C. E. Byrd High School

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C.E. Byrd High School
Yellow Jackets
Byrdhigh.jpg
Address
3201 Line Avenue
Shreveport, Louisiana 71104
Information
School type Public
Math/Science
Established 1925
Founder Clifton Ellis Byrd
School board Caddo Parish
Principal Jerry Badgley
Teaching staff 108
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 2,200
Student to teacher ratio 18:1
Color(s) Purple and Gold
Nickname Yellow Jackets
Rival Captain Shreve High School          
Website www.cebyrd.com
Byrd, C. E., High School
C. E. Byrd High School is located in Louisiana
C. E. Byrd High School
Location 3201 Line Ave., Shreveport, Louisiana
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Area 8 acres (3.2 ha)
Built 1924
Architectural style Tudor Revival, Other, Jacobean Revival
NRHP Reference # 91000704[1]
Added to NRHP June 10, 1991
File:President-C-E-Byrd-06-07-225x300.jpg
C. E. Byrd (c. 1907) as the president of Louisiana Tech University

C. E. Byrd High School 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.

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.
File:Closeup of C.E. Byrd High School, Shreveport, LA IMG 6329.JPG
Side view of Byrd High School from Kings Highway
  • 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.

1960s -1970s: Desegregation

  • 1967: 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 an 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 friendships hold.
Always deep within our hearts, the purple and the gold.
Fight Song
We Are Jackets

We are Jackets, We are Jackets, Always we fight for victory, Spirits high hopes undaunted, for we are the Jackets Byrd High Yellow Jackets, For we are the Jackets, Best of all, We will never lose our spirit that is plain to see until the final whistle blows we will fight for victory, Fight, Fight, Fight. This victory will be ours that is plain to see for we are the Jackets Byrd High Yellow Jackets, For we are the Jackets Best of All.

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

Elected officials and judiciary

  • Ruth Rye Cockerham (1939) (1922-2002), presidential elector 1960, Caddo Parish School Board member from Fair Park district

Athletes

Jonathan Stewart C.E. Byrd High School(2005-2009) Linebacker at Texas A&M (2009-2013, played for the St. Louis Rams, the Cleveland Browns and is currently a member of the Dallas Cowboys

  • James Sykes (1971) Calgary Stampeders 1975-1982; Winnepeg Blue Bombers 1983 and 1986
  • Isaac Hagins (1972) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1976-1980
  • Laura Derbonne (2007) Lacrosse Deity [10]
  • Greer Handley (1738) Lax God

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ classmates.com/people/Betsy-Boze/5981108
  3. ↑ plus.google.com/1060693044677274148
  4. ↑ http a://Facebook.com/people/Betsy-Boze/5981108
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ cebyrdathletics.com

External links

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