‘BACK TO LIFE’: BRENHAM COMMUNITY EDUCATION BUILDING UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS
A Brenham ISD facility with nearly 100 years of history is being restored to its former glory.
Renovations are ongoing at the Brenham Community Education Building, which serves as the Pride Academy for accelerated learning and as the site of the school district’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program. It has continuously brought in students since being built in 1927, including use as an intermediate school and high school.
Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin said the structure is a unique reflection of Brenham and Washington County and wants to continue to have it play a key role in education.
building have been repainted.
Some of the work happening at the building includes repainting of the hallways and refinishing of floor tile. A focus of late has been the auditorium, where the walls, ceiling and moulding have been repainted, the windows have been glazed, the brick on the outside has been sealed, cracks in the plaster have been fixed, and there are plans to put in carpet.
Upgrades have also been made in the Rock Gym, with Brent Nedbalek of Triton Air being a key contributor. New floors have been put in, along with backboards, seating and bathrooms. A new scoreboard is also in the works.
The renovations are being made gradually as money allows for them, using school district maintenance and operation funds. Brenham ISD Facilities and Maintenance Director Paul Aschenbeck is overseeing the project.
new paint, sealing of the outside brick and reglazed
windows, among other improvements.
Many former students who attended school at the Community Education Building have fond memories of their time there and have many stories to tell. One of them is Ben Seeker, a 1965 graduate who studied for two and a half years at the building before the high school was moved to what is now the junior high school. He hopes his experiences, which include an anecdote about the freshman rite of passage of getting tossed into a fish pond, can encourage an interest in revitalizing the building so it can continue to be used for modern education.
Dr. Donald Draehn, a member of the 1963 graduating class that was the last class before Brenham High School and Pickard High School integrated, said the Community Education Building has a lot of character and is very significant in the history of Brenham. He wishes to keep the building functional to where today’s students can see that history firsthand and create new memories there.
in Brenham ISD's renovation project.
The bathrooms are an area that will later see some improvements. A big ticket item is the heating and cooling system, as the piping that runs through the building is aging and rusting through, but replacing the system is estimated to cost $1.5 million alone.
Dr. Chaplin encourages the public to get involved in helping to determine what the future looks like for the facility.
Dr. Chaplin said the building can be a point of pride not just for Brenham ISD, but for everyone. All it needs is some love, and it can truly be a place for “community” education.
(courtesy Brenham ISD)
(courtesy Brenham ISD)
(courtesy Brenham ISD)
(courtesy Brenham ISD)
This is a beautiful old building that is a Brenham landmark. I would love to see it fully restored and used as an important part of the BISD mission. There is so much potential to impact the community with this building. I am glad to see this being done.
Where did all the beautiful antique auditorium seats go?
Many are in storage within the district. I took a photo when we went through an area that had them stored, because the BHS metal work on the side of the seats rows were so beautiful. There was so much attention to detail in this building that you can still see in the tiling, woodwork, & marble behind water fountains.
What will be done with them and how many are left I wonder?
I’ve waited for decades to see this happen. Why it’s not a beautifully restored campus or administration building, I’ll never know. So sad to see the Auditorium seating gone. (And the floor leveled?? No respect for a performance space. )
I attended 5th and 6th grade in this building back when it was Brenham Middle School. So many fond memories of teachers and classrooms there. Especially remember music class led by Mrs. Jones in the auditorium. It’s a pity all the seating has been removed from the auditorium. It could be a good alternative space for performances by school and community groups like dance schools etc. It is wonderful that efforts are being made to renovate this fine old building though. I wish the same could/would be done for my former Brenham High School building which is now Brenham Junior High.
The Community Education Building has been a landmark building on Market Street for many, many years. My first year of teaching occurred in a portable building adjacent to the basement cafeteria in 1983 under the principalship of Gerald Krause. And ironically, my last year in education with Brenham ISD (32 years) has been spent in this same iconic building as the Coordinator of Student Services. If I could rub a genie’s bottle and make a wish, it would be to see a foundation fund set up to assist in renovating our Brenham Community Education building. Through generous donations, this building could see the restoration it truly deserves. Community educational classes would prepare students, parents, and the community for upcoming jobs, careers, and services. Let’s put the “Community” back into The Community Education Building!
I attended this as a high school student for 2-1/2 years and the interior photos in the article show it to be much nicer than it was in the 1960’s. It is good to see it renovated and read of more improvements in the near future. There was no a/c in those days.
It’s is hard to understand how a building of 100 years of age has none of the major problems of the far newer current Jr. High building which school officials wish to level. I have seen too many city of Brenham structures with major problems and short life’s. The old high school was properly built by a well chosen architect and construction firm. And a big factor Is the maintenance personnel of those much earlier days were more capable and well supervised which is evident by its relatively good condition.
My mother graduated from there May 26, 1944. I have been trying to find a yearbook from that era as my sister is putting together albums for our family history. I know my mother, who was Ora Nell Ringener at that time, played tennis and was a twirler according to records my sister has. I have made a few calls to try to locate a yearbook to buy or to look at so I can see pictures of the era. If any of you have any other ideas, please let me know. Thank you, Judy
Have you checked the public library? I think they have some older yearbooks there.
I am excited to see this happening, I attended and graduated this school, Leap class of 99′ and my son graduated from Pride. I also worked here; I absolutely love that this is being done. Way to Go Brenham and Brenham ISD. This is truly going to be great!