As Black History Month comes to a close, the Department of Access and Opportunity invited a former student of Old Hopewell, formerly known as the Hope Well Colored School in Round Rock, to share memories about her time at the school with our community.
The school, which operated from 1922 to 1966, played a crucial role in providing education to Black students in the area during segregation.
“It was a delight coming here,” said Ella Sauls Morrison, valedictorian of the class of 1964. “We were like a big family here, and we had opportunities to do things. We learned academics and just how to live, you know, with other people and self-respect.”
Hope Well opened its doors at the southwest corner of McNeil Road and what is now I-35 on Oct. 10, 1921. It initially served students up to the fourth grade.
By 1936, it expanded to offer education through 10th grade, and by the 1950s, it included a full high school curriculum. Before this, Black students seeking a complete education had to travel to Georgetown or Taylor.
Morrison said Hope Well welcomed students from surrounding communities, including Pflugerville, Kingsville, Stony Point, Merrilltown, Coxville, Waters Park, and Hutto. She said many students were bused in while others, like herself, walked to school. The average class size was around 10 students.
Despite limited resources, Hope Well students excelled in extracurricular activities, she said. The school had a band and athletic teams, and students competed in UIL events for debate, spelling and choir. She also said that band instruments and uniforms were often passed down from Round Rock High School, which shared the same mascot and colors—maroon and white dragons.
Without a dedicated athletic facility, students practiced sports on a dirt field. However, they were later allowed to use Round Rock High School’s gym and football field, where they competed against other Black schools.
“We persevered,” said Morrison. “We were used to it. That’s what it was at that time.”
Efforts to integrate schools in Round Rock began in 1946, but full integration didn’t occur until 1966. In 1963, Morrison sought permission to attend Round Rock High School. She was told her request would need approval through a community vote—a process that could not be completed before graduation. As a result, her request for integration was denied, and she stayed at Hope Well.
In 1966, the Round Rock ISD board proposed a plan for partial integration, but the community rejected it. Instead, the board opted for complete desegregation, and Hope Well Colored School closed its doors, becoming known as “Old Hopewell.”
In 2015, the school was restored and moved to its new location along RM 620.
“This doesn’t look anything like my school,” Morrison said, looking around present-day Old Hopewell. “They rearranged the front because we really didn’t have a front on the old building. It was the classrooms like a square and then an exit which had a little porch the length of a bench, and that was it.”
Today, Old Hopewell stands as a testament to the resilience of Black families in Round Rock who fought for quality education during segregation.
“The best change is the fact that we’re accepted and recognized. There’s still a lot to do, but we’re on our way,” said Morrison.
