The names on St. Stephen’s original buildings have deep meaning and significance.

Have you ever wondered who Bishop Freeman was, for which one of the dorms is named — or William Temple, whose name graces the Upper School buildings? In honor of St. Stephen’s 75th anniversary year, we delved into the archives on a history exploration to learn more about the background of the men whose names are on a number of campus buildings.

Taken from a 1960s school informational booklet, the original buildings are described and noted for their “utter simplicity and sincerity. They have been consciously converted in this way to bear witness to the integrity and straightforwardness for which the school strives in putting God’s Will first in our community.”

The booklet notes that the buildings were named “to honor men whose Christian contributions have been real.’”

The original girls dormitory bears Bishop George Washington Freeman’s name, who was a missionary bishop of Texas.

Built in 1954, John Wycliff, one of the boys dormitories honors the man who was best known for his translation of the Bible into English.

The 1950s original classroom building was named after William Brewster, the school’s co-founding headmaster. Brewster believed a Christian community should be a vital force in a Christian education and in the life of youth today. 

The second classroom building at the school is named after William Temple, and the Archbishop of Canterbury in England and Headmaster at Repton School, a boarding and day school also in England. Temple was a key figure in Anglican Communion for Christian Education.

Becker Library is named after Dr. Allen W. Becker, who served as the school's third headmaster from 1957 to 1973. He was pivotal in the institution's early growth, notably leading the school through desegregation and establishing the campus library's foundation. He became head of school in 1957 on the condition that racial discrimination would be eliminated as an entrance criterion.

The Helm Fine Arts Center is named after Dr. Raymond "Ray" Helm, a longtime, dedicated supporter and former board member of the school. The Helm Fine Arts Center is a central hub for arts education on campus.

Featured in the 1954 April edition of the leading Pressive Architecture magazine, St. Stephen’s was cited for excellence of design. The original buildings were presented as part of an article about school construction as an example of changing school trends.

Dormitories and classroom buildings follow a single plan that lends itself to the Central Texas climate. Native ledge stone was used extensively in construction with areas protected by overhangs, and clerestory window arrangement, taking full advantage of the prevailing winds blowing through the Hill Country contours.

Read more about the school’s history and the origin of its land here. To learn more about the construction of newer campus buildings, click here.