Our School's History 1946 - 1994
| High School | '65-'94 BERLIN American High School (BAHS) on Am Hegewinkel |
| 1946-1994 | '53-'65 Thomas A. Roberts School (TAR) on Hüttenweg |
| '47-'53 Thomas A. Roberts School (TAR) in Gertrauden Schule on Im Gehege | |
| Elementary School | '53-'94 Thomas A. Roberts School (TAR) on Hüttenweg |
| 1946-1994 | '47-'53 Gertrauden Schule on Im Gehege |
Our School Today
"Initially established in 1946 as a comprehensive school in a confiscated German school building on Im Gehege, the Thomas A. Roberts School moved into a new building on Hüttenweg in 1953. Renamed the BERLIN American High School, the school moved to its final location on Am Hegewinkel in 1965. Following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from BERLIN in 1994, the Wilma Rudolph Oberschule moved into the building."Florian Weiß
Curator - Allied Museum
15 June 2004
In History 1994
U.S. President Bill Clinton visited BERLIN on 12 July 1994.Click here for a 1994 "round-table" discussion with Herren Prigge, Bluem, Hildenbrand & Benson.
In History 1989
The BERLIN Wall fell on 9 November 1989.In History 1987
U.S. President Ronald Reagan visited West BERLIN on 12 June 1987.
Click photo for original speech notes.
After he visited the wall, President Reagan visited Tempelhof and congratulated the '87 graduating class of BERLIN American High School who were present in cap and gowns. At this gala for the celebration of BERLIN's 750th Anniversary as a city, Jasper Kump '87 sang for President Reagan, the First Lady and 4,000 others in the Tempelhof atrium. His repertoire included Summertime (Porgy and Bess), Greatest Love of All (Whitney Houston) and Happy Days are Here Again (in English AND German!) while accompanied by the late Horst Janjowski and the RIAS Orchestra.Click here for Reagan's speech at Tempelhof.
Click here for Reagan's speech at the Brandenburg Gate.
In History 1982
U.S. President Ronald Reagan visited West BERLIN on 11 June 1982.In History 1978
U.S. President Jimmy Carter visited West BERLIN on 15 July 1978. |
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| Former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali visited BERLIN American High School in the Spring of 1978. |
In History 1976
The Cubs grew up into the Bears!Even though it was controversial (and many Alumni will always be the Cubs) the mascot did transition from the Cubs to the Bears. After the U.S. Army Military Football Team disbanded in 1975, Student Council President Vennie Gore '76 proposed and led a school mascot change at a 7:30am Student Council meeting in 1976.
To quote Vennie: "We didn't have a lot of fanfare. The year before the football team didn't win a game. We became competitive that year (1976) 4-4. We wanted to make our statement on the field."
In History 1969
Bob Hope visited BERLIN on 17 December 1969. Click here to see an invitation to "The Bob Hope Christmas Show". Click here to see some photos from the Stars & Stripes.U.S. President Richard Nixon visited West BERLIN on 27 February 1969. BAHS students were bussed to Tempelhof for this event.
Jimi Hendrix rocks the Sportpalast in BERLIN on 23 January 1969"One of my first published photos was taken during high school while I lived in West BERLIN, Germany (The Wall was up). My father was stationed there as an Air Force sergeant. The picture ran in the Army weekly, The BERLIN Observer."
John Freeman '71
In History 1966
Click here for an article on the 20th anniversary of our school.
In History 1965
BERLIN American High School opened new doors on Am Hegenwinkel on 25 August 1965.Click here for a .pdf
copy of the invitation to the opening ceremony.In History 1964
Click here for a .pdf copy of Mr. Morasco's (the father's) invitation to the Groundbreaking ceremony for the new High School on 30 November 1964. Scroll down when it opens, the first page appears blank when you first open it, but isn't.In History 1963
U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited West BERLIN on 26 June 1963."Ich bin ein BERLINer!"
Click here for a .pdf
3.5MB copy of a booklet of JFK's visit.In History 1961
Ed Sullivan visited BERLIN in 1961 and filmed 2 shows. Thomas A. Roberts students, the American Youth Center, the Berlin Command Headquarters Theater & McNair Barracks are all featured. They aired 8 & 15 October 61. We graciously received copies of these segments from the Ed Sullivan Estate and show them at Reunions.The BERLIN Wall was built starting on 13 August 1961.
The 1st German-American Volksfest was held.Click here for a .pdf
4MB copy of some articles about it and the surrounding time.In History 1958
The new wing of the school was opened in 1958 to accommodate the growing student body, now totaling 660. The new wing housed the seventh and eighth graders, a home economics room and a shop. Upon completion of the roof our school held a "Richtfest", an old custom dating back to the Middle Ages to thank God for no accidents during the construction and to wish luck to those who will work in the new building.In History 1956
Click here for a .pdf 36MB copy of "The Dependents' Schools Program of the U.S. Army, Europe, 1946 - 1956", posted by The USAREUR History Office.BERLIN is specifically mentioned on the following pages:
| .pdf Page | Doc. Page | Topic | |
| 39 | -18- | "PTA" | |
| 57 | -35- | "Closure threat" | |
| 58 | -36- | "Closure solution" | |
| 118 | -75- | "Curriculum" | |
| 121 | -76- | "First Yearbook" | |
| 122 | -77- | "BERLIN Accredited" | |
| 124 | -79- | "Warning" | |
| 125 | -80- | "Moral Inspection" | |
| 131 | -84- | "Foreign Students " | |
| 137 | -89 (photos)- | "BERLIN American School" |
In History 1952
T.A.R. High School wins the EUCOM Small Schools basketball title!Click here for a .pdf
copy of the AFN "BERLIN Notebook" manuscript from February 1952.In History 1950
Click here for a .pdf 7MB copy of "The Guide to BERLIN".Click here for a .pdf
2.5MB copy of "Tour of Potsdam".In History 1949
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The BERLIN Airlift ended on 11 May 1949. |
The first all schools DSD Annual was published in 1949.
Mr. Kyrios, our Social Studies teacher, Athletic Coach and Principal, was a Harvard grad. He wanted T.A.R. to have the same classy colors so he picked our school colors after his alma mater.Mr. Kyrios also ensured that every boy in the school was on every sports team and played 6 man football at the small schools. During the Airlift they flew to all their away games: sitting in empty planes on the way out of BERLIN and on sacks of coal or grain on the way back into BERLIN.
Click here for a .pdf 10MB copy of "Operation Vittles"; a cookbook compiled by The American Women in Blockaded BERLIN and published in January 1949. In History 1948
The first full fledged football season began in 1948. 7 September 1948 heralded the opening of the high school, with only eighteen students. But the lack of students did not stop us from having a good time and continuing to uphold our reputation as the best E.C. school. A reputation which will be upheld as long as T.A.R. exists. DSD Headquarters moved to Karlsruhe in July 1948. |
The BERLIN Airlift began on 24 June 1948. |
In History 1947
On 12 November 1947, after a delay caused by polio, T.A.R. school opened for the second year with a high of 107 students until Christmas when the number started to decline.Dependents School Division (DSD) Headquarters moved from Frankfurt to Heidelberg.
The North Central Association accredited all DSD high schools and impressive graduation exercises were held for high school seniors in historic halls and German civic auditoriums.
In History 1946
Click here for a .pdf copy of an article (or click here for the whole paper .pdf 5MB) on the building for the American Public Grade and High Schools of BERLIN from The BERLIN Observer.Click here for a .pdf
5MB copy of the BERLIN Guide for the US Military. School facilities are specifically mentioned on page 19 (document page 23) with tuition charges.
On 14 October 1946, the original Student Body assembled and Thomas A. Roberts School of BERLIN opened its doors to American Dependents pupils and children of the Allied Military Missions. From a low of thirty-three the school grew to around eighty students by the end of the year.
4 May 1946 - Dependents School Division (DSD) was formally established.
It's purpose was two-fold:
(1) to organize and maintain schools on both the elementary and secondary levels in military communities in Germany, and
(2) to supply German educators with a model American school system in action, from which to draw inspiration for the reorganization and democratization of the German educational program.
if you have any additions/corrections/deletions.