Ramsay High School (Birmingham, Alabama)
Encyclopedia
Ramsay Alternative High School (originally "Southside High School") is a magnet
high school
serving about 600 students in the Birmingham City Schools
system. It is situated near 12th Avenue South and 20th Street. The school building's site, on a ridge just north of the crest of Red Mountain
, near the Five Points South area.
of St Louis, Missouri, as a consulting architect. The design called for multi-story facades facing north and south with wings for a cafeteria and an auditorium. and expansive terraces. Only the south-facing portion of the central building was finished.
The school was opened on September 19, 1930. It was later named for Erskine Ramsay, a noted industrialist who was serving as the president of the Birmingham Board of Education at the time. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited Ramsay High School in 1932. An auditorium and athletic facilities were constructed in 1949. A flat-roofed annex was added onto the main building in 1962. In 1968, the Ramsay High School Class of 1968 erected the sign in front of the school. (Prior to that time, there was no sign visible from the street with the name of the school on it.) In 1975, Ramsay High School became a magnet school, serving above average students from throughout the city. The school currently has just under 600 students. $21 million worth of renovations and additions to the school's buildings are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008 for a fall 2009 completion. A science wing and competition gym will be added with new space for the school's Junior ROTC program, counseling office, and cafeteria. After construction is completed, the 1962 "flat top" annex will be demolished to make way for expansion of the school's courtyard and parking lot.
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
serving about 600 students in the Birmingham City Schools
Birmingham City Schools
Birmingham City Schools is the public school district that serves the U.S. city of Birmingham, Alabama.It is currently the fourth largest school system in Alabama behind Mobile County Public School System, Jefferson County School System, and Montgomery Public Schools...
system. It is situated near 12th Avenue South and 20th Street. The school building's site, on a ridge just north of the crest of Red Mountain
Red Mountain, Birmingham, Alabama
Red Mountain is a long ridge running southwest-northeast and dividing Jones Valley from Shades Valley south of Birmingham, Alabama. It is part of the Ridge-and-Valley region of the Appalachian mountains...
, near the Five Points South area.
History
The school structure was designed by the firm of Warren Knight and Davis with William B. IttnerWilliam B. Ittner
William Butts Ittner was an architect in St. Louis, Missouri. He designed many school buildings in Missouri and other areas, was president of the St...
of St Louis, Missouri, as a consulting architect. The design called for multi-story facades facing north and south with wings for a cafeteria and an auditorium. and expansive terraces. Only the south-facing portion of the central building was finished.
The school was opened on September 19, 1930. It was later named for Erskine Ramsay, a noted industrialist who was serving as the president of the Birmingham Board of Education at the time. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited Ramsay High School in 1932. An auditorium and athletic facilities were constructed in 1949. A flat-roofed annex was added onto the main building in 1962. In 1968, the Ramsay High School Class of 1968 erected the sign in front of the school. (Prior to that time, there was no sign visible from the street with the name of the school on it.) In 1975, Ramsay High School became a magnet school, serving above average students from throughout the city. The school currently has just under 600 students. $21 million worth of renovations and additions to the school's buildings are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008 for a fall 2009 completion. A science wing and competition gym will be added with new space for the school's Junior ROTC program, counseling office, and cafeteria. After construction is completed, the 1962 "flat top" annex will be demolished to make way for expansion of the school's courtyard and parking lot.
Notable Former Students
- Phillip AlfordPhillip AlfordPhillip Alford is an American actor best known for his role as Jem Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird.-Career:...
, an actor who played the character "Jem" in To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird (film)To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film adaptation of Harper Lee's novel of the same name directed by Robert Mulligan. It stars Mary Badham in the role of Scout and Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch....
(1962). Alford's other acting credits include: Fair Play (1972) (TV); The Intruders (1970) (TV); ShenandoahShenandoah (film)Shenandoah is a 1965 American Civil War film starring James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne, and Katharine Ross. The picture was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. Though set during the American Civil War, the film's strong antiwar and humanitarian themes resonated with audiences...
(1965); and Bristle Face (1964) (TV) - Charlie Blair, a Birmingham Post-HeraldBirmingham Post-HeraldThe Birmingham Post-Herald was a daily newspaper in Birmingham, Alabama with roots dating back to 1850, before the founding of Birmingham. The final edition was published on September 23, 2005...
editor - Fannie FlaggFannie FlaggPatricia Neal , known professionally as Fannie Flagg, is an American actress, comedienne and author. She is perhaps best-known for the 1988 novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which was adapted into the 1991 movie Fried Green Tomatoes; Flagg was nominated for an Academy Award for...
, TV announcer in Birmingham, Hollywood actress, and novelist - Ward McIntyreWard McIntyreWalter Wharton "Ward" McIntyre, Jr was a television and radio personality from Birmingham, Alabama. A graduate of Ramsay High School and Birmingham-Southern College, he worked at WSGN radio before he was hired by WBRC in 1962 to take over as announcer, newscaster, and Bozo the Clown...
, - Wayne RogersWayne RogersWilliam Wayne McMillan Rogers III is an American film and television actor, best known for playing the role of 'Trapper John' McIntyre in the U.S...
, the actor on the TV series M*A*S*H* who played "Trapper John McIntyre" - Tamir Buford, OTR/L, is a Registered and Licensed Occupational Therapist with a certification in Lymphedema Therapy and Low Vision Training. He is 1 of only 3 Certified Lymphedema Therapist from the Academy of Lymphatic Studies in the city of Birmingham.
