3-4, just missing the playoffs. 2010 has been a good year for Trojan football so far, with the team's record at 10-1, capturing the Bi-District Title with a playoff win against Westwood High School (Austin, Texas) of Round Rock, TX.

Other Anderson teams are more successful, however. The 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. The short lived cycling team won state runner-up in 2008. A member of the Anderson men's bowling team won the 2011 Texas High School Bowling Club state singles championship.