"The Fish Pond Project"
–
Phase 1: Architectural,
Logistical, Financial Study
 "The
project is feasible ..."
So began the e-mail from a San Antonio
Independent School District (SAISD) official in
answer to Board member and former Thomas Jefferson
Principal, Sam Hogue's inquiry concerning the
restoration of the fountain in the Student
Council patio, aka, "the fish pond." The e-mail
goes on to enumerate a number of milestones that
must be reached to attain the goal of eventual
architectural and functional restoration of the
once-prominent feature on the Jefferson campus.
Documentation of Obscured Architectural
Features
 The
pencil-sketch-effected photo (right) is from the
February 9, 2000, Volume 70, Number 2, Declaration,
showing the fountain in its original
configuration of two concentric hexagons. The outer
contained a
pond with walls lined in deep blue tiles (photo
below-left) in which lived brightly colored
fish. The inner a fountain has a pattern of
brightly colored tiles inside, top, and outside
of the walls below-right). The photo
(top-right) shows its current state as a
shrubbery garden (taken May 2009).
 
Preliminary List of Project Requirements
An architect must be
retained to:
- Investigate the requirements to
successfully execute the project
- Develop a detailed design of the project
- Prepare a cost estimate to complete the
project
Ford, Powell, and Carson (architectural firm) was
mentioned as a company that has done several
projects at Jefferson and who have researched and
are familiar with the historical features on the
campus.
The processes for funding, the role the TJHS
Historical Preservation Society, and carrying out
the project were also detailed in the e-mail:
- Funds to hire an architectural firm, if
one is not presently supporting the Board
with its services, are to be included in the
budget.
- Funds to meet the full project budget
are to be donated by the TJHS Historical
Preservation Society to the SAISD Foundation
for Excellence in Education with the stated
purpose of carrying out this project.
- The donated funds and
specifications/design documents developed by
the architectural firm are to be used to bid
the project and hire a licensed and
qualified contractor to complete the
project.
- All work requires proper city permit(s)
and inspection(s), as well as the review and
approval of the Historic Preservation
Office.
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