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. In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.
History
The SAISD school board paid $94,588.75 to buy "Spanish Acres," a 32-acre (13Â ha) property, to develop the third high school in San Antonio. Construction began in the fall of 1930 and ended in January 1932. It was built for over $1,250,000.
In 1983 it became a part of the National Register of Historic Places. It was also designated a Texas historic landmark.
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. The towers are topped with silver. The school uses wrought-iron balconies and Spanish-tiled roofing. The school has two courtyards, both landscaped, bordered by portales. One courtyard has a hexagonal pond with decorative tiling. Hannibal and Eugene Pianta, an Italian immigrant and his son, decorated the main entrance columns and balconies with cast-stone ornamentation. Jay C. Henry, the author of Architecture in Texas: 1895-1945, stated that the architecture is similar to that of Lubbock High School.
In 1938 the school had an armory, a cafeteria, a drill ground, two gymnasiums, and a theater.
A music facility and the East Wing, a three-story addition, were built at a later time.
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. In 1995, it was included in the Local Historic District by the City of San Antonio. In 2010, Jefferson was selected as Grammy Signature Award Winner.
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.
In 1938 the school had 2,394 students. At the time over 60% of the students were scheduled to matriculate to universities and colleges. In addition there were 89 teachers, including 56 female teachers. The student-teacher ratio at the time was 25 to 1.
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.
In 1938 the ROTC had 33 student officers, all male; each were allowed to choose a female student to accompany him.
As of 1938 the "Lassos" were made up of 150 female students.
Athletics
The Jefferson Mustangs compete in the following sports:
- 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 (2008â€"Present)
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
References
- Henry, Jay C. Architecture in Texas: 1895-1945. University of Texas Press, 1993. ISBN 0292730721, 9780292730724.
Notes
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