New Brandon Family Resource Center Honors Judge Katherine Essrig

By Ralph | Crosstown Journal

Long before Brandon became the bustling community we know today, a modest school on Knights Avenue served as the center of education and community life.

That school would eventually become Brandon's first high school, graduating its first four seniors in 1923.

Its story begins more than a century ago, when Brandon was still a small agricultural settlement surrounded by farms and citrus groves.

A School Built for a Growing Community

In 1901, James H. Brandon donated land for a permanent school. As the community grew, residents recognized the need for larger facilities to replace the area's scattered one-room schoolhouses.

In 1914, the first of two distinctive sandstone-brick buildings was constructed at what is now 306 North Knights Avenue.

A second building followed in 1917, allowing Brandon School to expand its educational offerings through the 12th grade.

Together, the buildings became known as the Twin Towers.

In 1923, four students became the school's first graduating high school class, marking an important milestone in Brandon's educational history.

More Than Just Classrooms

For decades, Brandon School was much more than a place where children learned reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Its auditorium hosted plays, movies, dances, and community gatherings.

Families came together for school activities, and the campus became a gathering place for residents of the growing town.

One of the school's most influential figures was E.F. “Mac” McLane, who became principal in 1930.

McLane served for approximately 34 years, guiding generations of Brandon students and earning a lasting place in the community's history.

From Brandon High to McLane

As Brandon's population increased, the school system gradually reorganized.

Elementary students moved to other facilities during the 1950s, and junior high students were relocated in the early 1960s.

In 1972, Brandon High School moved to its present campus on Victoria Street.

The original Knights Avenue campus became McLane Junior High School in 1973, honoring its longtime principal. It later operated as McLane Middle School.

A Landmark Worth Remembering

The historic Twin Towers survived decades of change, including earlier proposals to replace the aging buildings.

Their preservation reflects the importance of the school to generations of Brandon families.

Today, the former McLane campus remains part of ongoing discussions about the property's future.

Whatever changes may come, the history of Brandon's first high school deserves to be remembered.

Then: A small-town school that educated Brandon's first high school graduates.

Now: A historic campus representing more than a century of education, community gatherings, and local memories.