Architecture in Fort Worth

R.L. Paschal High School

3001 Forest Park Blvd. - 1936; 1955; 1958; 1979; 1989; 2002

Formerly:
W.P. McLean Junior High School

 

This school building was originally planned to be named Southwest Junior High School.  However, in 1936 it opened as W.P. McLean Junior High School. The original building was designed by Wiley G. Clarkson and was constructed by James T. Taylor.  It is a 2 story structure designed in the Mediterranean Revival style with a red clay tile roof, arched windows, and cast stone medallions with Art Deco styling.  The brickwork on the original building features polychrome brown brick with several decorative patterns on the front facade.  This building is "T" shaped.  In 1955, the Fort Worth Independent School District decided that growth in the Westcliff area of the city dictated the move of McLean Junior High School to a new site in that addition, and this site was an excellent place to locate the city's oldest high school.  Paschal was then moved from the current Green B. Trimble Technical High School location to this site on Forest Park Blvd.  Nearly two full blocks to the east of the campus were purchased at that time.  With this move, a major addition in the International Style out of yellow brick was constructed in front of the original building in a "C" shape that entirely blocked the view of the 1936 school.  This addition featured a dominant auditorium on the south side of the addition and a gymnasium addition to the rear of the 1936 building.  It was designed by A. George King and Preston M. Geren.  In 1958, more classrooms were added within the same style of architecture to the east of the auditorium.  Another free-standing gymnasium at the very back of the orginal piece of property and science classrooms attached to the south side of the orignal building were added in 1979.  In 1989, the International Style facade of the school was covered by a modern design addition featuring a row of classrooms along Forest Park Blvd. using concrete panels.  The last major addition came in 2002, when a new band hall and classrooms that were built to the south and east of the auditorium and attached to the 1958 addition.  Other additions to the building have not only covered up the original building from view from city streets, but most of the International Style facade has also been covered.  The auditorium with its curving facade along Forest Park Blvd., is the only portion of the 1950's facade still visible.    The current configuration of buildings forms an "E" shape.  In recent years, the red clay tile roof of the original building was removed and replaced by asphalt shingles and the campus has been expanded to the east by adding athletic fields on additional city blocks.

R.L. Paschal High School is the city's oldest high school, and can be traced all the way back to the establishment of the school. Throughout its history, Paschal had several names including Fort Worth High and Central High School.  In addition to the Technical High School Building, the second Fort Worth High School building still stands and has been converted into apartments.

 

View of Original Building from UTA Libraries Digital Gallery