History
WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL, LOCATED IN DALLAS, TEXAS, HAS A RICH AND STORIED HISTORY THAT DATES BACK TO ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1928. WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL WAS NAMED AFTER THE 28TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WOODROW WILSON. THE SCHOOL WAS BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING POPULATION OF EAST DALLAS AND WAS DESIGNED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REVIVAL ARCHITECTURAL STYLE BY ARCHITECT MARK LEMMON.
THE SCHOOL OPENED ITS DOORS ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1928, WITH AN INITIAL ENROLLMENT OF AROUND 600 STUDENTS. OVER THE YEARS, THE SCHOOL GREW IN SIZE AND REPUTATION, BECOMING ONE OF THE PREMIER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE DALLAS AREA.
DURING THE EARLY YEARS, WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL GAINED A REPUTATION FOR ITS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION. THE SCHOOL OFFERED A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING ATHLETICS, ARTS, AND VARIOUS CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
IN THE 1950S, WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE RACIAL INTEGRATION OF SCHOOLS IN DALLAS. IT BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE CITY TO ADMIT AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS, MARKING A CRUCIAL STEP TOWARDS DESEGREGATION.
THROUGHOUT THE LATTER HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUED TO FLOURISH ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY. IT PRODUCED MANY SUCCESSFUL ALUMNI WHO WENT ON TO EXCEL IN VARIOUS FIELDS, INCLUDING POLITICS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, AND BUSINESS.
IN RECENT YEARS, WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HAS UNDERGONE SEVERAL RENOVATIONS AND UPGRADES TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHANGING NEEDS OF ITS STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A QUALITY EDUCATION AND FOSTERING A SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HAS A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND PRIDE, WITH ALUMNI OFTEN RETURNING TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL AND ITS PROGRAMS. THE SCHOOL’S MASCOT IS THE WILDCAT, AND ITS COLORS ARE RED AND WHITE.
OVERALL, WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HAS A LONG-STANDING TRADITION OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND A COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. IT CONTINUES TO BE A RESPECTED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN DALLAS, SHAPING THE LIVES OF GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS.
Notable Alumni
- Len Akin 1936, former NFL player (Chicago Bears)
- Tim Brown 1984, Hall of Fame professional football player and 1987 Heisman Trophy winner
- Trammell Crow 1932, major Dallas builder and real estate mogul
- Jack Wilson Evans 1940, Mayor of Dallas (1981–1983), CEO of Cullum Companies (Tom Thumb Grocery Stores)
- Burton Gilliam 1956, character actor in films and television
- Bob Goodrich 1963, 15-time Emmy award-winning producer best known for Monday Night Football also one of Woodrow’s many members of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame
- Ralph Guldahl 1930, professional golfer – winner of the Masters and U.S. Open
- Jack Halliday, football player
- Alfred C. Haynes, 1948, retired aviator and airline captain, most famous for the crash landing of United Airlines Flight 232.
- Jerry Haynes 1944, actor and former children’s television host “Mr. Peppermint”
- Dusty Hill, bassist for ZZ Top
- Curley Johnson 1953, punter on New York Jets Super Bowl III championship team
- Sam Johnson, United States Congressman
- Georgia Carroll 1937, model, actress and singer. Posed for “The Spirit of the Centennial” statue at the 1936 Dallas World’s Fair and Texas Centennial.
- Alton Lister 1976, professional basketball player
- Jim Mattox 1961, former Attorney General of Texas and U.S. Congressman
- Steve Miller 1961, Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame musician, known for his Steve Miller Band.
- Davey O’Brien 1935, professional football player and 1938 Heisman Trophy winner
- William O’Neil 1951, founder and publisher Investor’s Business Daily
- Marvin Runyon 1942, former U.S. Postmaster General, Ford VP of Assembly and Parts, CEO of Nissan USA and Head of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
- Carroll Shelby 1940, race car driver, 1959 24 Heures du Mans Winner & Founder of Shelby-American Co.
- Anthony Randolph 2005, NBA player
- Sergio Kindle 2006, former NFL player and All-Big 12 linebacker for the Texas Longhorns.
- Wallace H. Savage 1929, Mayor of Dallas, 1949–1951
- William M. Steger 1938, former judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas[citation needed]
- Matt Tolentino 2003, musician and bandleader of The Singapore Slingers
- Travis Willingham 1999, anime and video game voice actor.
- Lawrence Wright 1965, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
- Malcolm Wallace 1939, economist for the United States Department of Agriculture and press secretary to then-United States Senator Lyndon B. Johnson.
- Fredd Young 1980, ap All-American at NMSU, All-Pro, Pro Bowl Seattle Seahawks 1984-87 .Indianapolis Colts 1988-90
INFORMATION
EST: 1928
SCHOOL DISTRICT: DALLAS ISD
ATHLETICS DISTRICT: UIL 5A DIVISION 2
MASCOT: WILDCAT
COLORS: WOODROW RED AND WOODROW GRAY
PRINCIPAL: CHANDRA D HOOPER-BARNETT
ATHLETIC COORD.: JOHN FISH
ALMA MATER:
Hail, Alma Mater; Hats off to you;
Ever you’ll find us; Loyal and True;
Firm and Undaunted; Ever we’ll be;
Hail to the school we love; Here’s a toast to thee!