School History
Smith traces its beginnings back to 1895 in a one-room building at Preston and New Braunfels Avenue rented from J.W. Moore and called the South Heights School. It also was called Miss Preston's School after Emma M. Preston, the principal and only teacher. Because a larger facility was needed, students began the fall 1899 term in rented classroom space in a Presbyterian church at the corner of Ferguson and Nebraska (now Martin Luther King Blvd.)
In 1903 a two-story, four room red brick school building was constructed on the northwest corner of Iowa and S. Gevers.
The school was named after two Texas patriots and participants in the Battle of San Jacinto. Smith was also called School #15.