Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio)
Thomas Jefferson High School | |
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Thomas Jefferson High School in 2012 In omni uno | |
Address | |
723 Donaldson Avenue San Antonio, Texas 78201 | |
Information | |
School type | Public, High School |
Founded | 1932 |
School district | San Antonio ISD |
Principal | Orlando Vera |
Teaching staff | 113.29 (FTE) |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 1,829 (2012-2013) |
Student to teacher ratio | 16.14 |
Color(s) |
Red, White and Blue |
Nickname | Mustangs |
Newspaper | The Declaration |
Website |
www |
Thomas Jefferson High School | |
Location in Texas | |
Coordinates | 29°27′55″N 98°32′17″W / 29.46528°N 98.53806°WCoordinates: 29°27′55″N 98°32′17″W / 29.46528°N 98.53806°W |
Built | 1932 |
Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
NRHP Reference # | 83003093 |
RTHL # | 5470 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | September 22, 1983[2] |
Designated | June 29, 1983 |
Designated RTHL | 1983 |
Thomas Jefferson High School is a public high school in San Antonio, Texas (United States) and is one of ten high schools in the San Antonio Independent School District. Completed in 1932 at a cost of $1,250,000, it was the third high school built in the city.[3] In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.[4]
History
The SAISD school board paid $94,588.75 to buy "Spanish Acres," a 32-acre (13 ha) property, to develop the third high school in San Antonio. Construction began in the fall of 1930 and ended in January 1932.[5] It was built for over $1,250,000.[6]
In 1983 it became a part of the National Register of Historic Places. It was also designated a Texas historic landmark.[6]
Campus and architecture
The school was designed by the company Adams and Adams. The entrance has two towers of different heights and is designed in the Baroque style.[7] The towers are topped with silver. The school uses wrought-iron balconies and Spanish-tiled roofing. The school has two courtyards,[6] both landscaped, bordered by portales.[8] One courtyard has a hexagonal pond with decorative tiling.[6] Hannibal and Eugene Pianta, an Italian immigrant and his son,[5] decorated the main entrance columns and balconies with cast-stone ornamentation.[6] Jay C. Henry, the author of Architecture in Texas: 1895-1945, stated that the architecture is similar to that of Lubbock High School.[8]
In 1938 the school had an armory, a cafeteria, a drill ground, two gymnasiums, and a theater.[9]
A music facility and the East Wing, a three-story addition, were built at a later time.[6]
Its Moorish/Spanish architecture make it a visually distinct element in what was the old Woodlawn district.
Recognition
In 1983 Jefferson was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[10] In 1995, it was included in the Local Historic District by the City of San Antonio.[11] In 2010, Jefferson was selected as Grammy Signature Award Winner.[12]
TJHS Historical Preservation Society
The Thomas Jefferson High School Historical Preservation Society is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.[13]
The Society's stated mission is:[13]
- Preserve and conserve the historic exterior and notable interior spaces of the Thomas Jefferson High School, 723 Donaldson Avenue, San Antonio, Texas.
- Preserve and conserve historic memorabilia and artifacts that are of significance to the present.
- Educate the community about the significance of Thomas Jefferson High School as a San Antonio Historic Landmark and as a Texas Historic Landmark listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Demographics
The demographic breakdown of the 1,829 students enrolled in 2012-2013 was:
- Male - 52.7%
- Female - 47.3%
- Native American/Alaskan - 0.1%
- Asian/Pacific islanders - 0.2%
- Black - 2.1%
- Hispanic - 95.4%
- White - 2.1%
- Multiracial - 0.1%
86.6% of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.[1]
In 1938 the school had 2,394 students. At the time over 60% of the students were scheduled to matriculate to universities and colleges.[9] In addition there were 89 teachers, including 56 female teachers. The student-teacher ratio at the time was 25 to 1.[14]
Student life
In 1938 the school had an ROTC unit, multiple school-recognized clubs including the girls' pep squad "Lassos", and fraternities and sororities unrecognized by the school.[9]
In 1938 the ROTC had 33 student officers, all male; each were allowed to choose a female student to accompany him.[15]
As of 1938 the "Lassos" were made up of 150 female students.[16]
Athletics
The Jefferson Mustangs compete in the following sports: [17]
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Notable alumni
Athletics
- Corky Nelson, Football Coach, University of North Texas
- Tommy Nobis, All American
- Gabriel Rivera, All American
- Kyle Rote, All American
Arts and entertainment
- Holly Dunn, Country Music Artist
- Chris Pérez, Grammy Award Winning Artist
- Gilbert Velasquez, Multi-Grammy Award Winning Music Producer
Communications
- Jim Lehrer, MacNeil/Lehrer Report, PBS
- Allen Ludden (deceased)
Education
- John Silber, President, Boston University
- John Frederick, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, University of Texas at San Antonio (2008–Present)[18]
Government
- John H. Wood, Jr. (deceased), Federal Judge
- Ed Garza, former Mayor of the City of San Antonio
- Julian Castro, United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, former Mayor of the City of San Antonio
- Joaquin Castro, United States House of Representatives
- John W. Goode (deceased) (Class of 1939), lawyer and Republican political figure of the 1950s and 1960s
- Leticia Van de Putte, former Texas state senator
Military
- Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole (deceased), a Commander in the Invasion of Normandy, World War II, Medal of Honor recipient; Cole High School is named for him
- Major Gen. Alfred Valenzuela, commanded the U.S. Army South (USARSO) at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico.
Physical science
- Aaron Cohen, former NASA Deputy Director
- Robert Floyd Curl, Jr., Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996
- William E. Moerner, Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014[13]
References
- Henry, Jay C. Architecture in Texas: 1895-1945. University of Texas Press, 1993. ISBN 0292730721, 9780292730724.
Notes
- 1 2 "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Jefferson H S". ed.gov. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ↑ National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- ↑ "History of Thomas Jefferson High School". Thomas Jefferson High School Historical Preservation Society.
- ↑ "2015 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency.
- 1 2 "School History." Thomas Jefferson High School. Retrieved on September 13, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Guzman, René A. (2012-06-23). "Cityscape: Thomas Jefferson High School". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- ↑ Henry, p. 178.
- 1 2 Henry, p. 177.
- 1 2 3 "One American High School: The Thomas Jefferson of San Antonio." Life. Time, Inc., March 7, 1938. Vol. 4, No. 10. ISSN 0024-3019. Start: p. 22. CITED: p. 22.
- ↑ "National Register of Historic Places - State Listing". National Park Service.
- ↑ "List of Local Landmarks" (PDF). City of San Antonio.
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20120419094631/http://www.grammy.org/files/pages/2010_gss.pdf
- 1 2 3 "TJHS HPS: Thomas Jefferson High School Historical Preservation Society - Home". tjhshps.org. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ↑ "One American High School: The Thomas Jefferson of San Antonio." Life. Time, Inc., March 7, 1938. Vol. 4, No. 10. ISSN 0024-3019. Start: p. 22. CITED: p. 26.
- ↑ "One American High School: The Thomas Jefferson of San Antonio." Life. Time, Inc., March 7, 1938. Vol. 4, No. 10. ISSN 0024-3019. Start: p. 22. CITED: p. 23.
- ↑ "One American High School: The Thomas Jefferson of San Antonio." Life. Time, Inc., March 7, 1938. Vol. 4, No. 10. ISSN 0024-3019. Start: p. 22. CITED: p. 25.
- ↑ The Athletics Department
- ↑ The University of Texas at San Antonio, Web and Multimedia Services - 2010. "Bio - John Frederick - UTSA Provost - UTSA - The University of Texas at San Antonio". utsa.edu. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ↑ "The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2014 - Press Release". nobelprize.org. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
External links
- Official School Website
- Jefferson Architecture
- "Historic Marker Application: Thomas Jefferson High School" - at the University of North Texas
- Thomas Jefferson High School Historical Preservation Society