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Memorial Hall School (Houston)

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Not to be confused with Memorial High School (Hedwig Village, Texas).
Memorial Hall School
Location
Houston, Texas

United States
Information
Founded1966
FounderDonna W. Aurich
Closed2022
CEEB code443404[1]
NCES School ID01328131[2]
Faculty80 (lower/upper-combined 1975)[3]
Enrollment≥485 (lower/upper-combined 1975)[3]
MascotCougars
WebsiteWebsite (Archived)
Last updated: May 11, 2024

Memorial Hall School was a nonsectarian private school in Houston, Texas, operating from 1966-2022. MHS was designed as an alternative to public school for students who preferred academic individualization,[4] and intentionally utilized small classroom spaces for students to reach their full potential.[3] Originally a K-12 school, Memorial Hall later redacted lower grades and was only available for students in grades 6-12 in 2020.[5]

History

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The school began operations in 1966 under the direction of Donna W. Aurich who was previously the principal at Chelsea Place School and began a special education program at St. Luke's Methodist Church (located next to Lamar High School).[6] Her husband, Rev. George Aurich, started the high school portion of Memorial Hall and served as the headmaster, and the first senior class graduated in 1975 when the high school population totaled 185 students. At this time the lower school population surpassed 300.[3]

Donna Aurich was also the founder of The Community School, a second-chance private high school that was designed to rehabilitate and help teenagers reenter mainstream school. Rev. George Aurich served as the principal of Community. There were 21 students for the 1969-70 school year.[6]

In 1987 MHS opened the Reserve Ranch (RR Reserve Ranch), an equestrian ranch outside Conroe, Texas, as a rural boarding program.[7][8] Memorial Hall received international (I-20) status in 1988.[9]

After several campus relocations, Memorial Hall School closed following the 2021-22 school year. The formal announcement cited declining enrollment numbers and other difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Campuses

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Memorial Hall School resided on six separate campuses in its fifty-six years of operation. The original location was started by Donna W. Aurich in an office building.[11] Located in Spring Branch, the first separate physical campus was at 9002 Ruland Road alongside The Community School. Community moved to 1836 Ojeman Road in early-1970.[6] The second campus, 3911 Campbell Road, first housed only the high school portion as of 1975 while the lower school continued to operate at the Ruland campus, though the lower and upper schools would later consolidate at Campbell.[3] Greater Houston Adventist Academy later occupied the Campbell Road campus from 1986-2000.[11][12] MHS relocated near Lazybrook/Timbergrove and resided at 3721 Dacoma Street from 1986-2010. The 1.75-acre, 26,000 square-foot[13] facility received over $1 million in donations from the Quaker Oats Company to cover the majority of the $1.35 million cost.[14] In 2010, the Dacoma Road campus facilities were purchased by Gateway Academy, a private middle and high school for students with diagnosed autism and learning disabilities.[13] Later campuses were at 5400 Mitchelldale Street[15] and 2501 Central Parkway, the latter of which they occupied from 2015 until closing in 2022.[16]

Reserve Ranch

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In 1987, Memorial Hall School opened the forty-acre Reserve (RR) Ranch. Located right outside Conroe, Texas, the ranch provided after-school and weekend boarding options for students whose parents lived a great distance from Houston. The facility also offered outdoor activities and study programs.[7][8] The entire land, located on League Line Road, was sold in 2005 and was later the site of an immigrant shelter.[17]

Athletics

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The Memorial Hall athletic teams were known as the Cougars. MHS had football, girls basketball,[18] boys basketball[19] and baseball teams.[20] The football team was subjected to infamy when, on September 29, 1978, they gave up 599 rushing yards to a single player, a then-Texas high school football record, in an 85-22 loss to Marian Christian School.[21][22]

Alumni

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Former staff members

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References

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  1. ^ "CEEB Codes in Texas". Top Schools in the USA. January 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Search for Private Schools MEMORIAL HALL SCHOOL. 2019-2020
  3. ^ a b c d e f Hampton, Hartley (June 8, 1975). "Private School Helps Pair With Poor Grades". Houston Chronicle. p. 62 – via genealogybank.com.
  4. ^ "Status of high school incorrectly reported" (February 12, 1977). Houston Chronicle. p. 3 — via genealogybank.com
  5. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". memorialhall.org. October 1, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ a b c Murphy, Laurel (March 22, 1970). "Community School is Forging New Education Life-Styles" Houston Chronicle. p. 59 — via genealogybank.com.
  7. ^ a b "In Period of Growth, Care Remains Constant". The Houston Post. July 29, 1990. p. 81. Retrieved May 11, 2024 – via genealogybank.com.
  8. ^ a b "Memorial Hall is School Where Children Can, Do Learn". The Houston Post. May 21, 1989. p. 82. Retrieved May 11, 2024 – via genealogybank.com.
  9. ^ "A School Where Children can and do Learn". memorialhall.org. February 8, 2002 – via Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ "Memorial Hall School — A Personalized Approach to Academic Excellence (School Closure Statement)". May 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ a b "History of Memorial Hall". memorialhall.org. February 13, 2002 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ coleperz (June 12, 2018). "This is...Greater Houston Adventist Academy-Campbell Road-Last Days". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023.
    Note: Recorded on July 1, 2000
  13. ^ a b "Real estate transactions". chron.com. June 27, 2010.
  14. ^ Sowers, Leslie (October 16, 1987). "The Family Spirit Makes it Work at Memorial Hall School". The Houston Chronicle. pp. 108, 109. Retrieved May 11, 2024 – via genealogybank.com.
  15. ^ "Memorial Hall School: 4th thru 12th Grade". memorialhall.org. February 7, 2014 – via Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ "Memorial Hall School: 4th thru 12th Grade". memorialhall.org. September 3, 2015 – via Wayback Machine.
  17. ^ Scott, Brandon K. (July 12, 2014). "Lawmakers Still Learning About Local Immigrant Child Shelter". yourconroenews.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022.
  18. ^ Lutheran High School (1978). "Pioneer '78". classmates.com. p. 116.
    Note: Classmates.com mistakenly has this yearbook under the name "Bethany Lutheran High School."
  19. ^ Hartman, Fred (December 20, 1973). "Burrs Second in Houston Cage Event". The Baytown Sun. p. 17 – via texashistory.unt.edu.
  20. ^ "Memorial Hall 10, Central C. (Christian Academy) 6". The Houston Post. April 8, 1983. p. 42. Retrieved May 11, 2024 – via genealogybank.com.
  21. ^ "Sports-Go-Round - Ali Stevenson match in works". Dallas Morning News. October 4, 1978. p. 30 – via genealogybank.com.
  22. ^ "Champs Strake Jesuit, St. Pius Seeking Repeats". Houston Chronicle. November 16, 1978. p. 39 – via genealogybank.com.
  23. ^ Holland, Herb (July 24, 1975). "Rookie Coach Rice Forsees Oiler Success". Houston Chronicle. p. 21 – via genealogybank.com.
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