William L. Dickinson High School is a four-year

comprehensive Comprehensive may refer to: * Comprehensive layout, the page layout of a proposed design as initially presented by the designer to a client. *Comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged appr ...

community public high school located in

Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in

ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...

through twelfth grades 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 New York Harbor is at the mouth of the Hudson River where it empties into New York Bay near the East River tidal estuary, and then into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of the United States. It is one of the largest natural harbors in t ...

. The school has been accredited by the

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (Middle States Association or MSA) was a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association that performed peer evaluation and regional educational accreditation, accreditation of public and priva ...

Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1929.William L. Dickinson High School

Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 13, 2022. As of the 2020–21 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,878 students and 131.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...

of 14.3:1. There were 1,123 students (59.8% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 79 (4.2% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for William L Dickinson High School

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...

. Accessed February 15, 2022.

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 304th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in ''

New Jersey Monthly ''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey. The magazine was started in 1976. It is based in Morristown. In addition to articles of general interest, the publication fe ...

'' magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 302nd in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 308th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 295th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 291st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. In 1999, student Samir Kapadia placed fourth at the Annual Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his project "Identification and Targeting Multiple Myeloma Cancerous Tumors." In 2002–03, students Juliet R. Girard and Roshan D. Prabhu won the team competition of the

Siemens Westinghouse Competition The Siemens Competition was a science competition for US high school students funded by the Siemens Foundation, which was administered by the College Board from 1999-2013 and by Discovery Education from 2014–2017. The Siemens Foundation released ...

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.

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.Dickinson High School
Accessed January 6, 2007. It was the first public secondary school 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 Wilson may refer to: People * Wilson (name) ** List of people with given name Wilson ** List of people with surname Wilson * Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender * Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Ro ...

, 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.Goodnough, Abby
"Once Upon a Time, When High Schools Were Palaces"
'' The New York Times'', October 6, 1996. Accessed August 20, 2014. "Ninety years ago, an enormous Beaux Arts building went up on a hill overlooking the Hudson River. It had Corinthian columns, terrazzo floors and a vestibule lined with English marble. It could have passed for a palace, or at least a palatial estate. But it was neither. It was, in fact, William L. Dickinson High School, the first public secondary school in Jersey City." 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 gymnasium. That same year, Lincoln High School was opened as the second high school in the district, as part of an effort to provide additional capacity outside of Dickinson. 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, it is doubtful that the cannon would have ever been effective as a defensive emplacement. While the cannon has since been removed, the original mounting was reused as the site of a black-granite monument to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In 1946, students went on strike to protest a proposal by the city's board of education to extend the end of the school day from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, with striking students arguing that the longer school day would interfere with their part-time jobs.

Athletics

The William L. Dickinson High School RamsWilliam L. Dickinson High School

New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) 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 championsh ...

. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic League, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Hudson County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the

(NJSIAA). With 1,342 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range. The football team competes in the Ivy Red division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league. The football team is one of the 12 programs assigned to the two Ivy divisions starting in 2020, which are intended to allow weaker programs ineligible for playoff participation to compete primarily against each other. The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group V North for football for 2022–2024. In 1930, Walt Singer (as an end) and his identical twin brother Milton (at running back) led the Dickinson football team to a 9–0 record as it became the second-ever Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association champion. The Dickinson Rams football team had been led by head coach Rich Glover who had played as a defensive lineman for the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

. In February 2010, the Jersey City Public Schools cut funding for interscholastic sports and ended the football program at Dickinson. The Dickinson football team was re-established in 2012 after a few years in hiatus; the varsity was scheduled to be back for the 2014 season. The boys indoor track team was the state public school champion in both 1937 and 1938, and won the Group IV state championship in 1966. The boys' cross country team won the Group IV state title in 1948 and 1955. The team won the North I Group IV state championship in 1967. The boys' baseball team won the North I Group IV state sectional championship in 1966, the only time that the team has won a state title in the post-1958 playoff era. The boys track team won the indoor relay championship in Group IV in 1966 and 1967 The boys' basketball team won the 2000 North I, Group IV sectional title, edging

Memorial High School Memorial High School may refer to: United States As ''Memorial High School'' alone *Memorial High School (Millville, New Jersey) *Memorial High School (West New York, New Jersey) *Memorial High School (St. Marys, Ohio) * Memorial High School (Tul ...

43–41 in the tournament final. 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 Worley.

Administrators

The school's principal is Gekson Casillas. His core administration team includes four vice principals.About Us
William L. Dickinson High School. Accessed February 13, 2022.

Notable alumni

* Akon (born 1973), recording artist. *

Paul Berezney Paul Lawrence Berezney (born September 25, 1915 – March 29, 1990) was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He played 31 games for the Green Bay Packers between 1942 and 1944, starting in 23. Berezney was the st ...

(1915–1990),

offensive tackle Offensive may refer to: * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Offensive (military), an attack * Offensive language ** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...

who played in the NFL for the

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...

between 1942 and 1944. *

Pete Berezney Peter James Berezney (November 14, 1923 – October 13, 2008) was an American football tackle who played two seasons in the All-America Football Conference with the Los Angeles Dons and Baltimore Colts. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the ...

(1923–2008),

tackle Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking ...

who played two seasons in the

All-America Football Conference The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the ...

with the Los Angeles Dons and

Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from its founding in 1953 to 1984. The team now plays in Indianapolis, as the Indianapolis Colts. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breed ...

. *

Bob Bessoir Robert M. Bessoir (December 29, 1932 – December 30, 2020) was an American college basketball coach. He spent his career at his alma mater, the University of Scranton, where he won 552 games and won two NCAA Division III national championship ...

(1932–2020), college basketball coach who spent his career at the University of Scranton, where he won 552 games and two NCAA Division III national championships. * Al Blozis (1919–1945), player for the

killed during World War II. * Nate Borden (born 1932), defensive end for the

and the Dallas Cowboys of the

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

from 1955 to 1962. *

John Matthew Cannella John Matthew Cannella (February 8, 1908 – October 30, 1996) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He previously played as an offensive lineman in the National Football Leag ...

(1908–1996), offensive lineman for the

, later United States federal judge. * Richard Conte (1910–1975), actor in more than 100 films. *

Dominick V. Daniels Dominick Vincent Daniels (October 18, 1908 – July 17, 1987) was an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's New Jersey's 14th congressional district, 14th congressional district from 19 ...

(1908-1987, class of 1925) politician who represented

New Jersey's 14th congressional district New Jersey's 14th congressional district in the House of Representatives was eliminated after the 1990 Census. As a result of the congressional apportionment performed after this Census, New Jersey lost one seat and was reduced to thirteen seats ...

from 1959–1977. * The Duprees, 60s group formed by students from the school. * Michael P. Esposito (1913-1988), politician who served five terms in the New Jersey General Assembly. * Dom Flora (born 1935), basketball player for Washington and Lee University from 1954 to 1958 who graduated as NCAA Division I's fifth–highest scorer. * Ed Franco (1915–1992), played football on the 1936

Fordham University Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...

team as one of the " Seven Blocks of Granite". * James J. Galdieri (1900–1948), served in the New Jersey General Assembly. * Jason Genao (born 1996), actor. * Archimedes Giacomantonio (1906–1988), sculptor who was best known for his busts of noted figures. * Don Holder (1928-2015, class of 1946), gymnast who competed in eight events at the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...

. *

Johnny Kucks John Charles Kucks (July 27, 1932 – October 31, 2013) was a pitcher for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics in Major League Baseball. In 1952, he was signed as an amateur free agent. Johnny Kucks won the final game of the 1956 World ...

(1932-2013), MLB pitcher for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics. *

George McAneny George McAneny (December 24, 1869 – July 29, 1953), was an American a newspaperman, municipal reformer and advocate of preservation and city planning from New York City. He served as Manhattan Borough President from 1910 to 1913, President of th ...

(1869-1953), newspaperman and municipal reformer, who served as Manhattan Borough President from 1910 to 1913 and New York City Comptroller in 1933. * Lillian Morrison (1917-2014), poet, author and librarian. * Mary Teresa Norton (1875–1959), served 13 consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives, from 1925 to 1951. * Ralph Peduto (1942–2014), film, theater and television actor, who was inducted into the Dickinson High School Hall of Fame in 2000. * Randolph Perkins (1871-1936), politician who represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district from 1921 to 1936. * Mary Philbrook (1872–1958), first female attorney in New Jersey. *

Eliu Rivera Eliu Rivera (December 8, 1943 – October 1, 2017) was a Democratic Party politician who represented District 4 on the Hudson County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders, one of nine members who serve in a legislative role administering all co ...

, politician who served on the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders. * Michelle Rodriguez (born 1978), actress who dropped out in ninth grade, later calling Dickinson "a terrible school!" * Eddie August Schneider (1911–1940), pilot who set the

transcontinental air speed record A transcontinental flight is a non-stop passenger flight from one side of a continent to the other. The term usually refers to flights across the United States, between the East and West Coasts. History The first transcontinental multi-stop ...

in 1930 for pilots under the age of 21. * Alexander Simpson (1872–1953), politician who served in both houses of the

New Jersey Legislature The 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 ...

. * Walt Singer (1911–1992), end for the

of the

from 1935 to 1936. * Joe Sulaitis (born 1921), running back for the

of the

from 1943 to 1953. *

Kenneth A. Walsh Kenneth Ambrose Walsh (November 24, 1916 – July 30, 1998) was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and a Medal of Honor recipient who was the fourth ranking USMC fighter ace in World War II with a record of 21 enemy planes destroyed ...

(1916-1998, class of 1933), United States Marine Corps

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

and a Medal of Honor recipient. * Alex Weyand (1891-1982), college football player, Olympic wrestler, United States Army officer and sports historian. * Henry Wittenberg (1918–2010), Olympic gold (1948) and silver (1952) medalist in freestyle wrestling.

Notable faculty

* John C. White (born 1975), the Louisiana state education superintendent since 2012, taught English at Dickinson from 1998 to 2001.Meyer, Peter
"The New Superintendent of Schools for New Orleans; Education Next Issue Cover: A conversation with John White"
'' Education Next'', Fall 2011. Accessed August 20, 2014. "TFA sent White to Jersey City, to 3,000-student Dickinson High School, overlooking the Holland Tunnel, where he taught English for three years and learned that 'there are a lot of challenges and we shouldn't kid ourselves....'"

References

External links

William L. Dickinson High School

Jersey City Public Schools
*
Data for William L. Dickinson High School

DHS January 1955 48th Reunion Web Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dickinson, William L. 1906 establishments in New Jersey Educational institutions established in 1906 High schools in Jersey City, New Jersey Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools National Register of Historic Places in Hudson County, New Jersey Public high schools in Hudson County, New Jersey School buildings completed in 1906 School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey New Jersey Register of Historic Places