Digital Archives

The Woodrow Wilson High School Archives Project is an effort of the school’s library media program to make available and preserve photos, articles, and documents dating back to the school’s beginning in 1935. We are beginning to construct our digital archives and provide a way for the community to search them. Start exploring by going to the Archives link above and look at the special exhibits below.  Our first efforts have focused on Girls Athletics and Wilson in Wartime.

This project has been made possible through generous donations from:The Humanities Council of Washington, DC and The Woodrow Wilson Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO)
We received funding to:

    • Preserve the archives, including many fragile items, such as the original Beacon student newspapers  (Full years of Beacon issues from 1956 through 1967 have been scanned and can be viewed, searched and downloaded from the Beacon website. Many thanks to Tom Jabine, Class of ’69, for accomplishing this.)
    • Scan, digitize, and organize materials for easy access
    • Make the archives accessible to students, teachers, the public, and historical and cultural organizations

We inaugurated our Digital Archives project on Monday, November 3.

Watch a presentation about this project.  (Download it on the bottom of the Library Media Center page.)

Let us know if you would like to help with this project and please help us to evaluate it by completing this brief questionnaire.

Girls Athletics Wilson in Wartime

Girls Swim Club Boasts 125 Members

Wilson Girls earn Red Cross swim Certificates.

Washington Herald Newspaper article in 1938 Scrapbook


“Jeepers! We’ve Bought a Jeep!”

Wilson funds drive supporting World War II

March 5, 1942 Beacon article


“Neighs of Steeds Lure Equestrians”

Wilson girls who train and show horses as an extracurricular activity assert that there pastime is”…the same as football or any other sport. It takes hours of practice.”

The Beacon, February 1965


“Stop the War–Out Now”

Photos of students protesting the Vietnam War

From the 1972 Yearbook


City Volleyball Champions

Girls volleyball team has winning season with 9-1 record and Interhighschool Tournament Championship

1986 Yearbook


“Side By Side to Victory”

Cartoon showing Wilson High School support for World War II

From the Nov. 4, 1942 Beacon


Girls Jumping Rope in Physical Education Class

Photo of PE class with girls in gym uniforms

1937 Scrapbook


“Iran Crisis Hits Wilson”

Two Wilson students, children of Iranian diplomats, expelled from US after Iran seizes US Embassy in Tehran.

From the April 1980 Beacon


“Girls’ Sports Range from Basketball to Field Hockey”

The text explains girls sports opportunities in 1969, which were primarily gym classes and intramurals, with a few “honorary” interscholastic tournaments.

1969 Yearbook


Volunteer to Assist UsOr donate to our project so we can continue this work:

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“Generals Clark and Lemnitzer, Wilsonite Parents, Lead Commando Raid”

Parents of Wilson students participate in secret rendezvous with French forces in North Africa

From the Nov. 25, 1942 Beacon



Thanks

The Humanities Council of Washington, DC, and in particular, Mark Smith, Director of Grants and Special Projects

The DC Community Heritage Project, a partnership between the Humanities Council and the DC Historic Preservation Office

The Woodrow Wilson Alumni Association

The Woodrow Wilson Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO)


See the work of these local organizations

The Humanities Council of Washington, DC

Historical Society of Washington, D.C.

Charles Sumner School

Chevy Chase Historical Society

DC Public Library Archives

Library of Congress Photo Archives

Historic Chevy Chase DC (oral history project)