ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
835 OLD CLAIRTON ROAD
JEFFERSON HILLS, PA 15025
PHONE 412.655.8450
FAX 412.655.9544
www.wjhsd.net
Dr. Michael Ghilani
West Jefferson Hills
School District Superintendent
Saying Goodbye to the Original Thomas Jefferson
High School
A
s we prepare for the excitement of
moving into the new Thomas Jefferson
High School, we cannot forget our
history and the myriad of memories and
events that the original building symbolizes for
many people. The current building first opened as
a junior high school on September 22, 1952. At that
time, students would leave the district to attend
Clairton High School following ninth grade, as no
senior high school existed in Jefferson Hills.
After several additions to accommodate the
secondary program, on September 2, 1958, the
new Thomas Jefferson High School opened.
The goal was to develop a modern educational
system that was both convenient and functional.
What’s ironic is that during my research, I found
a statement in the original yearbook that read,
”Modern education requires a physical plant which
will facilitate learning processes and take care of
individual differences in each student.” Even in
1958, they realized that we should personalize the
educational experience to recognize that every
student learns differently and at a different rate.
Aspects of the school such as the cafeteria, athletic
facilities, business education department, industrial
arts department, home economics department,
auditorium, and community room made the
community extremely proud at that time.
The only sports offered in 1960 were football,
basketball, and track, and they were only offered for
male students. The only sport available for female
students was cheerleading. Unlike today, TJ wasn’t
very successful in any sport in their inaugural
year. The football team only won two games, the
basketball team won four games, and the track
team didn’t win a single meet. The mothers of the
football players hosted the first sports banquet,
where each player was presented with a caricature
by local artist Bob Beech. The highlight of the
banquet were the guest speakers: future NFL Hall
of Famer Mike Ditka, who was a player at Pitt at the
time, and his teammate Don Kraus.
There were also numerous clubs and activities for
students to join and find their passion outside of
40 WEST JEFFERSON HILLS
the classroom. Some of the original clubs included
The Key Club, National Honor Society, Forensic
Society, Future Teachers of America, Medical Club,
Future Homemakers of America, Radio Club, and
Student Council. On May 22, 1959, the first TJ Prom,
entitled “Sea of Dreams,” was held in the gym; at
midnight, the students went to the cafeteria for a
buffet, a dawn hop, entertainment by a hypnotist
and two local music groups until 4am.
The Arts were alive and well in the new high
school. The first production in the auditorium
was “Our Town” on April 23 and 24, 1959. The
instrumental music department featured a concert
band, a marching band, a dance band, and
majorettes. The chorus department was comprised
of a girls’ glee club, boys’ glee club, a capella choir,
mixed chorus, and girls ensemble.
Since the original graduating class of 1960, a lot
has changed - both in the world and at the high
school. However, it’s easy to see that many pieces
of the original high school remain a part of our
fabric today. While many aspects of our program
change to reflect a framework and the tools that
now make true personalized learning possible, we
cannot forget the original recipe that led to the
successes of the last 59 years. For many alumni
and former and current high school employees,
the high school represents much more than just
an old building. Even though I did not attend TJ
as a student, personally, the old building carries
much meaning for me. My mother was a math
teacher and department chair at Thomas Jefferson
High School from 1966 to 1996. I spent many
summers in the building helping her count books
and bonding over stories about the successes of
her students. I even attended the nursery school
program held in the high school, just as it is today.
While saying goodbye will be difficult, be assured
that our history will be reflected and remembered
in the new TJ 2.0. Just like its predecessor, the new
building is something that this community will be
proud of for many years to come.