St. Thomas High School (Houston)

Last updated

St. Thomas High School
STH Crest Logo.png
Address
St. Thomas High School (Houston)
4500 Memorial Drive

Houston
,
Texas
77007

United States
Coordinates 29°45′44″N95°24′29″W / 29.76222°N 95.40806°W / 29.76222; -95.40806
Information
Type Private boys secondary school
MottoTeach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge
Denomination Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s) St. Thomas Aquinas
Founded1900 (1900)
PresidentFr. James Murphy, CSB
PrincipalDr. Aaron Dominguez
Grades 9–12
Campus Urban
Color(s) Red and White   
SongSt. Thomas Alma Mater
Fight song Eagle Fight Song
Athletics conference TAPPS 6A
MascotTom Eagle
Nickname Eagles
Rivals Strake Jesuit,
St. Pius X
Accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools [1]
NewspaperThe Eagle
YearbookAquin
Tuition$20,725
Affiliation Basilian Fathers
Website www.sths.org
St.ThomasHighSchoolHoustonFront.JPG
Entrance to St. Thomas High School

St. Thomas High School is an all-boys, Catholic college preparatory school in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1900, St. Thomas is the second oldest continuously operating private high school in Houston behind Incarnate Word Academy, which was founded in 1873. The school is operated by the Basilian Fathers in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Contents

History

St. Thomas High School was established in 1900 as St. Thomas College and housed that year at Franklin Avenue and Caroline Street. The founders were the Rev. Nicholas Roche, C.S.B. and two other Basilian Fathers. When the original school suffered hurricane damage, the Fathers relocated to Capitol and Main. In 1903, permanency was assured when Father Roche bought a block of land at Austin and Hadley and constructed Houston's first College Preparatory School for boys. Thanks to the foresight of a native Texan, The Rev. T.P. O'Rourke, C.S.B., educator and author, St. Thomas High School in 1940 moved to the current site on the bank of Buffalo Bayou. The college section later became the University of St. Thomas. Father A.L. Higgins directed the building of the new facility, which has expanded in later years. During Houston's 20th century growth into a focus of world culture, St. Thomas High School has trained men of vision and responsibility, winners of national and international fame; statesmen, churchmen, artists, historians, athletes, civic and business leaders, industrial pioneers, and citizens of many talents.

The school was named after St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of students and education. St. Thomas has occupied its current (as of 2023) site since 1940. The school's location in central Houston on the north bank of the Buffalo Bayou at Memorial and Shepherd which places it 3 miles from Downtown Houston. The campus is self-contained with a fine arts center, computer lab, library, competition gymnasium, baseball field, chapel, and stadium, most housed in distinguished Texas Cordova Shell Stone [2] buildings.

By the 2010s St. Thomas sought to expand but lacked land needed to build more buildings. [3] As of July 2013 St. Thomas High School and the investment group AV Dickson Street were engaged in a dispute over the acquisition of the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (HSLECJ) property of the Houston Independent School District (HISD). [4] On Thursday July 18, 2013 the HISD board rejected both requests. David Thompson, the HISD board attorney, stated that both bidders violated the district's code of silence policy. [5] In November of that year HISD sold the former HSLECJ to St. Thomas. [6] HISD received $60 million from St. Thomas. [3]

At the time of sale HISD was still using the HSLECJ campus and St. Thomas had to wait until the new campus for HSLECJ opened before repurposing it. [7] HSLECJ, later renamed to High School for Law and Justice, moved to its new campus in 2018. [8] The HSLECJ was named the Joplin Campus, [9] and select portions were opened in 2020. [10] The dedication was held November 2020. [11]

Location

St. Thomas High School is situated west of Downtown Houston on the wooded banks of Buffalo Bayou at the corner of Memorial Drive and Shepherd.

Feeder schools

A majority of students at St. Thomas come from various private, Catholic, and parochial grade schools such as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Anne (Houston), St. Michael's, St. Cecilia's, St. Rose of Lima, St. Theresa, and The Regis School of the Sacred Heart within the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston, but a significant part of the student body comes from other area Christian schools. Students from public middle schools also often choose to apply for admission for their freshman year.

Transportation

As of 2019, the school has four bus routes: Pearland, [12] Christ the Redeemer Catholic School in Cypress, St. Martha Catholic School in Kingwood, and St. Edward Catholic School in the Spring area. [13]

Campus

In 2012 Richard Connelly of the Houston Press ranked St. Thomas as the third most architecturally beautiful high school campus in Greater Houston. Connelly said that "An appropriately churchy feel to the entrance relieves the somewhat banal industrial feel of the wings." [14]

The Joplin Campus includes strength/conditioning and sports medicine facilities as well as 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) locker rooms for basketball and wrestling teams. [10] The weight training room was previously a cafeteria. The auditorium at Joplin has a capacity of 630. St. Thomas also built a new baseball field summer of 2023 (Fr. Wilson Field). [7]

Student body

In 2013 there were 745 students, with 63% being non-Hispanic White, 21% being Hispanic or Latino, 7% being African-American, 6% being Asian, and 3% being multiracial. In 2013 students came from over 130 ZIP codes. The school administration stated that this is because St. Thomas is in the center of the Houston metropolitan area. In 2013 it had 105 full-time employees. [3]

Notable alumni

Athletics

St. Thomas originally competed in the now defunct T.C.I.L. (Texas Christian Interscholastic League) That league began in 1935 under the direction of Rev. Albert Mitchell (principal of Central Catholic, San Antonio) St. Thomas' last year of competition in the T.C.I.L. concluded when the league came to a close in the 1999-2000 athletic season. The Eagles are proud owners of numerous District, Regional and State Championships in various sports that date back from over the past 100 years, as well as several within the past five years in their current league. The athletic department provides 12 different programs which are: Baseball, Basketball, Cross-Country, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Rugby, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, and Wrestling.

Currently, St. Thomas competes in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS). The Eagles have prospered well in its league with numerous district and state championships. The most recent state championship came in 2023 with the cross-country team winning the state title.

In May 2008 the school hired Craig Biggio, the former Houston Astros second baseman and Hall of Famer, as head baseball coach. [22] Biggio remained the head coach until he stepped down at the conclusion of the 2012–2013 school year. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Oaks, Houston</span> Subdivision in Houston, Texas, USA

River Oaks is a residential community located in the center of Houston, Texas, United States. Located within the 610 Loop and between Downtown and Uptown, the community spans 1,100 acres (450 ha). Established in the 1920s by brothers Will Hogg and Michael Hogg, the community became a well-publicized national model for community planning. Real estate values in the community range from $1 million to over $20 million. River Oaks was also named the most expensive neighborhood in Houston in 2013. The community is home to River Oaks Country Club, which includes a golf course designed by architect Donald Ross and redesigned in 2015 by Tom Fazio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Medical Center</span> Business district and neighborhood in Harris County, Texas, United States

The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a 2.1-square-mile (5.4 km2) medical district and neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas, United States, immediately south of the Museum District and west of Texas State Highway 288. Over 60 medical institutions, largely concentrated in a triangular area between Brays Bayou, Rice University, and Hermann Park, are members of the Texas Medical Center Corporation—a non-profit umbrella organization—which constitutes the largest medical complex in the world. The TMC has an extremely high density of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of St. Thomas (Texas)</span> Catholic university in Houston, Texas

The University of St. Thomas is a private Catholic university in Houston, Texas. It was founded by the Basilian Fathers in 1947 and is the only Catholic university in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen F. Austin High School (Houston)</span> Public school in Houston, Texas, United States

Stephen F. Austin High School is a secondary school located at 1700 Dumble Street in Houston, Texas, United States. The school handles grades nine through twelve and is a part of the Houston Independent School District. In 2013, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strake Jesuit College Preparatory</span> School in Houston, Texas, United States

Strake Jesuit College Preparatory is a Jesuit, college-preparatory school for boys, grades 9–12, in the Chinatown area and in the Greater Sharpstown district of Houston, Texas, United States. It is near Alief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamar High School (Houston)</span> American public high school

Lamar High School is a comprehensive public secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Lamar High School, was established in 1936 in memory of Mirabeau B. Lamar (1798–1859), a leader in the Texas Revolution and the second President of the Republic of Texas. Lamar has a four-year program, serving grades 9 through 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yates High School</span> Public high school in Houston, Texas, United States

Jack Yates Senior High School is a public high school located at 3650 Alabama Street, very near Texas Southern University, in the historic Third Ward in Houston, Texas. Yates High School handles grades nine through twelve and is part of the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint John XXIII College Preparatory</span> Private coeducational school in Katy, Texas, United States

St. John XXIII College Preparatory, formerly Pope John XXIII High School, is a Catholic independent, non-profit, coeducational, private day school in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States, near Katy. The school serves grades 9–12. The academic year consists of two semesters extending from approximately August to December and January to May. Student leadership development through the Works of Mercy program is a distinct characteristic of the school, and leadership principles are integrated into every course at St. John XXIII. 'SJ23' is accredited by/a member of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (RCAGH), led by Archbishop Daniel DiNardo. SJ23 is also the newest private day school in the Katy area for over fifty years, effective 2004. It is located at 1800 West Grand Parkway North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meyerland, Houston</span> Community in Houston, Texas

Meyerland is a community in southwest Houston, Texas, outside of the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8. The neighborhood is named after the Meyer family, who bought and owned 6,000 acres (24 km2) of land in southwest Houston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Long Wisdom High School</span> Public, secondary school in Houston, Texas , United States

Margaret Long Wisdom High School, formerly Robert E. Lee High School, is a publicly funded secondary school located in Southwest Houston, Texas, United States 77057. The Houston Independent School District, the 7th largest school district in the United States, operates Wisdom, a public admission school that enrolls grades 9 through 12. The school serves the neighborhoods of Uptown, Briargrove, Westchase, and Gulfton areas of the city of Houston. Houston Independent School District will submit construction documents in 2016–2017 school year. After the construction documents are submitted, They will vote to seek approval for the new school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rice Military, Houston</span>

Rice Military is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas, United States. The Beer Can House is located in Rice Military.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garden Oaks, Houston</span> Place in Texas, United States

Garden Oaks is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas (USA). The neighborhood, located north of Houston Heights, was established in 1937 by Edward L. Crain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheatley High School (Houston)</span> School

Phillis Wheatley High School is a secondary school located at 4801 Providence Street in Houston, Texas, United States with a ZIP code of 77020. Wheatley is a part of the Houston Independent School District. Wheatley, named after Phillis Wheatley, is located inside the 610 Loop in the Fifth Ward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High School for Law and Justice</span> Magnet school in Texas, United States

High School for Law and Justice (HSLJ), formerly the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, is a high school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The school serves grades 9 through 12 and is a part of the Houston Independent School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Middle School (Houston)</span> School in Houston, Texas, United States

James D. Ryan Middle School was a secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States. The Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan, a magnet middle school, now occupies the campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Emery/Weiner School</span> Jewish day school in Houston, Texas, United States

The Emery/Weiner School (EWS) is a co-educational, independent Jewish day school in Houston, Texas, United States, serving grades 6-12. The school is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Carmel High School (Houston)</span> Private, coeducational school in Houston, Texas, United States

Mount Carmel High School was a private, Roman Catholic high school in Houston, Texas, United States. Founded in 1956 by the Carmelite order, Mount Carmel was the first Houston area Catholic high school established east of downtown and the first to serve greater Southeast Houston. From 1986 to 2008, it was administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Riverside Terrace is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas, United States. It is along Texas State Highway 288 and north of the Texas Medical Center and located near Texas Southern University and University of Houston. There about 20 sections of Riverside Terrace that span across North and South MacGregor. The community, formerly an affluent Jewish neighborhood, became an affluent community for African Americans in the 1950s and '60s. It is still predominantly African American neighborhood with different income levels. It has been undergoing a gradual change in demographics and aesthetics due to gentrification efforts since the early 2000s.

Shiner Catholic School is a private, Roman Catholic K-12 school in Shiner, Texas. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria in Texas. It has two components: St. Lumila Elementary School and St. Paul High School.

References

  1. ↑ SACS-CASI. "SACS-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  2. ↑ [St. Thomas High School In the 20th Century, Copyright 2000 by St. Thomas High School]
  3. 1 2 3 Wilkinson, Emily (November 22, 2013). "Deal of the Week: St. Thomas nabs coveted HISD land for $60M". Houston Business Journal . Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  4. ↑ Willey, Jessica. "Old HISD building center of property fight." KTRK-TV . Tuesday July 16, 2013. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  5. ↑ Mellon, Ericka. "HISD board rejects both bids for high school property." Houston Chronicle . July 18, 2013. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  6. ↑ Wray, Dianna (November 18, 2013). "HISD Sells High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice to St. Thomas". Houston Press . Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Smith, Cara (May 6, 2016). "Exclusive: Houston private school reveals plans for 11-acre prime plot". Houston Business Journal . Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  8. ↑ "High School for Law and Justice celebrates new building with grand opening". Houston Independent School District. August 28, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Kirksey Architecture Uniting Two Distinct Campuses with Joplin Expansion". St. Thomas High School. December 21, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Proud to Unveil Jane and Bill Joplin '54 Campus Expansion || Advancing the St. Thomas Footprint". St. Thomas High School. August 9, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Joplin Campus Dedication || Commitment to Change, Serve, Succeed". St. Thomas High School. November 20, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  12. ↑ "St. Thomas High School Bus Transportation Information Sheet" (PDF). St. Thomas High School. Retrieved October 25, 2019. and "2019-20 School Bus Route". St. Thomas High School. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Transportation". St. Thomas High School. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  14. ↑ Connelly, Richard. "The 7 Best-Looking High Schools in Houston." Houston Press . Tuesday May 22, 2012. 2. Retrieved on May 27, 2012.
  15. ↑ 1979 Official Congressional Directory: 96th Congress, 1st Session. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1979.
  16. ↑ Dooley, Tara (September 13, 2005). "Houston native ready to dance with the stars" . Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  17. ↑ "In the on-deck circle of life, Craig Biggio's son now a budding pro". HoustonChronicle.com. March 15, 2017.
  18. ↑ Hauser, Melanie (January 15, 2018). "HCHSA Insider: As he turns 95, Jackie Burke Jr. still dishes out lessons on golf and life". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  19. ↑ Vara, Richard (April 11, 2008). "Houston priest named San Antonio auxiliary bishop". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  20. ↑ Baddour, Dylan (July 15, 2015). "Houston GOP activist Steven Hotze: 'Kids will be encouraged to practice sodomy in kindergarten'". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  21. ↑ "St. Thomas High School:Hall of Honor". sths.org. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  22. ↑ "St. Thomas hires Biggio, Hollas (w/audio)." Houston Chronicle .
  23. ↑ Jenkins, Jeff (March 4, 2014). "Lousteau hopes to add new chapter to St. Thomas baseball legacy" . Retrieved April 9, 2019.