J. Frank Dobie High School under construction 1968

In June, 1968 there was an as-yet-unnamed high school being built.

June 10, 1968 Bob Bailey has a line in his ledger "Photos of school on Beamer Road."

11111 Beamer Road, to be precise.

by permission, Bob Bailey Studios Photographic Archive, e_bb_6433

The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin

Four months later, October 9, 1968, another ledger line reads "Progress J. Frank Dobie."  Since the naming of Sam Rayburn High School in 1958, the district had decided all of its future school names should be of famous Texans. So sometime between July and October, the decision was made to name the school after the Texas writer.

No grass, no trees, just the two wings in the middle of a field.

by permission, Bob Bailey Studios Photographic Archive, e_bb_6434

The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin

The client is listed as "Manhattan" would be the same construction company who would build Reliant Stadium and Jerry's world for the Dallas Cowboys. 

It had the distinction of being the first fully air-conditioned high school in the district. Without any windows, save the front entry and the gymnasiums, it was designed to function as a tornado shelter.

Some additional photos of the building in its earliest days:

both of the above from the first Dobie yearbook, 1968 -1969

first full color photograph I've found, from 1973 - 1974 yearbook

Dobie high school would open its doors to 980 juniors, sophomores, and freshmen that first year, with the seniors allowed to stay and graduate from South Houston High. 

11111 Beamer would remain the area's high school until 2003 when, bursting at the seams, some 25 years later, a new facility would open at 10220 Beamer. The "real" Dobie is now home to the Beverly Hill Intermediate Bears.

A tour of the place from August 2015 with Mr. Golenko can be found here.