As the Silver Foxes of Jefferson High School prepare to celebrate their 75th anniversary Sept. 14 with a “grand celebration,” 6 p.m. at the El Paso County Coliseum, featuring live music, dancing, and entertainment, I took the opportunity to look back on the school’s early history.
The school was dedicated on Sunday of Labor Day weekend 1949 and opened to students the following Tuesday, Sept. 6. The approximate cost of building the school was $340,000. Contractors were J.E. Morgan and Sons and a Benner and Frazer were architects.
The first mention of Jefferson in the El Paso Times was December 10, 1948:
High School Will Be Named For Jefferson
Burleson School, now being converted to a high school, will be known as Thomas Jefferson High School. The name, suggested by Burleson Parent-Teacher Association, was officially adopted in a recent meeting of the School Board.
Supt. A.H. Hughey said the school will not be operated as a high school before September 1949.
The school has tentatively adopted the colors of silver and scarlet and as mascot the silver fox, J.M. Whitaker, principal, said.
School officials expect the name to be shortened by usage to Jefferson High School, pointing out that the Stephen F. was dropped from Austin’s name.
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Name shortened, shortened again
As school officials predicted, the school’s name was shortened to Jefferson High School. I doubt though, that they saw the name shortening again, to “La Jeff” coming.
The first mention I found referring to the school as “La Jeff” was in an El Paso Herald-Post letter to Ann Carroll in her Ask Mrs. Carroll column Feb. 20, 1969.
A letter written to help answer a reader’s question was signed “A student at La Jeff.” Carroll’s response was, “How charming – to call Jefferson High School ‘La Jeff!’”
School boundaries set
On Feb. 4, 1949, School Superintendent Hughey announces the boundary between Jefferson and Bowie High Schools would be Piedras Street.
The boundary between Jefferson and Austin High Schools was “Piedras, Oro, North Stevens and Tularosa Street and the railroad tracks…
“Football players in the Jefferson district who play for other high schools can become eligible to play in 30 days after school opens. Principal Whitaker already is scouting for players.”
Jefferson High Officially Dedicated
The school was dedicated Labor Day weekend 1949.
September 5, 1949, El Paso Times
Jefferson High School, 4700 Alemeda Avenue, was officially dedicated Sunday afternoon.
Mrs. T.P. Clendenin, a member of the Board of Education, who delivered the dedicatory address, called Jefferson an “apt and fortunate name for a school.” Speaking of Thomas Jefferson as one of the first proponents in the nation for a general education system, Mrs. Clendenin said, “could he be here today to see this school made in his honor – a free public school of such completeness – he could not help but be pleased at what he saw…”
Some 500 persons crowded into the school auditorium to attend the dedicatory program, and additional persons came late to make a tour of the new building.
Ernesto Valdes, Board of Education member, delivered the invocation, and J.M. Whitaker, principal, made the introduction of platform guests. The national anthem was played by the school band, directed by Roy Wilson.
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City Schools Begin For 22,000 Pupils
In the same edition of the El Paso Herald-Post the stats for the upcoming school year were given:
City schools will begin their biggest year tomorrow with a record enrollment that may exceed 22,000.
Although the school records department estimates an increase of 600 pupils over last year, Superintendent Hughey said there is a possibility the increase may be 1000. Effects of liberal admission policies ordered by the board are yet to be seen.
Last year 18,984 pupils enrolled the first day of school. By the fifth day there were 20,836 pupils. By Thanksgiving actual membership stood at 21,400.
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27 City Schools
The city will operate 27 schools, including one new high school, Thomas Jefferson, and an expanded primary school at Ft. Bliss. Plans are being rushed for a new grade school near Loretto Academy, a new grade school in the Burleson area, and an addition to Winkler.
Besides having more pupils than ever before, the city district will have more teachers and non-teaching employes. There will be at least 751 teachers, an increase of 50, and a total of 1142 teaching and non-teaching employes.
The tentative 1949-1950 budget, totaling $4,094,073, is the biggest yet.
8 a.m. Tomorrow
Classes will begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow, a half-hour early, but thereafter will begin at 8:30 a.m. generally.
Teachers met with principals in all schools at 2 p.m. today.
Mr. Hughey inspected buildings and found them in good shape. A 10-room addition is under construction at Rusk but will not be completed before Jan. 1.
Major repairs were made at Lamar during the summer.
Trish Long may be reached a tlong@elpasotimes.com or 915-546-6179.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Jefferson High School celebrates 75th anniversary: Trish Long
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