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. During 2022–2023, Jefferson High School had an enrollment of 1,686 students and a student to teacher ratio of 14.40. The school received an overall rating of "B" from the Texas Education Agency for the 2021–2022 school year.

History

The SAISD school board paid $94,588.75 to buy "Spanish Acres," a 32 acre 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 $1.25 million. 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: 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. As of 1938 the "Lassos" were made up of 150 female students. In 1938 the ROTC had 33 student officers, all male; each were allowed to choose a female student to accompany him. The 1940 Twentieth Century Fox film High School used exteriors and back-projection footage shot at TJHS.

Athletics

The Jefferson Mustangs compete in the following sports:

Notable alumni

Athletics

Arts and entertainment

Communications

Education

Government

Military

Philanthropy

Physical science