S. R. Butler High School
| S. R. Butler High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
3401 Holmes Avenue , United States | |
| Coordinates | 34°43′35.03″N 86°37′3.85″W / 34.7263972°N 86.6177361°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | CHOICES Matter |
| Established | 1951 |
| Closed | 2015 |
| School district | Huntsville City Schools |
| Principal | Lisa Hachar |
| Faculty | 61.0 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| Enrollment | 896[1] (2005–06) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 14.7[1] |
| Color(s) | Green & Gold |
| Mascot | Rebel |
| Website | [1] |
S. R. Butler High School was a four-year public high school that served students in grades 9-12 from Huntsville, Alabama. The school was named after Samuel Riley Butler an Alabama legislator and educator.[2] It opened in 1951 and closed in 2015.
History
S. R. Butler started Butler Training School in 1908 and operated it until 1914. From 1914 until 1929 this building served as the Wills-Taylor School for boys and girls. The city then bought it and made it the Huntsville Junior High School. Now it is a parking lot for the Annie Merts Center for school administration.[3] The first Butler High School was built in 1954 and was originally intended to also serve as a fallout shelter for the surrounding area in the case of a nuclear attack. Its proximity to Redstone Arsenal Army Base made the area a likely target during the Cold War. The current S.R. Butler High School was built in the late 1960s with the first graduating class in 1968. The old Butler was renamed Stone Junior High School (years later renamed Stone Middle School) and is located at the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Governors Drive and was remodeled after a suspicious fire destroyed much of the old school. The current Butler H.S. is located on Holmes Ave.
As of 2015, Butler High School was closed due to a dwindling enrollment and poor ratings. Students have been re-directed to Columbia, Grissom, Huntsville, Johnson and Lee High Schools. The Rock Family Worship Center currently occupies the old Butler High School building.
Academics
Butler made dramatic academic improvements during the 2013–2014 school year having the highest student growth in reading of any Huntsville City Schools High School. Its students also outperformed several other high schools on the ACT Quality Core End of Course Exams this year. Butler has had an increase in its graduation rate over the past three years: 2011-12- 31%2012-13- 45%2013-14-49%. During the 2013-14 school year Butler High School’s former principal Elizabeth Hachar was replaced by current principal Sanchella Graham. Despite noted improvements in the quality of educated provided for students at S.R Butler High School the school has remained on the failing schools list for the state of Alabama.[4]
Clubs and activities
- Academic Team
- AFJROTC
- Art Club
- Band[5]
- Dance Team
- Drama Club
- Key Club
- National Honor Society
- Peer Helpers
- Science Club
- Spanish Club
- Student Government Association
- Theatre
- Yearbook[6]
Athletics
- Baseball
- Basketball, Varsity, JV & Freshman
- Basketball, Girls
- Cheerleading
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Track
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Butler's basketball team, coached by Jack Doss, won the 2011 4A State Championship on Friday, March 4, defeating Anniston High School 44-39 at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC).[7][8] Butler has won 6 State Championships in boys basketball. The most of all Huntsville City Schools. These championships occurred in 1966 under coach Cotton Rogers and in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011 under Jack Doss.[9]
Notable alumni
- Clay Bennett, 2002 Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial cartooning.
- Tom Butler, former member of the Alabama Legislature. Served Senate District 2 from 1995 to 2010.
- Kenneth Darby, running back several teams in the National Football League
- Shawn Draper, former National Football Player, drafted to the Miami Dolphins
- John Hendricks, class of 1970, founder and CEO of the Discovery Channel[10][11]
- Jimmy Key, class of 1979, former Major League Baseball pitcher[12]
- Bo Matthews, class of 1970, NFL rushing back San Diego Chargers
- Don Mincher, former Major League Baseball first baseman and President of the Southern League
- Ramzee Robinson, NFL cornerback, 2007 Mr. Irrelevant
- Adam Schreiber, class of 1980, former NFL as a center and guard from 1984 through 1998
- Pam Long is an American actress and writer. She appeared on an NBC daytime program and turned to writing after her acting career. She won two daytime Emmy Awards for best writing on the Guiding Light TV series.
- Donald Heflin, American diplomat and the U.S. Ambassador to Cape Verde since 2015.
References
- ^ a b c SR Butler High School. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
- ^ "Person:Samuel Riley Butler - HHC". huntsvillehistorycollection.org.
- ^ "The Huntsville Times".
- ^ "Alabama Accountability Act: 78 schools listed as failing (updated)".
- ^ Gattis, Paul (August 27, 2010). "The music plays on for Butler High School marching band". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
- ^ "SCHOOLinSITES". www.hsv.k12.al.us.
- ^ "AHSAA Web Site".
- ^ "SCHOOLinSITES". www.hsv.k12.al.us.
- ^ John Pruett (March 3, 2008). "Area teams have rich history of winning state titles". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
- ^ Roop, Lee (January 31, 2008). "Welcome home, John". The Huntsville Times.
- ^ "Glimpses from inside the 50th anniversary gala" (PDF). The Huntsville Times. February 1, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2008.[dead link] Alt URL
- ^ "Ballot has familiars". The Huntsville Times. October 19, 2007. Retrieved April 12, 2008.