Milby High School History
Charles Henry Milby
The life and career of Charles H. Milby is a fundamental part of the history of Harris County and the East End. Mr. Milby was known for his integrity, vision and great regard for the community. He left a legacy that remains a part of Houston to this day. The Milby family has contributed to the common good of Texas for over a century and a half.
Charles H. Milby was born in Indianola, Texas on August 29, 1852, the seventh and youngest child of William P. and Mary Y. Milby. Charles’ father, Mr. William was a member of the Texas Congress from 1842 to 1844. He was educated in the public county schools and came to Houston as a very young man in 1872. In 1873, he moved to Harrisburg where he became manager of a general store. In 1879, he married Miss Maggie Grant Tod, the daughter of a Texas Navy Commodore. The Milby’s lived at 614 Broadway. Charles and Maggie Milby had a son and a daughter, John and Mary Josephine.
In 1879. Charles Milby and Andrew Dow formed a long partnership that would last over 35 years, as the firm of Milby and Dow. Both men were genuine entrepreneurs who over time were involved in a number of business ventures, such as a brick yard, coal ventures, real estate and banking. Mr. Milby organized the Milby Hotel Company and in 1910 built the Milby Hotel, of which he was the sole owner.
Mr. Milby was always concerned about improving the economy and welfare of his community, He served as a member of the original committee that presented the U.S. Federal Government with the idea of a deep-water port for Houston. He helped secure the right-of-way for many parts of the present Houston Ship Channel and lived to see its completion and operation. Charles H. Milby died on July 19, 1925, while on vacation in Colorado Springs. His widow lived at the family home at 614 Broadway until she passed away in 1941. She had faithfully taught Sunday school all her life. Mr. and Mrs. Milby’s son and daughter, Mr. John Milby and Mrs. George Hamman, both continued the family tradition of service to the community. In 1926, Charles H. Milby High School was named in honor of Mr. Milby and his contributions to the area.
How Milby High School Got Its Name
March 28, 1926, was an important date for Charles H. Milby Senior High School. On that date 212 students and 13 teachers marched down Broadway from the old Harrisburg High School to 1601 Broadway, to occupy Milby’s classrooms for the first time.
When Milby was originally being built, the community expected it to be called Harrisburg High School; however, since the towns of Magnolia Park and Park Place were in the district, there were objections. On September 23, 1925, a controversy arose over the naming of a new Senior High School under construction at 1601 Broadway.
The new school was to become part of the Houston ISD since Harrisburg ISD had decided to consolidate with Houston. One faction on the School Board wanted to name the new school “San Jacinto Senior High School” and another faction wanted the name to be “Harrisburg Senior High School.” The president of the school board, Mr. James S. Deady, was about to break the tie in favor of “Harrisburg Senior High School” when a suggestion was made that the new school be named after the late Mr. Charles H. Milby, who had contributed so much to the Harrisburg area. The vote was unanimous for this suggestion since everyone had so much respect for Mr. Milby. He was a man of excellent character, and it would be especially appropriate to use his name for an institution where young people could gain knowledge and be taught the elements of good citizenship and character.
In the summer of 1925, W. 1. Stevenson was hired as principal of Milby. At that time J. O. Webb was superintendent of the Harrisburg District, which later joined the city of Houston. In the fall of 1925, the new building at Milby was not finished, so Stevenson became principal of Harrisburg Elementary and Harrisburg High School combined. At mid-term, T. L. Barnhouse, who later became principal of Deady Junior High School, took over the duties at Harrisburg Elementary.
Mr. Stevenson and the 13 teachers, who made the trip down Broadway to Milby in 1926, served the school long and faithfully. In fact, when the silver anniversary was celebrated in 1950, there were still four of those teachers remaining at Milby, and Mr. Stevenson served at principal until June 1960.