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C. E. Byrd High School

 
Wikipedia: C. E. Byrd High School
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C.E. Byrd High School
Address
3201 Line Avenue
Shreveport, LA Caddo Parish, 71104
Information
School type Public
Math/Science Magnet
Founder Clifton Ellis Byrd
School board Caddo Parish
Principal Jerry Badgley
Assistant principals Marilyn Prothro
Mike Ilgenfritz
Lisa W. Johnson
John Gannon
Andrea Bryant
Teaching staff 108
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 2,120
Student:teacher ratio 18:1
Phone (318) 869-2567
Website www.cebyrd.com

C. E. Byrd High School (BHS) is a science and mathematics magnet and a Blue Ribbon School. In continuous operation since 1925, Byrd is the largest high school in the Shreveport, Louisiana area and has the largest alumni association [1] of any U.S. high school.

Contents

History

Origins: C.E. Byrd and Shreveport High School

In 1892, C.E. Byrd came to Shreveport as principal of the first public high school, in two rented rooms in the YMCA building at a salary of $70 per month. Within the year, enrollment swelled to seventy, and in 1898 the school moved to the Soady building on Crockett Street. In 1899, the students were moved to the new Hope Street school, a large three story red brick building. The elementary students occupied the first floor, intermediate on the second, and high school on the third. In 1899 Byrd became the Superintendent of Schools where he remained until 1908, when he was named Parish Superintendent of Schools, a post he held until his death.

In 1910, Shreveport High School was built adjacent to Hope Street. Though Professor Byrd left Shreveport High, it remained his "baby". He stayed close to it, setting the standards for the curriculum, and insisting that to be truly educated one must be familiar with history, mathematics, English, and Latin. As superintendent, he taught geometry, algebra, physics, and chemistry at the school. He also worked hard to establish a library at the school.

In 1924, work began on a new high school for the eastern part of town and it was decided to name the school in Byrd's honor as the fulfillment of his dream. On September 17, 1925, in Byrd's dedicatory address he said that was the proudest day of his life. Byrd died five months later on February 26, 1926 and his body lay in state in the foyer of the school. He was buried in Forest Park Cemetery next to his wife of thirty-two years, Mattie McAfee Byrd.

Side view of Byrd High School from Kings Highway

Design and Construction of Byrd High School

Concerned about overcrowding at Shreveport High School, the Caddo Parish School Board decided to build two new high schools. On February 23, 1923, the 20 acre site on which Byrd was constructed was purchased from Justin Gras for $110,000. The school board passed a resolution to purchase four additional lots in Bon Air Subdivision, adjacent to the Gras property, from F.R. Chadick for $9,500. On March 19, 1924, Stewart-McGee was the low bidder and was awarded the building contract for $772,133. On October 3, 1924, with full Masonic ceremonies, Professor Byrd laid the cornerstone for the new million-dollar high school. Sealed in the cornerstone were a letter from C. E. Byrd; a boll weevil, symbolizing problems of the farmer; a bottle of oil, symbolic of the oil business; an ear of corn, representing agriculture; coins, representing the financial situation, and a Bible.

The following year, the board authorized $40,000 to furnish and equip the building. The building was accepted from the contractor on 1925-06-27. Because the furniture had not yet arrived, the opening was delayed until October.

Early Years

When Shreveport High School students moved into the new building in October 1925, they transferred intact all their traditions, curriculum requirements, clubs, organizations, academic and social activities. Grover C. Koffman, the Shreveport High principal since 1919, and E. L. Albertson, assistant principal, moved to Byrd at this time.The Yellow Jacket mascot was continued as were the purple and gold colors. The Shreveport Hi Life, the student newspaper, came to Byrd (it later became the Byrd High Life) as did the Gusher, the yearbook. Featured in the Gusher were the Mardi Gras Courts, clubs, school plays and all the athletic teams. The prophesies of the Senior Class were also dominate in the early yearbooks.

The early Byrd Yellow Jackets were Byrd's golden era for athletics, as they dominated football and baseball in the state (reference: Glimpses of the City of Byrd, by Ann McLaurin; Byrd archives. Byrd Gushers. Author Barbara Hodges).

On the opening day of classes, students gathered in the auditorium, and Koffman welcomed them and alphabetically assigned them to rooms. Only grades 9 - 11 came to Byrd, eighth graders stayed behind.

1960's-1970's: Desegregation

In the late 1960s, Caddo Parish schools were ordered to desegragate. Neighborhood school district boundaries were abolished and students were allowed to select which school they attended under a protocol known as "Freedom of Choice." Courts reviewing the success of this strategy found that it had not accomplished desegrattion and new school district boundaries were created in the summer of 1969 forcing thousands of students to change schools.

Further changes were made when faculty from historically black high schools were exchanged with those from historically white high schools. In what was a bizarre attempt to further desegregate the schools, Valencia High School was merged with Byrd High in 1970. Unlike true desegregation, the administration effectively ran two high schools in one building with the former Valencia High School students having attended classes on the ground floor and first floors while the former Byrd High students attended classes on the second and third floors. Tensions were high as there were student protests and police guarded the doors and stairwells. The two schools had separate lunch shifts, and both football teams played. Senior rings had been ordered the previous year, so each wore their own class rings and commencement exercises featured two sets of different colored academic regalia.

Instead of having the desired effect, Byrd High fell victim to "white flight" with many parents opting to send their children to one of the two Catholic high schools (Jesuit, now Loyola or St. Vincent's Academy) or one of the many new private schools that had been recently established. Enrollment decreased dramatically to the point that Byrd was faced with possible closure. Byrd returned as a powerhouse by re-inventing itelf as a Math and Science magnet school.

School spirit

Alma Mater
Byrd we stand to honor thee, Alma Mater true.
Loyal homage we will bring, through the years to you.
Loyalty, honesty, with our friendship hold.
Always deep within our hearts, the purple and the gold.
Fight Song
We Are Jackets
Mascot
Jack the Jacket
Colors
Purple and Gold
Rival
Captain Shreve High School

Notable alumni

External links

Coordinates: 32°28′49″N 93°44′43″W / 32.480317°N 93.745353°W / 32.480317; -93.745353


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