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 (81,000Â 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.
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
- Edward C. Aldridge Jr. (1956), president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation
- Tommy Allen (1956), Photojournalist,THE WASHINGTON POST, 1960-2004
- Douglas F. Attaway (1910â€"1994), publisher of former Shreveport Journal and KSLA-TV television
- John N. Bahcall astrophysicist known for his work on the solar neutrino problem
- Fuller W. Bazer (1956), O.D. Butler Chair in Animal Science at Texas A&M; Wolf Prize in Agriculture
- Charles T. Beaird (1922â€"2006), Shreveport businessman, professor, and philanthropist
- Betsy Boze, Ph.D. (formerly Betsy Vogel) (1971), President, The College of The Bahamas
- John Howard Dalton (1959), former U.S. Secretary of the Navy
- Tillman Franks (1940), songwriter
- Brandon Friedman, writer, blogger, soldier, and advocate
- Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz (1959), 2003 Pulitzer Prize in history
- Tom Jarriel (1952), ABC News veteran
- Faith Jenkins, Miss Louisiana 2000, Miss America 2001 first runner-up, attorney and legal analyst
- William Joyce, Academy Award Winner, and nationally known children's book author and illustrator.
- Merle Kilgore (1952), singer, songwriter, and manager
- Aaron Selber, Jr. (1944) (1927-2013), businessman and philanthropist
- Andy Sidaris (1948) (1931â€"2007), television producer, director (B Movies), actor, and writer
- Shelby Singleton, record producer and record label owner
- Elliott Stonecipher (1969) (born 1951), political consultant, pollster, and political analyst
- Pattie W. Van Hook (1945) (1927â€"1991), first woman president of the Louisiana State Medical Society
- William T. Whisner, Jr. (1923-1989), flying ace in World War II and the Korean War
Elected officials and judiciary
- Calhoun Allen (1938) (1921-1991), mayor of Shreveport (1970-1978); commissioner of public utilities (1962-1970)
- C. J. Bolin (1924â€"2007), Caddo Parish state district court judge, 1968â€"1990
- Algie D. Brown (1928) (1910â€"2004), Louisiana House of Representatives from 1948â€"1972
- George A. Burton, CPA and Shreveport finance commissioner
- Saxby Chambliss (1961), U.S. senator (R) from Georgia, elected 2002; retiring 2015
- Jack Crichton (1933) (1916â€"2007), Texas industrialist; 1964 Republican gubernatorial nominee
- George W. D'Artois (c. 1942), Shreveport public service commissioner (1962-1976)
- William J. Fleniken, U. S. attorney, 1950-1953, and judge of the 1st Judicial District Court in Shreveport, 1961-1979
- Frank Fulco (1928) (1909â€"1999), Louisiana House of Representatives (1956â€"1972)
- James C. Gardner (1940) (1924â€"2010), Shreveport mayor (1954â€"1958) and state representative (1952â€"1954)
- Billy Guin (1944) (born 1927), former Caddo Parish School Board member and the last of the Shreveport municipal public utilities commissioners (1977-1978)
- Pike Hall, Jr. (c. 1947), member of Caddo Parish School Board 1964-1970; appeal court judge 1971-1990, associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court 1990-1994
- Don Hathaway (1946) (born 1928), Caddo Parish sheriff (1980-2000) and last Shreveport municipal public works commissioner (1970-1978)
- William T. "Bill" Hanna (1947) (born 1930), Shreveport mayor (1978-1982)
- J. Bennett Johnston, Jr. (1950) (born 1932), Louisiana Democratic U.S. senator (1972â€"1997)
- Robert Kostelka, Louisiana state senator and former state court judge from Ouachita Parish
- Richard G. Neeson (1964), state senator from Caddo Parish, 1980-1992
- Charles B. Peatross (1958) (1940-2015), judge of the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal in Shreveport
- Virginia Kilpatrick Shehee (1940), Chairman, Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company, former state senator from Caddo Parish
- Phil Short (1965) (born 1947), former state senator from St. Tammany Parish; United States Marine Corps officer
- Art Sour (c. 1941) (1924â€"2000), Shreveport Republican state legislator (1972â€"1992)
- Tom Stagg (1939) (born 1923), judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
- Harold Terry (attended Byrd but graduated from Hope Street High School), sheriff of Caddo Parish from 1976 to 1980
- Jeffrey P. Victory (1963), associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court
- Wayne Waddell (1966), Republican former state representative
- Dayton Waller (c. 1942) (1925-2015), state representative, 1968-1972
- Jacques L. Wiener, Jr. (1952), U.S. District judge
- Ruth Rye Cockerham (1939) (1922-2002), presidential elector 1960, Caddo Parish School Board member from Fair Park district
Athletes
- Arnaz Battle (1998) San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
- Pat "Gravy" Patterson (1934â€"2007), Byrd High School coach 1963-1967
- Scotty Robertson (1947), basketball coach
- Dan Sandifer (1943), NFL defensive back
- David Woodley, quarterback at LSU (1976â€"1979), played for the Miami Dolphins (1980â€"1983) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1984â€"1985)
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 Buccanneers 1976-1980
References
External links
- Official school site
- Caddo Parish School Board
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