Wikipedia

Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio)

Thomas Jefferson High School is a public high school in San Antonio, Texas 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.[4] During 2022–2023, Jefferson High School had an enrollment of 1,686 students and a student to teacher ratio of 14.40.[1] The school received an overall rating of "B" from the Texas Education Agency for the 2024–2025 school year.[5]

Thomas Jefferson High School
Thomas Jefferson High School building
Location
Map
723 Donaldson Avenue

San Antonio
,
Bexar County
,
Texas
78201

United States
29°27′55″N 98°32′17″W / 29.46528°N 98.53806°W / 29.46528; -98.53806
Information
School typePublic, High School
Motto"In Omni Uno!"
Founded1932
LocaleCity: Large[1]
School district
San Antonio ISD
NCES School ID
483873004368[1]
Principal
Gregory Rivers
Faculty117.12 (on an FTE basis)ref name="NCES"/>
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,686[1] (2022–2023)
Student to teacher ratio
14.40[1]
ColorsRed, White and Blue
     
NicknameMustangs
NewspaperThe Declaration
Websitewww.saisd.net/o/jefferson
[2]
Thomas Jefferson High School
Built1932
Architectural styleMission/Spanish Revival
NRHP reference No.83003093
RTHL No.5470
Significant dates
Added to NRHPSeptember 22, 1983[3]
Designated June 29, 1983
Designated RTHL1983

History

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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.[6] It was built for over $1.25 million.[7]

In 1983 it became a part of the National Register of Historic Places. It was also designated a Texas historic landmark.[7]

Campus and architecture

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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.[8] The towers are topped with silver. The school uses wrought-iron balconies and Spanish-tiled roofing. The school has two courtyards,[7] both landscaped, bordered by portales.[9] One courtyard has a hexagonal pond with decorative tiling.[7] Hannibal and Eugene Pianta, an Italian immigrant and his son,[6] decorated the main entrance columns and balconies with cast-stone ornamentation.[7] Jay C. Henry, the author of Architecture in Texas: 1895-1945, stated that the architecture is similar to that of Lubbock High School.[9]

In 1938 the school had an armory, a cafeteria, a drill ground, two gymnasiums, and a theater.[10]

A music facility and the East Wing, a three-story addition, were built at a later time.[7]

Its Moorish/Spanish architecture make it a visually distinct element in what was the old Woodlawn district.[11]

Recognition

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In 1983 Jefferson was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[12] In 1995, it was included in the Local Historic District by the City of San Antonio.[13] In 2010, Jefferson was selected as Grammy Signature Award Winner.[14]

Demographics

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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.[2]

In 1938 the school had 2,394 students. At the time over 60% of the students were scheduled to matriculate to universities and colleges.[10] In addition there were 89 teachers, including 56 female teachers. The student-teacher ratio at the time was 25 to 1.[15]

Student life

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Lassos at the Fiesta Battle of Flowers Parade

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.[10] As of 1938 the "Lassos" were made up of 150 female students.[16]

In 1938 the ROTC had 33 student officers, all male; each were allowed to choose a female student to accompany him.[17]

The 1940 Twentieth Century Fox film High School used exteriors and back-projection footage shot at TJHS.[18]

Athletics

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Notable alumni

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Athletics

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Arts and entertainment

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Communications

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Education

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Government

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Diego Bernal State Representative, Texas House District 123 - Feb 2015–Present City Council District 1 (class of 1996)

Law

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  • Gus Garcia, class of 1932, first Valedictorian, went on to argue anti-segregation cases at the Supreme Court, notably the Hernandez v Texas case that argued for the inclusion of Mexican-American's in jury selection, under the argument of Equal Representation Under the Law. [21]

Military

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Philanthropy

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Physical science

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Search for Public Schools - Jefferson High School (483873004368)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Jefferson H S". ed.gov. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  3. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  4. ↑ "History of Thomas Jefferson High School". Thomas Jefferson High School Historical Preservation Society.
  5. ↑ "TEA". Texas Education Agency. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "School History Archived 2016-09-09 at the Wayback Machine." Thomas Jefferson High School. Retrieved on September 13, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Guzman, René A. (June 23, 2012). "Cityscape: Thomas Jefferson High School". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  8. ↑ Henry, p. 178.
  9. 1 2 Henry, p. 177.
  10. 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.
  11. ↑ "TJHS HPS: Thomas Jefferson High School Historical Preservation Society - History of TJHS". tjhshps.org. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  12. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places - State Listing". National Park Service.
  13. ↑ "List of Local Landmarks" (PDF). City of San Antonio.
  14. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.grammy.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 19, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ↑ "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.
  16. ↑ "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.
  17. ↑ "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.
  18. ↑ "School Film Planned." The Longview (TX) Daily News, 13 March 1938.
  19. ↑ The Athletics Department
  20. ↑ "Ben Dorcy Day". Willie Nelson and Family. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017.
  21. ↑ https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/garcia-gustavo-c
  22. ↑ "TJHS HPS: Thomas Jefferson High School Historical Preservation Society - Home". tjhshps.org. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  23. ↑ "The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2014 - Press Release". nobelprize.org. Retrieved September 2, 2015.

General references

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