Stonewall Jackson Junior High School At 5100 Polk St.

[Vertigo58]

http://www.readingwell.net/landmark/Book0349.JPG

I did a search and unless there is one maybe we can merge. Jackson Junior High school as we called in back then still stands on Polk street near Dumble on near East End. I clearly recall as a 13 years old kid seeing numerous trophies and awards in the main hall behind glass cases. I was always mystified as to how far back the items went back. Some started around 1930's to present 1974! Yikes! Who were these people and what ever became of them? I wondered. This school is one of many historical buildings that seldom get recognition as far as I know. The 70's were a bizarre time to be here. Many fond memories of times in the area and the kids you knew and of fun teachers.

I could not find one single photo of the school anywhere so if anyone can advise where to get please divulge or better yet please add. I recall my 3rd floor History class had a fantastic view of the downtown skyline. It has had many changes/renovations since I left but I can never forget the craziness. By mid 70's it was mostly afros, bell bottoms and rock n roll!

[nativehou]

My dad attended Jackson Junior High in the early 40s. He said the principal then was Mr. Scarborough -- the future namesake of Scarborough HS. He also said that they had a female coach for the boys' gym class -- which caused quite a stir. But it was during the war when lots of women were taking over men's jobs (at least temporarily!).

[EastEnd Susan]

I have a pic somewhere at home of me leaving Jackson on the last day of school..May 1972. My mom took it from the car. If I can find it I will post it. Its not the whole front of the school, just the doors on the far left. But I was styling with my purse with the fringe, my H.I.S. for Her bell bottom hip huggers,leather belt with the three holes, Hang Ten shirt with the little feet on it and Keds Deck Tennis shoes and hair parted in the middle. Too funny.. its all back in style now. I still have the belt and a guy here at work wants to buy it. lol. no way!

[Vertigo58]

I remember if you went to the (myterious) highest flight of the stairs it was dark and lots of grafitti & old papers scattered around and you could catch kids smootching! Then the door opened to the roof! Wow! Once on top we could see all of the world or at least we thought!

One morning I was talked into skipping class and we snuck in between floors. Don't ask me how but we did it. As we crawled around in the 2 1/2 or 3 ft space the bell rang and we could see all the kids walking in the hall below us. I thought for sure we would fall through like the scene from The Breakfast Club. Once we got across the hall we came to the Rest rooms. I'll stop there, big deal no one came in Rats! After we crawled out we were covered with shiny little fuzz (great, insulation). The joke was on me, I itched for days! What goes around comes around, I guess a few days later we got busted too! Some goody-two-shoes snitched on us. Every school had its own Judy Hensler.

[EastEnd Susan]

I have a pic somewhere at home of me leaving Jackson on the last day of school..May 1972. My mom took it from the car. If I can find it I will post it. Its not the whole front of the school, just the doors on the far left. But I was styling with my purse with the fringe, my H.I.S. for Her bell bottom hip huggers,leather belt with the three holes, Hang Ten shirt with the little feet on it and Keds Deck Tennis shoes and hair parted in the middle. Too funny.. its all back in style now. I still have the belt and a guy here at work wants to buy it. lol. no way!

Go Leopards!

[Vertigo58]

Go Leopards!

Now that is classic!

See that staircase in the background, thats where I got into a fight with some jerk from a Edison that thought he was so cool. I beat him down to the point I almost pushed him out that little window! Good old days! Way in the left background is where the Music room was! I cant recall the teachers name but he was older and wore thick framed glasses. I remember playing the same tune on the piano (easiest to play) "Color My World by" Chicago. These were the days we still listened to bubblegum pop top 40 stuff like 104 KRBE.

[silverartfox]

I went to Stonewall Jackson Junior High School in the early 1950's! My family lived a couple of blocks away on Oakland Street.

"Yea, orange! "Yea, white! Yeaaaaaaaaa, Jackson! FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT!!!!

It's absolutely amazing when one gets up in age and can remember a junior high school football cheer but not the required passwords to access computer programs, accounts, etc.!

Jackson had a front entry porch with archways and a short flight of shallow steps. After school and during the summer, my neighborhood buddies and I used to ride our bikes over to the school just so we could have the thrill of riding them down those steps! Of course, it helped that our bicycles in those days had welded frames, heavier wheels and fat balloon tires. I wish I had my dear old J.C. Higgins single-speed, coaster brake bicycle today - it would be quite a relic!

[Vertigo58]

I recall they started having rock bands come in and play in the auditorium. This had to be around 1975. This group that played was actually quite good. To this day I dont know what compelled them to allow such a feat to take place! Maybe they were related to the faculty or something. I just know hen the bell rang we all ran to get a good seat!

Speaking of the auditorium, I remember they would show real movies ever so often. The one that stands out for me was "To Kill a Mockingbird" for English class. Our teacher must have been wise to have us see such a great film. Nowadays they would probably lose their jobs for showing such an innocent film.

[brerrabbit]

I recall they started having rock bands come in and play in the auditorium. This had to be around 1975. This group that played was actually quite good. To this day I dont know what compelled them to allow such a feat to take place! Maybe they were related to the faculty or something. I just know hen the bell rang we all ran to get a good seat!

Speaking of the auditorium, I remember they would show real movies ever so often. The one that stands out for me was "To Kill a Mockingbird" for English class. Our teacher must have been wise to have us see such a great film. Nowadays they would probably lose their jobs for showing such an innocent film.

I went to Jackson from 1971 to 1974. I remember watching the movie "The Battle of the Bulge" in that auditorium with several history classes. (And no it wasn't about loosing weight) I really enjoyed my three years there and was going to go to Austin HS but changed at the last minute and wound up going to Milby instead. I had Ms. Hargis for RWS in the 7th grade and wound up taking Speech from her in the 8th and 9th grade and went to numerous tournaments. Those were some very good times growing up.

[EastEnd Susan]

I went to Jackson from 1971 to 1974. I remember watching the movie "The Battle of the Bulge" in that auditorium with several history classes. (And no it wasn't about loosing weight) I really enjoyed my three years there and was going to go to Austin HS but changed at the last minute and wound up going to Milby instead. I had Ms. Hargis for RWS in the 7th grade and wound up taking Speech from her in the 8th and 9th grade and went to numerous tournaments. Those were some very good times growing up.

I remember being in the auditorium for the Battle of the Bulge. Didnt it take them a couple of days to show it? I was happy anytime we got to watch a movie...even if it was about Sammy Sperm and Olivia Ovum. You had to love those classic health movies. They embarrassed me to no end.

There were 2 gym teachers there that were the coolest. One was Ms. Frank and the other Mrs. Fortenberry. They kept asking us girls to pay our towel fee and we resisted so they finally wrote a song.. Towel fee, towel fee, towel fee, towel fee, towel fee ,towell fee ,please please please ..when you sweat you can bet boys can tell that you smell. after that we payed our towel fee.. but I cant remember even in highschool one girl taking a shower.

Edited May 2, 2007 by EastEnd Susan

[Vertigo58]

I went to Jackson from 1971 to 1974. I remember watching the movie "The Battle of the Bulge" in that auditorium with several history classes. (And no it wasn't about loosing weight) I really enjoyed my three years there and was going to go to Austin HS but changed at the last minute and wound up going to Milby instead. I had Ms. Hargis for RWS in the 7th grade and wound up taking Speech from her in the 8th and 9th grade and went to numerous tournaments. Those were some very good times growing up.

I also had Mrs Hargis and I do recall a Mrs Fortenberry too. The one teacher I wish I could have gone back and talked to was Mr Marcontell, he was already an old man at the time around 1975. He had the corner northwest classroom way up on the 3rd floor. Poor man he had to walk up all those flights. His class was one of the wildest ever! It made "The Blackboard Jungle" look tame. When the bell would ring for everyone to sit down almost everyone stayed gazing out the window towards DT and pretended to not hear him saying to please sit. They waited unitl he got angry and started raising his voice which was so low & monotone anyway. He would start crying because no one would listen until he had to walk over and tap you on the shoulder to sit with his hankerchief in hand. As soon as he tuned his back all the erasers started flying across the room and they would hit right above his shoulder and he would just keep going. Even the "good" kids joined in we would put our heads on the desks & snooze or pretend to. It was pure madness. The hall doors had the glass on top where kids could poke thier heads in and tease us as the teacher spoke so he never knew what was going on behind him. The crazy kid in the hall would make goofy expressions and drive us insane! I'll never forget that nut class. Of course its tame compared to these days.

[VicMan]

I recall they started having rock bands come in and play in the auditorium. This had to be around 1975. This group that played was actually quite good. To this day I dont know what compelled them to allow such a feat to take place! Maybe they were related to the faculty or something. I just know hen the bell rang we all ran to get a good seat!

Speaking of the auditorium, I remember they would show real movies ever so often. The one that stands out for me was "To Kill a Mockingbird" for English class. Our teacher must have been wise to have us see such a great film. Nowadays they would probably lose their jobs for showing such an innocent film.

Vertigo, I saw the film twice at my high school (which is in the same school district). I do not believe that I saw it in my middle school, though.

[EastEnd Susan]

I remember my first day at Austin. I was never so lost in my life. I thought Jackson was big but boy was I wrong. I really would like to tour Austin now. I have driven a few times and now what was once the back of the school looks like another front. And I guess they took over the field behind the school? Is that where the band practices? I know the Scottish Brigade is long gone but do they have a drill team? I can still see the brigadeers practicing behind the school and I alway looked forward to them welcoming us on the first day of school. They were a classic! Any idea why they did end the brigade? My thought was always that the new girls coming to Austin might not have thought the brigade outfits were very sexy..ok, ok, thats true but what about the tradition? I thought they looked really classy out on that football field. I was always so proud to see them in a parade. What do they have now? Is it a drill team just like all the rest? I enjoyed us being different.

[brerrabbit]

I remember being in the auditorium for the Battle of the Bulge. Didnt it take them a couple of days to show it? I was happy anytime we got to watch a movie...even if it was about Sammy Sperm and Olivia Ovum. You had to love those classic health movies. They embarrassed me to no end.

There were 2 gym teachers there that were the coolest. One was Ms. Frank and the other Mrs. Fortenberry. They kept asking us girls to pay our towel fee and we resisted so they finally wrote a song.. Towel fee, towel fee, towel fee, towel fee, towel fee ,towell fee ,please please please ..when you sweat you can bet boys can tell that you smell. after that we payed our towel fee.. but I cant remember even in highschool one girl taking a shower.

Actually now that I think about it I think it took like three days to show it because classes were only an hour long and the movie pushed three hours. Mentioning Mrs. Fortenberry reminds me that I was in class at Jackson with her daughter Tracy. I had classes with her all three years at Jackson and she was in Speech and Drama with me as well. Also we had Coach Herman who I actually knew before I got to Jackson because I played Little League baseball with his son Craig.

[EastEnd Susan]

Actually now that I think about it I think it took like three days to show it because classes were only an hour long and the movie pushed three hours. Mentioning Mrs. Fortenberry reminds me that I was in class at Jackson with her daughter Tracy. I had classes with her all three years at Jackson and she was in Speech and Drama with me as well. Also we had Coach Herman who I actually knew before I got to Jackson because I played Little League baseball with his son Craig.

I remember Tracy but I remember her sister Tamma better. We were in school together all through Jackson and Austin. They were nice people. Wonder what ever happened to them? Oh.. I took drama at Jackson for one semester...dont remember the teachers name though. I was way to shy for the stage.. boy has that changed. lol.

[Vertigo58]

Actually now that I think about it I think it took like three days to show it because classes were only an hour long and the movie pushed three hours. Mentioning Mrs. Fortenberry reminds me that I was in class at Jackson with her daughter Tracy. I had classes with her all three years at Jackson and she was in Speech and Drama with me as well. Also we had Coach Herman who I actually knew before I got to Jackson because I played Little League baseball with his son Craig.

I had coach Herman and I cant recall the older principals name? but I do remember the asst principal Mr Morgan was younger and the girls always surrounded him. The local Narc as we called him was a guy named Mr Zarate he would patrol the grounds for any Tom foolery. He would sneak up and bust kids smoking on the football field & basketball courts. Once we had a fire drill and as we all walked out to the yard I was dared to put a sticker on his back and I did. It said kick me! Good old peer pressure.

[brerrabbit]

I had coach Herman and I cant recall the older principals name? but I do remember the asst principal Mr Morgan was younger and the girls always surrounded him. The local Narc as we called him was a guy named Mr Zarate he would patrol the grounds for any Tom foolery. He would sneak up and bust kids smoking on the football field & basketball courts. Once we had a fire drill and as we all walked out to the yard I was dared to put a sticker on his back and I did. It said kick me! Good old peer pressure.

I want to say the principals name when I was there was Marion Skaines. Mr. Morgan was never an assistant Principal till after I left. He went on to be the Principal at a Jr. High in Southwest Houston and took a lot of the teachers from Jackson with him. After that he moved into administration with HISD and at some point I remember seeing his name on the news as having been involved with some wrongdoings associated with the school district. He eventually lost his job over it and I think faced criminal charges. My drama teacher was Ms. Hargis who I also had for RWS in the 7th grade. I wasn't till I was a junior in high school that a girl who was a year ahead of me from the drama program at Jackson who was also at Milby explained to me that Ms. Hargis was gay. Wow what a shock that was to me way back then. Ms. Hargis followed Mr Morgan to the new Jr. High and was the librarian there for many years. I saw her and several of the other teachers from Jackson when I tought a Project Business class at the school in the early 80's.

[Vertigo58]

I always wished there were a way to find what became of some teachers. I had an art teacher named Ms Duty, she was soooo cool and nice to me. I owe her so much gratitude as she used to encourage me to pursue art and keep improving on my talent. She really had vision. I remember she was such a sharp dressed lady. She wore cool go-go boots and big time blond hair. I thought she was a model at 1st. sure wish I could say thank you to her one day. I mean it too.

I have a good pic of me in front of Austin HS we would always pass it as we walked to the Jack in the Box. There are many funny things i can tell about Austin but when I have more time.

[EastEnd Susan]

I want to say the principals name when I was there was Marion Skaines. Mr. Morgan was never an assistant Principal till after I left. He went on to be the Principal at a Jr. High in Southwest Houston and took a lot of the teachers from Jackson with him. After that he moved into administration with HISD and at some point I remember seeing his name on the news as having been involved with some wrongdoings associated with the school district. He eventually lost his job over it and I think faced criminal charges. My drama teacher was Ms. Hargis who I also had for RWS in the 7th grade. I wasn't till I was a junior in high school that a girl who was a year ahead of me from the drama program at Jackson who was also at Milby explained to me that Ms. Hargis was gay. Wow what a shock that was to me way back then. Ms. Hargis followed Mr Morgan to the new Jr. High and was the librarian there for many years. I saw her and several of the other teachers from Jackson when I tought a Project Business class at the school in the early 80's.

I have been wracking my brain ever since this post started trying to remember the principals name. Skaines! Thanks you so much! Now I can rest. We did have principals with odd first names. Marion and Harmon. Harmon Watts was Austins principal until the year I graduated, 1975. The principal at Burnet elem in the 60's was a Mr. Topperwein.

[Vertigo58]

I have been wracking my brain ever since this post started trying to remember the principals name. Skaines! Thanks you so much! Now I can rest. We did have principals with odd first names. Marion and Harmon. Harmon Watts was Austins principal until the year I graduated, 1975. The principal at Burnet elem in the 60's was a Mr. Topperwein.

I want to maybe later attach "elementary schools in near East End" to this topic.

When I went to JP Henderson around 1969 our principal was a lady named Mrs Goettee. The schools were so close to local families then that she brought me and my sister home the day my brother broke his arm on the playground. My mom had to take him to the hospital so she couldnt pick us up. Mrs Goetee offered to bring us home. Most of our teachers lived within blocks of JP Henderson, thats how close knit the area was. Bygone era. Later on we attended Rufus Cage.

[EastEnd Susan]

I want to maybe later attach "elementary schools in near East End" to this topic.

When I went to JP Henderson around 1969 our principal was a lady named Mrs Goettee. The schools were so close to local families then that she brought me and my sister home the day my brother broke his arm on the playground. My mom had to take him to the hospital so she couldnt pick us up. Mrs Goetee offered to bring us home. Most of our teachers lived within blocks of JP Henderson, thats how close knit the area was. Bygone era. Later on we attended Rufus Cage.

The lady that drove me to and from school thought my grandmother was picking me up so she left me at school. I was in the third grade. I went crying to my teacher, Mrs. Paulson and she drove me home. Then she sat on the porch with my great grandmother and visited for hours while I tried to show off on my swingset.

Teachers would probably get in trouble if they tried to take a kid home nowadays. Glad I grew up when I did. How about you?

[Vertigo58]

The lady that drove me to and from school thought my grandmother was picking me up so she left me at school. I was in the third grade. I went crying to my teacher, Mrs. Paulson and she drove me home. Then she sat on the porch with my great grandmother and visited for hours while I tried to show off on my swingset.

Teachers would probably get in trouble if they tried to take a kid home nowadays. Glad I grew up when I did. How about you?

Extremely glad. We grew up in the swinging, mod to psychedelic 60's and during the "real" golden age of television. Everything from black no white to living color, not to mention all the historical stuff that filled that era.

[EastEnd Susan]

Extremely glad. We grew up in the swinging, mod to psychedelic 60's and during the "real" golden age of television. Everything from black no white to living color, not to mention all the historical stuff that filled that era.

Even school was fun back then. There were no gangs or guns or knives. When our parents dropped us off in the mornings they knew we were in a safe place. All fights were with fists... that is unless the faculty got wind of a fight to be and it was nipped in the bud. Wow, did I just quote Barney Fife?

[EastEnd Susan]

Few pics from my trip today. Hope you enjoy.

[brerrabbit]

Few pics from my trip today. Hope you enjoy.

Just had to comment on this last picture. With the expansion of the school the addition was built between the football field and the main building. It totally changes the feel of the building. I remember riding the city bus to Jackson and getting off on Telephone Road and walking to school. The approach from that direction made the back of the school look like a prison. It was the Boys and Girls gymns from that angle with the lunchroom above them on the third floor. It had a definite prison feel to it.

The newer building really takes that away and really softens the look.

[EastEnd Susan]

I just wish they would have done the brick in a color similar to the original.

Edited May 5, 2007 by EastEnd Susan

[Vertigo58]

Thats the field where they used to catch kids smoking! Run!

Edited May 17, 2007 by Vertigo58

[MexAmerican_Moose]

it looks a lot like Lanier Middle School...is it the same design?

[EastEnd Susan]

it looks a lot like Lanier Middle School...is it the same design?

Not sure if its the same but I do agree they look a lot alike. I think Austin High and Reagan High look similar.

Edited May 18, 2007 by EastEnd Susan

[Vertigo58]

it looks a lot like Lanier Middle School...is it the same design?

Apparently, this style of design was popular for schools around this time. I call it the prison look.

On a separate note there was a new HUGE condo development being built on the 288/Elgin area. They just completed it, on the outside anyway. Its horrible. Looks just like this Jackson Jr High on the frwy. Just like a huge prison. I knew it was too good to be true. Add to Crater Houston! They really blew it boy.