C. E. Byrd, a Blue Ribbon School, is a high school in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States.[3] In continuous operation since its establishment in 1925, C. E. Byrd is also the eighth-largest high school in the United States of America as of February 2019.[4][failed verification] Byrd students come from its neighborhood or throughout the entire school district through its selective math/science magnet program.[3]
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.[5]
1898: With first year enrollment of 70, the school moved to the Soady building on Crockett Street.[5]
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.
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.
Front side view of Byrd High School
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 (now Caddo Magnet 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.
The 8 acres (3.2 ha) area comprising the school building and three other non-contributing properties were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.[2] The elaborate four story brick structure designed by Edward F. Neild has seen several alterations since its construction in 1924. The structure, however, still retains its original visual impact and is significant in the area of architecture. Byrd remains one of few examples of Jacobean Revival architecture.[6]
Frank Fulco (1928) (1909–1999), Louisiana House of Representatives (1956–1972)[16][citation needed]
Pike Hall, Jr. (c. 1947) (1931–1999), member of Caddo Parish School Board 1964–1970; state appeal court judge 1971–1990, associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court 1990–1994[17]
James C. Gardner (1940) (1924–2010), Shreveport mayor (1954–1958) and state representative (1952–1954)[16][citation needed]
William T. "Bill" Hanna (1947) (1930–2016), Shreveport Democratic mayor (1978–1982) and Caddo Parish administrator
Liffort Hobley (1978-1980), QB, DB, Football Player, at LSU 2 times Defensive MVP at Safety, St. Louis Football Cardinals(1985-1986) and Miami Dolphins (1987-1993)
^ a bScott Anderson • 6 months ago (2018-08-17). "A Shreveport Legacy: C.E. Byrd High School". SB Magazine. Retrieved 2019-02-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^National Register Staff (March 1991). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: C. E. Byrd High School". National Park Service. Retrieved April 11, 2018. With nine photos from 1991.
^Crockett, Lane (August 7, 1987). "Home base: Karen Carlson back in town". The Times. Louisiana, Shreveport. p. 47. Retrieved July 28, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
^Cooper, Judith Ann (1982). Residual impairments in children with a history of acquired aphasia (Ph.D. thesis). University of Washington. OCLC 8594001.
^Bass, Ron (January 28, 2020). "Glassell, Alfred Curry, Jr". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
^"Obituary: Victor Joris". Shreveport Times. 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
^J. Cleveland Fruge (1971). "Biographies of Louisiana Judges: Judge William J. Fleniken". Louisiana District Judges Association. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
^ a b"MEMBERSHIP IN THE LOUISIANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1812 - 2020" (PDF). Retrieved 12 December 2019.
^"Courthouse Renamed for Hall" (PDF). Louisiana Supreme Court. Winter 2001. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
^"Defending the Rule of Law". thenewsstar.com. Retrieved 13 August 2019. ... Kostelka graduated from Byrd High School in Shreveport in 1951, ...
^"Judge Charles B. Peatross". The Shreveport Times. January 30, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^"Virginia Ruth Kilpatrick Shehee". Legacy.com. Retrieved 12 December 2019. She was a proud graduate of C.E. Byrd High School and attended Stephens College for one year.
^Carter, Joe R. (April 21, 1932). "Raspberries and Cream (column)". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 9. Retrieved July 25, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
