John Paul Jones School (a.k.a. James V. Forrestal School) History
Opened: 1948
Closed: 1971
In 1945, upon the return of the Americans to the Philippines and in anticipation of the possible allied invasion of the Japanese mainland, an 8,000-foot (2,400 m) runway was constructed at Sangley Point, along with the associated air operations and maintenance facilities. The invasion never took place, but Sangley's importance as a support facility for the Seventh Fleet continued to grow. So did its complement of Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, and civilian personnel.
As the number of military personnel at Sangley grew, so did the need to provide accommodation and facilities for the dependents that would ultimately accompany them. Not the least of these facilities, of course, would be a school. A group of Quonset huts was designated, and in August 1948 the first dependent's school was opened at Sangley Point.
The dependents’ school at US Naval Station Sangley Point opened August 1948 to grades one through seven. The school comprised a series of Quonset huts linked together with a central corridor. The original buildings were constructed on concrete piers with wooden floors, but the newer ones on the eastern end were built on concrete slabs. All the buildings, however, were metal Quonset huts. The entire school grounds were enclosed by a fence made primarily of chain link. There were numerous mango trees in the school yard.
The original 65 pupils were taught by a faculty of three. As the population grew, the James V. Forrestal School in 1957 acquired two additional buildings to house grades eight through ten. A principal, a librarian, and five new teachers were added for the beginning of the school year. Locally, the school was referred to as the dependent school at Sangley Point, and the James V. Forrestal name was lost.
As the number of dependents increased, the school began to grow, eventually adding kindergarten and the 8th, 9th, and 10th grades. Ultimately, in 1963, the Department of the Navy added 11th and 12th grades. The high school classes were moved to the front of the complex separating them from the elementary students who were located at the back of the campus. Before this, high school students had attended the International School in Manila.
As the enrollment grew, the school remained nameless for more than ten years until 1958, when a contest was held among the students to name their own school. The prize of a U.S. Savings Bond went to Jackie Newell and Craig Wilcox ('56–'59) for choosing a name which commemorated the American naval hero of the Revolutionary War, John Paul Jones (JPJ).
In 1967, JPJ came under the supervision of the United States Air Force and was incorporated into the District II, Pacific Area, Department of Defense Dependent Schools. In March 1968, it was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. By this time, there were 650 students at JPJ from kindergarten to the 12th grade — ten times the number that was first enrolled in 1948. By 1970, that number would swell to 690. Plans were in the works for the construction of a new school when official word came on 10 December 1970 that Naval Station Sangley Point was to terminate operations as a U.S. facility.
The school mascot was the Saint, and the colors were blue and gold. The school alma mater was:
Alma Mater
John Paul Jones We Laud;
Lift Our Praises High In Our Hearts
As The Years Pass By.
When Our High School Days Are Over
And From You We Part Forevermore,
Though We Be Miles Across The Seas,
We'll Retain Old Memories.
Blue and Gold We Raise;
May Our Banner Blaze Ever
Till The End Of Days.
The first school yearbook, The Bastion, was published for the 1964-65 school year. That year the high school principal was J. R. Swenson, and the elementary principal was H. Penstone. There were five staff members, six high school teachers, and eight elementary teachers. The high school had ninety-eight students with a senior class of fourteen.
Student activities included student council, teen club, class plays, and honor society. The school had a basketball, softball, and swim team. Students also participated in bowling and weightlifting.
The school had the same administration for the 1965-66 school year. The high school had an enrollment of 111 students with a senior class of ten. The high school staff was now eight teachers. The elementary enrollment was almost 250 with ten teachers. Tennis was added as a school sport.
By the 1968-69 school year there were twenty-six faculty with about 170 students in the high school and approximately 310 in the elementary school. Kenneth Rhea was the school administrator. Girls now had teams for softball, volleyball, tennis, and cheerleaders.
The school newspaper was the Campus Crier, and the school now had a girls’ choral group and a pep club.
On 30 June 1971, after almost 23 years of service, John Paul Jones School was officially closed. The very next day, Naval Station Sangley Point changed status from active to inactive.
Information from DoDDS-Pacific Region 1946-1986, school yearbooks and John Carpenter