C. E. Byrd High School

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High school in Shreveport, Louisiana, US

title: "C. E. Byrd High School" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["school-buildings-on-the-national-register-of-historic-places-in-louisiana", "tudor-revival-architecture-in-louisiana", "school-buildings-completed-in-1924", "magnet-schools-in-louisiana", "educational-institutions-established-in-1925", "high-schools-in-shreveport,-louisiana", "public-high-schools-in-louisiana", "national-register-of-historic-places-in-caddo-parish,-louisiana", "1925-establishments-in-louisiana"] description: "High school in Shreveport, Louisiana, US" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._E._Byrd_High_School" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary High school in Shreveport, Louisiana, US ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox school"]

FieldValue
nameC.E. Byrd High School
imageC.E. Byrd High School IMG 1585.JPG
streetaddress3201 Line Avenue
cityShreveport
stateLouisiana
zipcode71104
countryUnited States
schoolboardCaddo Parish
founderClifton Ellis Byrd
established1925
principalJerry Badgley
teaching_staff120
ratio18:1
schooltypePublic with magnet program
grades9–12
nicknameYellow Jackets
colorsPurple and gold
rivalAirline Vikings
Captain Shreve Gators
Evangel Eagles
enrollment1,526 (2023–2024)
homepagewww.cebyrd.com
nameC. E. Byrd High School
embedyes
location3201 Line Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana
coordinates
locmapinShreveport
built1924
architectEdward F. Neild
builderStewart McGehee Construction Co.
architectureTudor Revival, Other, Jacobean Revival
addedJune 10, 1991
area8 acre
refnum91000704
::

| name = C.E. Byrd High School | native_name = | latin_name = | image = C.E. Byrd High School IMG 1585.JPG | imagesize = | caption = | location = | streetaddress = 3201 Line Avenue | region = | city = Shreveport | state = Louisiana | zipcode = 71104 | country = United States | schoolboard = Caddo Parish | founder = Clifton Ellis Byrd | established = 1925 | principal = Jerry Badgley | teaching_staff = 120 | ratio = 18:1 | schooltype = Public with magnet program | grades = 9–12 | nickname = Yellow Jackets | colors = Purple and gold
| rival = Airline Vikings Captain Shreve Gators Evangel Eagles | enrollment = 1,526 (2023–2024) | homepage = www.cebyrd.com | name = C. E. Byrd High School | embed = yes | nrhp_type = | image = | caption = | location = 3201 Line Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana | coordinates = | locmapin = Shreveport | built = 1924 | architect = Edward F. Neild | builder = Stewart McGehee Construction Co. | architecture = Tudor Revival, Other, Jacobean Revival | added = June 10, 1991 | area = 8 acre | refnum = 91000704

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/President-C-E-Byrd-06-07-225x300.jpg" caption="C. E. Byrd (c. 1907) as the president of [[Louisiana Tech University"] ::

C. E. Byrd High School is a public and magnet high school in Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. It is a Blue Ribbon School, in continuous operation since its establishment in 1925. Byrd students come from its neighborhood, or throughout the entire school district through its selective math/science magnet program. The school building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991.

History

In 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. The early years of the school were segregated for white students. From 1917 until 1950, Central High School was the only public high school for African American students in Shreveport; and Milam Street Trade School (1939–1955) was the vocational school for high school African American students. The school moved to the Soady Building on Crockett Street, with first year enrollment of 70 in 1898. A year later in 1899, the school moved to the Hope Street School, a large three story red brick building. Elementary students occupied the first floor, intermediate the second, and high school the third. In 1910, Shreveport High School was built adjacent to Hope Street. Caddo Parish School Board decides to build two new high schools in 1923. 20 acre Site purchased from Justin Gras for $110,000 and four adjacent lots in Bon Air Subdivision, from F.R. Chadick for $9,500. Stewart-McGee awarded the building contract for $772,133 in 1924. On October 3, 1924, the 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|right|thumb|200px|Side view of Byrd High School from Kings Highway]]Board authorized $40,000 to furnish the building in 1925. Building accepted from the contractor on June 27. Because furniture had not yet arrived, the opening was delayed until October.[[File:byrdhigh.jpg|right|thumb|200px|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 acre area comprising the school building and three other non-contributing properties were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. 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.

Student media

  • Literary magazine: Perspectives
  • Newspaper: Highlife
  • TV station: K-BYRD
  • Yearbook: Gusher

Athletics

C. E. Byrd High athletics competes in the LHSAA.

Championships

Football championships

  • (10) State Championships: 1914, 1915, 1922, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1949

Boys golf championships

  • (8) State Championships: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024

Girls golf championships

  • (1) State Championships: 2019

Girls soccer championships

  • (1) State Championships: 1996

Boys basketball championships

  • (1) State Championships: 1994

Girls basketball championships

  • (2) State Championships: 1993, 1994

Coaches

Notable alumni

Elected officials and judiciary

Athletes

References

References

  1. "C.E. Byrd High School".
  2. "C.E. Byrd High School". National Center for Education Statistics.
  3. {{NRISref
  4. "About Us".
  5. Anderson, Scott. (August 17, 2018). "A Shreveport Legacy: C.E. Byrd High School".
  6. ["National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Central High School"]({{NRHP url). [[National Park Service]]}} With {{NRHP url.
  7. Burton, Willie. (2002). "The Blacker The Berry...A History of Black Shreveport". [[The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana)]].
  8. National Register Staff. (March 1991). ["National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: C. E. Byrd High School"]({{NRHP url). National Park Service.
  9. Jason Pugh of ''[[The Times (Shreveport). "Lee Hedges". [[Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame]].
  10. (August 7, 1987). "Home base: Karen Carlson back in town". The Times.
  11. Cooper, Judith Ann. (1982). "Residual impairments in children with a history of acquired aphasia". University of Washington.
  12. Bass, Ron. (January 28, 2020). "Glassell, Alfred Curry, Jr.". Texas State Historical Association.
  13. (2013-03-24). "Obituary: Victor Joris". Shreveport Times.
  14. J. Cleveland Fruge. (1971). "Biographies of Louisiana Judges: Judge William J. Fleniken". Louisiana District Judges Association.
  15. "MEMBERSHIP IN THE LOUISIANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1812 - 2020".
  16. (Winter 2001). "Courthouse Renamed for Hall". [[Louisiana Supreme Court]].
  17. "Defending the Rule of Law".
  18. (January 30, 2015). "Judge Charles B. Peatross". The Shreveport Times.
  19. Freudenberg, Earl. (2023-08-01). "Mayor Tom Rowland Still Going Strong In His Beloved Cleveland After Brush With Death". Chattanoogan.com.
  20. "Virginia Ruth Kilpatrick Shehee".
  21. Carter, Joe R.. (April 21, 1932). "Raspberries and Cream (column)". [[The Times (Shreveport).

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

school-buildings-on-the-national-register-of-historic-places-in-louisianatudor-revival-architecture-in-louisianaschool-buildings-completed-in-1924magnet-schools-in-louisianaeducational-institutions-established-in-1925high-schools-in-shreveport,-louisianapublic-high-schools-in-louisiananational-register-of-historic-places-in-caddo-parish,-louisiana1925-establishments-in-louisiana