Woodlawn High School (Birmingham, Alabama)
Woodlawn High School is a magnet high school serving about 800 students in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama (USA) and is part of the Birmingham City Schools system.
The mascot is the Colonels, and the school colors are green and gold. The school newspaper is "The Tattler". The principal is currently Fred Stewart.
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History [edit]
Woodlawn High School was established in 1916 after Woodlawn was annexed into Birmingham. The present building on 1st Avenue North, designed by architect Harry B. Wheelock, was completed January 30, 1922 for an initial enrollment of 700.
A large mural in the high school's auditorium was painted between 1934 and 1939 by Sidney van Sheck and Richard Blauvelt Coe for the Works Progress Administration. A campaign is underway to raise $190,000 for restoration of the mural.
The "Warblers" are a men's chorus that started as a singing club at Woodlawn, active from 1929 to 1977. Most current Warblers members are alumni of the Woodlawn club. In 1956 the Woodlawn debate team, coached by Rose B. Johnson, won the inaugural Barkley Forum, a prestigious debate tournament at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Woodlawn's JROTC program has been active since 1922 and has started the military careers of numerous officers in the U.S. Military.
Under legendary multi-sport coach John Blane, Woodlawn's basketball team won state championships in 1927, 1937, 1943, and 1957 while the track team won state titles in 1932, 1944, 1945 and 1946. He coached Woodlawn against Phillips High School in the first game ever held at Legion Field in 1927.
John Ippolito was principal from 1987 to 1997. He was very well respected throughout the Birmingham School System and reformed Woodlawn High School into an institution centered around education, discipline, and respect.
Notable alumni [edit]
- Doyle Alexander, Former MLB player (Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers)
- Bobby Bowden (1948), football coach
- Jim Carns, Alabama Legislature
- Karlos Dansby, NFL football player
- Vince Gibson (1951), football coach
- Harry Gilmer (1943), All American football player and coach. University of Alabama, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions
- Mike Hale (1969), Jefferson County sheriff
- Art Hanes, judge, lawyer
- Paul Hemphill, author
- Marshall Miller (1960), international lawyer, environmentalist
- Tony Nathan, former NFL Running back, Miami Dolphins, current coach
- Terry Oden, Mayor of Mountain Brook, Al
- Oliver Robinson (1957), basketball player, state legislator
- Betsy Rogers, 2003 National Teacher of the Year
- Ricky Smiley, Comedian
References [edit]
- Woodlawn Housing Initiative. "History of the Woodlawn Neighborhood." Woodlawn Community Information System. [1] - accessed March 25, 2006
- Torres, Ailene. (June 2005) "A new beginning: Despite man challenges, students in Ensley defy the odds." Birmingham Post-Herald.
External links [edit]
- Woodlawn High School at BhamWiki.com
- Woodlawn classes of 1969-71 reunion web site
- Woodlawn H.S. postcard at Postcard Birmingham
Coordinates: 33°32′31″N 86°45′07″W / 33.542°N 86.752°W
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