Old Rock Gym Part of Keller's History, Future

The historic rock gym on FM 1709 in Keller, TX dates back to 1918.

Seven years ago the Keller Independent School District started renovating the building for administrative offices. While prior to the renovation newcomers to the town saw only a decaying relic of the town's past, to those who attended the old Keller High School, it was and continues to be a reminder of their long-past youth.

John Crawford, 64, a Keller High School counselor, played on the school's basketball team in the original gym. He attended first through 12th grade in the building next to the gym, graduating in a class of approximately 28 students.

"It (the gym) was small back then even," said Crawford. "There were a lot of small gyms like that around. I understand before (the gym was built) they didn't have any place to play basketball except outside. That gym was something else."

The area behind the stage used to be dressing rooms for athletes. Fireplaces provide the only heat inside the gym and the original floors were made of wood. The floor, damaged by time and the rain that would blow in through the outside double doors, was twice replaced with fresh wood. The third time the floor was covered with cement but when termites ate the wood under the floor, the floor had to be gutted and rebuilt.

Crawford, who also played for the school baseball and football teams, remembers changing for practice in the unheated dressing rooms of the gym.

"The fireplaces weren't used back then," said Crawford. "It was usually cold. It really looks different now."

Crawford has fond memories of his coaches, Paul Allen and A.K. Thredford, among others.

"They expected a lot out of us," he said. "The town expected us to win. There for years we always did win. I would consider them good teachers in class, too."

Crawford started the first grade on the east end of the old school buidling next to the gym and began high school at the west end. Just before Crawford started the first grade the building adjacent to the gym, which once had been used as a barracks during World War II, had burned down and had to be rebuilt.

After the second Keller High School was built in the early 1960s, at the site of the present Keller Middle School, the building became Keller Elementary School and the gym fell into disuse.

In 1967 and 1968 the Indianettes Drill Team rehearsed in the rock gym and on the tennis courts where the band hall now sits at Keller Middle School.