About Our School:

J. C. Austin Elementary School is part of the Mesquite ISD located in Mesquite, Texas. Serving approximately 550 students, our school offers many programs outside of the regular classroom such as Art, Music and Physical Education to enrich the variety of learning styles represented among our diverse population. Austin Elementary School feeds into Kimbrough Middle School and Poteet High School.

John Curtis Austin was born on April 20, 1910 in the Mesquite area of Dallas County. He was the youngest of five children. His parents were John and Jane Austin. He always went by Curt. Mr. Austin lived in Mesquite all of his life. He went to the Mesquite schools and did not attend college. He married Opal Sullivan, and had two children. During WW2, Mr. Austin worked to make plane parts for the war since he could not be in the war due to his age. He helped his family farm in his younger days. One day Mr. Austin was approached and asked if he would like to be the first Municipal Judge, the people told him that they wanted someone who would be fair and loyal to the city and people. He only had court once a week, so he also drove a school bus and took the girls basketball team to games. Some of his favorite things to do were hunt, fish, and play baseball. He also enjoyed being with his family. Mr. Austin was a member of the First Christian Church congregation. He taught a ladies Sunday school class. He was always supportive of the schools. He was chosen to have a school named for him when his youngest daughter Jane wrote in to the school board saying she thought that it would be a good idea, since he was a pioneer and the first Municipal Court Judge. When he died on August 3,1981 he knew that there was going to be a school named after him. Mr. Austin died as he was leaving a Mesquite Board meeting at which he had just resigned since he thought that he needed to take some time off and rest. He had a heart attack leaving that meeting and died that night. His family still lives in Mesquite. I would like to thank his daughter Jane for helping us get this information about her father.