William L. Dickinson High School
Encyclopedia
William L. Dickinson High School is a four-year public high school located in Jersey City, New Jersey
, as part of the Jersey City Public Schools
. Dickinson occupies a prominent location on Bergen Hill
overlooking lower Jersey City and the New York Harbor
.
As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,991 students and 197.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student-teacher ratio
of 15.2. The largest school in Hudson County, its student population is 48% Hispanic
, 23% Asian
, 16% African American
, and 11% Caucasian.
The school was the 295th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools. The school was ranked 291st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
in the city. When the school opened, it housed a 2,000 seat auditorium that saw extensive public use, and hosted such events as a lecture by Helen Keller
and political rallies for United States Presidents Taft
, Wilson
, and Roosevelt. The original school was expanded with the construction of a second building in 1912 to further industrial skills education. This building contained a foundry
, print shop, and vocational classrooms. In 1913, the school was renamed William L. Dickinson High School for the superintendent
who had advocated for creation of the school during his term from 1872 to 1883. The school was expanded again in 1933 with the addition of an annex containing a swimming pool, cafeteria, and gym
nasium.
A testament to the school's age, the rear of the building is the site of a late 1800s-era cannon mount built to protect the Hudson River
shoreline from early invaders. Given the location of the cannon and the associated technology of the time, its doubted that the cannon would ever have been effective as a defensive emplacement. While the cannon has since been removed, the original mounting remains and is now the site of a black-granite monument to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In 1946, teachers went on strike.
for "Identification and High Resolution Mapping of Flowering Time Genes in Rice." The duo shared a $100,000 scholarship with their victory.
In 2007, Abdullah Anwar, a student was recognized as a semi-finalist in the 2007 New Jersey Business Idea Competition conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University
.
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
.
The Dickinson High School boys basketball team won the 2000 Public Sectionals - North I, Group IV, edging Memorial High School
43-41 in the tournament final.
In 2008 the boys cross country team (the "Wolf Pack") placed 4th in the North Jersey Section 2, Group IV state championships.
In 2009 the boys soccer team went on to the state tournament, losing to Ridge High School
by a score of 2-0 in the tournament final, finishing with a record of 17-8-0 and marking the first time in Dickinson history that the boys varsity soccer team made it to state finals, under the coaching of Rene "Toro" Portillo and Tom Whorley.
The Dickinson Rams football team was given a head coach named Rich Glover
who used to play as an defensive lineman for the New York Giants
. However due to poor records, after the 2009 season, the William L. Dickinson High School Football team was removed as an extra curricular activity.
The 2009 Boys Volleyball Team won the Jersey City Public Schools Championship, and went on to the North New Jersey State tournament as the 20th seed, but however lost to Bloomfield High School in the first round.
s. The uniform requires the students to wear a black Dickinson High School polo, black or khaki pants, and sneakers or shoes
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, as part of the Jersey City Public Schools
Jersey City Public Schools
The Jersey City Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide....
. Dickinson occupies a prominent location on Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill
Bergen Hill refers to the lower Hudson Palisades in New Jersey, USA, where they emerge on Bergen Neck, which in turn is the peninsula between the Hackensack and Hudson River, and their bays. In Hudson County, it reaches a height of 260 feet.-Rail:...
overlooking lower Jersey City and the New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
.
As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,991 students and 197.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student-teacher ratio
Student-teacher ratio
Student-teacher ratio refers to the number of teachers in a school or university with respect to the number of students who attend the institution. For example, a student-teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students for every one teacher...
of 15.2. The largest school in Hudson County, its student population is 48% Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
, 23% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 16% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, and 11% Caucasian.
The school was the 295th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly is a monthly glossy publication featuring issues of possible interest to residents of the United States state of New Jersey...
magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools. The school was ranked 291st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
History
Originally named 'Jersey City High School', the property was purchased in 1904 and the new building opened on September 6, 1906, in an attempt to relieve overcrowding in the city's public schools. It was the first public secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in the city. When the school opened, it housed a 2,000 seat auditorium that saw extensive public use, and hosted such events as a lecture by Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
and political rallies for United States Presidents Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, and Roosevelt. The original school was expanded with the construction of a second building in 1912 to further industrial skills education. This building contained a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
, print shop, and vocational classrooms. In 1913, the school was renamed William L. Dickinson High School for the superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
who had advocated for creation of the school during his term from 1872 to 1883. The school was expanded again in 1933 with the addition of an annex containing a swimming pool, cafeteria, and gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium.
A testament to the school's age, the rear of the building is the site of a late 1800s-era cannon mount built to protect the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
shoreline from early invaders. Given the location of the cannon and the associated technology of the time, its doubted that the cannon would ever have been effective as a defensive emplacement. While the cannon has since been removed, the original mounting remains and is now the site of a black-granite monument to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In 1946, teachers went on strike.
Awards and recognition
In 2002–03, students Juliet R. Girard and Roshan D. Prabhu won the team competition of the Siemens Westinghouse CompetitionSiemens Westinghouse Competition
The Siemens Competition is a science competition funded by the Siemens Foundation and administered by the College Board.- Eligibility requirements :The Siemens Competition is open to high school students who are citizens or permanent residents of the US...
for "Identification and High Resolution Mapping of Flowering Time Genes in Rice." The duo shared a $100,000 scholarship with their victory.
In 2007, Abdullah Anwar, a student was recognized as a semi-finalist in the 2007 New Jersey Business Idea Competition conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university founded as a junior college in 1942. It now has several campuses located in New Jersey, Canada, and the United Kingdom.-Description:...
.
Athletics
The William L. Dickinson High School Rams compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic LeagueHudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association is a New Jersey high school sports association operating under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association . The league consists of 23 public and parochial high schools in Hudson County in northern New Jersey...
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...
.
The Dickinson High School boys basketball team won the 2000 Public Sectionals - North I, Group IV, edging Memorial High School
Memorial High School (West New York, New Jersey)
Memorial High School is a four-year public high school that serves students from West New York, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the West New York School District. WNYSD, an Abbott District, serves all of the city of West New York...
43-41 in the tournament final.
In 2008 the boys cross country team (the "Wolf Pack") placed 4th in the North Jersey Section 2, Group IV state championships.
In 2009 the boys soccer team went on to the state tournament, losing to Ridge High School
Ridge High School
Ridge High School is a four-year public high school serving students from Bernards Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Bernards Township School District...
by a score of 2-0 in the tournament final, finishing with a record of 17-8-0 and marking the first time in Dickinson history that the boys varsity soccer team made it to state finals, under the coaching of Rene "Toro" Portillo and Tom Whorley.
The Dickinson Rams football team was given a head coach named Rich Glover
Rich Glover
Richard Edward "Richie" Glover is a former professional football player, a defensive tackle for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. He played college football at Nebraska under head coach Bob Devaney. Glover played his high school football at Snyder High School in Jersey City, NJ...
who used to play as an defensive lineman for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. However due to poor records, after the 2009 season, the William L. Dickinson High School Football team was removed as an extra curricular activity.
The 2009 Boys Volleyball Team won the Jersey City Public Schools Championship, and went on to the North New Jersey State tournament as the 20th seed, but however lost to Bloomfield High School in the first round.
Notable alumni
- Al BlozisAl BlozisAlbert Charles Blozis was an American football player who died in World War II.-Early life:Blozis was born in Garfield, New Jersey. He attended William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City, New Jersey where he became well known for throwing the discus and shot put...
(1919–45), player for the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
killed during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. - The DupreesThe DupreesThe Duprees is an American musical group of doo-wop style which had a series of hit records in the early 1960s.-Career:The group originated in the early 1960s in Jersey City, New Jersey, and comprised William L. Dickinson High School students Michael Arnone, Joe Santollo, John Salvato, Tom...
, 60s group formed by students from the school. - Dom FloraDom FloraDominick A. "Dom" Flora is a former American college basketball standout at Washington & Lee University , located in Lexington, Virginia. Flora played for the W&L Generals from 1954–55 to 1957–58. Dom Flora was a native of Jersey City, New Jersey and played high school basketball for William L...
(born 1935), played college basketball for Washington and Lee UniversityWashington and Lee UniversityWashington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
from 1954 to 1958 and graduated as NCAA Division I's fifth–highest scorer. - Ed FrancoEd FrancoEdmondo Guido Armando Franco was a professional American football player. He earned fame as one of the legendary Seven Blocks of Granite and played professionally for the Boston Yanks...
(1915–92), played football on the 1936 Fordham UniversityFordham UniversityFordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
team as one of the "Seven Blocks of GraniteSeven Blocks of GraniteThe Seven Blocks of Granite was a nickname given to the Fordham University football team's offensive line under head coach "Sleepy" Jim Crowley and line coach Frank Leahy. The most famous Seven Blocks of Granite were: Leo Paquin, Johnny Druze, Alex Wojciechowicz, Ed Franco, Al Babartsky, Natty...
". - James J. GaldieriJames J. GaldieriJames J. Galdieri was an American Democratic Party politician from Jersey City who was elected to a single term representing portions of Hudson County in the New Jersey General Assembly.-Biography:...
(1900–1948), served in the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. - Mary Teresa NortonMary Teresa NortonMary Teresa Norton was an American politician. The sixth woman in the United States Congress, she was the first from an Eastern state , and the first non-Republican ....
(1875–1959), served 13 consecutive terms in the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, from 1925 to 1951. - Mary PhilbrookMary PhilbrookMary Philbrook was one of New Jersey's most prominent women for equal rights. She was the first woman attorney in New Jersey and then used her legal training for the advancement of women's rights, the social settlement movement in Jersey City, and a gender free writing of the New Jersey...
(1872–1958), first female attorney in New Jersey. - Eliu RiveraEliu RiveraEliu Rivera represents District 4 on the Hudson County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders, one of nine members who serve in a legislative role administering all county business. District 4 includes portions of the City of Jersey City...
, represents District 4 on the Hudson County Board of Chosen FreeholdersBoard of Chosen FreeholdersIn New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
. - Michelle RodriguezMichelle RodriguezMayte Michelle Rodríguez , known professionally as Michelle Rodriguez, is an American actress. Following on from her breakthrough role in 2000's Girlfight, she is best known for playing tough-girl roles and starring in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Fast and the Furious, Resident Evil,...
born 1978), actress. - Eddie August SchneiderEddie August SchneiderEddie August Henry Schneider set three transcontinental airspeed records for pilots under the age of twenty-one in 1930. His plane was a Cessna Model AW with a Warner-Scarab engine, one of only 48 built, that he called "The Kangaroo". He set the east-to-west, then the west-to-east, and the...
(1911–1940), set the transcontinental air speed recordTranscontinental air speed record-Transcontinental air speed record:-Junior transcontinental air speed record:-Women's transcontinental air speed record:For the women's record, only in-flight time is counted*1930 Ruth Nichols 13 hours and 21 minutes...
for pilots under the age of twenty-one in 1930. - Alexander SimpsonAlexander SimpsonAlexander Simpson was an American journalist, attorney, and Democratic politician. He served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and as Assistant Attorney General of New Jersey.-Biography:...
(1872–1953), served in both houses of the New Jersey LegislatureNew Jersey LegislatureThe New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
. - Joe SulaitisJoe SulaitisJoseph Sulaitis is a former American football running back for the New York Giants of the NFL from 1943 to 1953....
(born 1921), running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 1943 to 1953.
Dress code
The school requires its students to wear school uniformSchool uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
s. The uniform requires the students to wear a black Dickinson High School polo, black or khaki pants, and sneakers or shoes
See also
- Five Corners, Jersey CityFive Corners, Jersey CityFive Corners is at the intersection of Summit Avenue, Newark Avenue and Hoboken Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey and is a northeastern part of the larger Journal Square district...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hudson County, New Jersey
External links
- William L. Dickinson High School
- Jersey City Public Schools
- Data for William L. Dickinson High School, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- DHS January,1955 48th Reunion Web Site