THE HISTORY OF JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL
In the summer of 1831, Miss Silence D. Blackman opened a school in her home for her younger brothers and the children of Jackson Community. In the spring of 1833, a wooden building painted red, was built on the corner of South Blackstone and West Michigan Avenue. In 1838 two school districts, divided by the Grand River, were created. The West Side High School graduated its first class in 1871; the East Side High School in 1876. In 1897, the two school districts lying west and east of the Grand River were united by legislative enactment. In 1908, the “new high school” was merged at the corner of Washington and Jackson Streets. The present
Jackson High School building was opened in 1927. The brick and limestone building is a Collegiate Gothic style with two long wings that flank a prominent spired central tower. Today, Jackson High School contains seventy-seven classrooms, a 1,511 seat auditorium, an expansive library and nine computer labs. A highlight of this exquisite building is Britton Hall, commonly referred to as the Shakespeare Room, which is patterned after an old English hall in Stratford, England. The room stands two stories high with floor to ceiling leaded glass windows, black walnut balconies, a performance stage and one of two fireplaces – the second is located in the library.
The campus includes several outstanding athletic facilities. Withington Stadium, home of Dungy Field, sports a field turf surface surrounded by a nine-lane, 400 meter rubber and polyurethane track. A 2,000 seat field house hosts volleyball matches and basketball games and the natatorium holds a six-lane, twenty-five yard length pool. Fans witnessed the dedication of the Glick Community Baseball Field in May, 2009.
The first principal to serve in the current building was Frederick L. Bliss. Eleven principals have subsequently held this position: Dean S. Spencer, W. Earl Holman, Carroll E. Fortress, Donque Ellis, George Kiesel, Robert DuBois, Thomas A. Mueller, Thomas J. Stobie, James E. Graham, Pamela J. Fitzgerald and Barbara Baird-Pauli.
Jackson High School is one of the five schools that were originally accredited b the University of Michigan in 1871 and is known as a University of Michigan Centennial School. In 1905, Jackson High School was and continues to be accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
JHS Tower Inscription
“Faith without credulity
Conviction without bigotry
Charity without condescension
Self respect without vanity
Meekness with power.”
ALMA MATER
(James L. Moore, JHS 1952)
We sing to you our high school
Old friend we love so dear,
The Viking memories we share
Endure from year to year,
And as we travel on through life
In fortune, in defeat
When’er we think of friendship true
Our hearts with you will meet.
VIKING FIGHT SONG
Fight, fight for Jackson
Wave our colors to the sky
They can never beat us
Keep our spirits soaring high.
Score, score you Vikings
We are sure to win this game
We will mark this win with all the rest
In the Jackson Hall of Fame
