Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio)

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

The Jefferson Mustangs compete in the following sports:[19]

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Football
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming and Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball

General references

• Henry, Jay C. Architecture in Texas: 1895-1945. University of Texas Press, 1993. ISBN 0292730721, 9780292730724.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio).

• 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