C. E. Byrd High School
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 Shreveport, Louisiana and has the largest alumni association [1] of any U.S. high school.
History
- 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.
- 1898: With first year enrollment of 70, the school moved to the Soady building on Crockett Street.
- 1899: Moved to new Hope Street School, a large three story red brick building. Elementary students occupied the first floor, intermediate the second, and high school the third.
- 1910: Shreveport High School built adjacent to Hope Street.
- 1923: Caddo Parish School Board decides to build two new high schools. 20-acre (81,000 m2) Site purchased from Justin Gras for $110,000 and four adjacent lots in Bon Air Subdivision, from F.R. Chadick for $9,500.
- 1924: Stewart-McGee awarded the building contract for $772,133. On October 3, cornerstone laid with full Masonic ceremonies including 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.
- 1925: Board authorized $40,000 to furnish the building. Building accepted from the contractor on June 27. Because furniture had not yet arrived, the opening was delayed until October.
Shreveport High School students moved to new building with their traditions (including the Yellow Jacket mascot and purple and gold colors), curriculum, organizations and activities intact. Grover C. Koffman, the Shreveport High principal since 1919, and E. L. Albertson, assistant principal, moved to Byrd at this time.
The early Byrd Yellow Jackets was Byrd's golden era for athletics, dominating state football and baseball (reference: Glimpses of the City of Byrd, by Ann McLaurin; Byrd archives. Byrd Gushers. Author Barbara Hodges).
1960's-1970's: Desegregation
- 1965: First African-American graduate, Arthur Burton.
- 1968: As part of an order to desegregate, neighborhood school district boundaries were abolished and students were allowed to select schools under a protocol known as "Freedom of Choice." Courts found this policy did not accomplish desegregation
- 1969: New districts were created in the summer of 1969 forcing thousands of students to change schools. Faculty from historically black high schools were exchanged with those from historically white high schools and students from Captain Shreve High School returned to Byrd as their neighborhood school.
1970: In a bizarre attempt to further desegregate, Valencia High School was merged with Byrd. Students class schedules were changed at the start of the new semester in order to "mix" the students from the two schools. The Black administrators from Valencia were given minor roles at Byrd.
Tensions were high with student protests. AS a result of these protests police were called in to guard the doors of the school. Students were not allowed to leave the building once they came to school for the day. Senior rings had been ordered the previous year, so each wore their own class rings. While students from both schools participated in the same commencement exercises they wore different colored academic regalia, that represented their schools.
Byrd High subsequently fell victim to "white flight" with many parents sending their children to Jesuit High School (now Loyola), St. Vincent's Academy or one of several new private schools. Enrollment decreased to the point that Byrd faced possible closure. Byrd returned as a powerhouse by re-inventing itself 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
Student media
- Literary magazine: Perspectives
- Newspaper: High Life
- TV station: KBYRD
- Yearbook: Gusher
Notable alumni
- Edward C. Aldridge Jr. (1956), president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation
- Calhoun Allen, former two-term Mayor of Shreveport
- Tommy Allen (1956), staff photographer The Washington Post, 1960–2004
- Douglas F. Attaway (1910–1994), publisher of former Shreveport Journal and KSLA-TV television
- John N. Bahcall astrophysicist known for his work on the solar neutrino problem
- Arnaz Battle (1998) Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
- Fuller W. Bazer (1956), O.D. Butler Chair in Animal Science at Texas A&M; Wolf Prize in Agriculture
- Charles T. Beaird (1922–2006), Shreveport businessman, professor, and philanthropist
- C. J. Bolin (1924–2007), Caddo Parish state district court judge, 1968–1990
- Betsy Boze, Ph.D. (formerly Betsy Vogel) (1971), President, The College of The Bahamas.
- Algie D. Brown (1928) (1910–2004), Louisiana House of Representatives from 1948–1972
- George A. Burton, CPA and Shreveport finance commissioner
- E.R. 'Bo' Campbell, Renowned La banker-Pioneer/Hibernia/Cap One; LSU football player(1959-63).
- Saxby Chambliss (1961), U.S. senator (R) from Georgia, elected 2002
- Jack Crichton (1933) (1916–2007), Texas industrialist; 1964 Republican gubernatorial nominee
- John Howard Dalton (1959), former U.S. Secretary of the Navy
- Brandon Friedman, writer, blogger, soldier, and advocate
- Frank Fulco (1928) (1909–1999), Louisiana House of Representatives (1956–1972)
- James Creswell "Jim" Gardner, I (1940) (1924–2010), Shreveport mayor (1954–1958) and state representative (1952–1954)
- Robert Franklin "Bob" Grambling (1921–2007), band director at C.E. Byrd (1968)
- Billy J. Guin (1944), Shreveport Utilities commissioner (1977–1978) and school board member (1964–1970)
- William T. "Bill" Hanna, Shreveport mayor 1978-1982
- Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz (1959), 2003 Pulitzer Prize in history
- Tom Jarriel (1952), ABC News veteran
- J. Bennett Johnston, Jr. (1950), former Louisiana Democratic senator (1972–1997)
- William Joyce, nationally known children's book author and illustrator.
- Merle Kilgore, singer, songwriter, and manager
- Robert Kostelka, Louisiana state senator
- Harold B. Levy, MD, noted local pediatrician and author of landmark book about learning disabilities, "Square Pegs, Round Holes"
- James (Jim) Levy, founder of Activision, Inc. (now Activision-Blizzard)
- Adam L. Logan (1985), M.D and Ph.D. Space Shuttle Flight Commander and Flight Surgeon
- Mack McCarter, founder and coordinator of Community Renewal International
- Richard D. Murray, (1950), Retired Major General, USAF
- Pat "Gravy" Patterson (1934–2007), Byrd High School coach 1963-1967
- Janet Hetherwick Pumphrey (1967), Attorney and selectwoman in Lenox, Massachusetts
- Scotty Robertson (1947), basketball coach
- Dan Sandifer (1943), NFL defensive back
- Virginia Kilpatrick Shehee (1939), Chairman, Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company, former state senator from Caddo Parish
- Phil Short (1965), former state senator from St. Tammany Parish; United States Marine Corps officer
- Andy Sidaris, (1931–2007), television producer, director (B Movies), actor, and writer
- Shelby Singleton, record producer and record label owner
- Arthur W. Sour, Jr. (1924–2000), Shreveport Republican state legislator (1972–1992)
- Tom Stagg, U.S. District Court judge in Shreveport
- Pattie W. Van Hook (1927–1991), First woman president of the Louisiana State Medical Society
- Robert Brooks Van Horn, (1919–2008), physician who headed primary care division at Barksdale Air Force Base
- Wayne Waddell (1966), Republican former state representative
- Jacques L. Wiener, Jr. (1952), Federal judge
- David Woodley, quarterback at LSU (1976–1979), played for the Miami Dolphins (1980–1983) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1984–1985)
- Geraldine Smitherman Wray (1942), Shreveport artist
External links