Pennington High School - Yearbook (Blountsville, AL)

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The purpose of the Agricultural School was to train all male pupils over the age of ten in scien- tific agricultural and horticultural methods. All other students were to receive training in horti- culture and floriculture. Also included in the cur- ricular activities of the school were the piano, voice, and expression departments. Extracurric- ular activities contained an excellent, well-rounded athletic department, as well as, two rival literary societies known as the Henry Grady and Frank Burns Societies. Dr. R. E. Tidwell said, These societies Were almost as important in the early years as football is today. The debates were at- tended by overfiow audiences. At one time there was a Ruth Cleveland Society for girls when they were not permitted to belong to a society with boys. An experimental station was established near the school to be used to encourage scientific farm- ing. Part of this experimental station was an an- nual spring garden which was cared for by the students and faculty. This farm consisted of ap- proximately 65 acres of land. It was located north of town on the Blountsville-Arab road. This farm joined the present school property. In addition, the school had a chemical labora- tory which would accommodate 16 students at a time. This laboratory was used mainly to demon- strate scientific experiments and scientific cooking procedures. Because of redistricting in 1917, the Ninth Dis- trict Agricultural School was changed to the State Secondary Agriculture School. That same year the school acquired a new principal, J. B. Pennington. He found the school heavily in debt and many unmet needs at the school. To add to these prob- lems the main building of the State Secondary School was completely destroyed by fire in 1919. After this fire, it appeared as if the school would be abolished by the State Board of Education. However, the citizens of Blountsville rallied to- gether and let the State Board of Education know that they did not intend for a fire to destroy their school. They offered to raise the money to replace the building. Some people mortgaged their homes to borrow money from the bank, others donated 156 timber which was sawed by a local sawmill. Men stayed up all night drying the lumber in a kiln. A total of 352880 was raised in cash for four- teen acres of land for the new location. This is the property on which the school is located today. They also raised 325,000 for the main building. The result of hand work by the citizens of Blountsville and surrounding communities could be seen in the main building of the State Sec- ondary Agricultural School. It was modern throughout and was built with the best materials. It contained nine standard classrooms, rooms for music and expression and a library. Electric lights, provided by a Delco motor, Water fountains, ample sanitary conveniences, and individual cloakrooms for teachers and pupils were provided. This build- ing also contained an auditorium seating 600 peo- ple. This provided the people of Blountsville with one of the best schools in the state. In addition to this building the citizens erected a sixteen room dormitory which was valued at SB12,000. It was destroyed by fire in 1927, and was replaced by a modern brick building with running water and electric lights. The luxury and con- veniences, previously unknown to the students, introduced them to a new way of life. A voca- tional building for the teaching of home economics and agriculture was completed and equipped at a cost of S11,000. A few years ago a modern shop was added. A field house which contained a com- plete water system for showers and a dressing room for athletic teams was built at a cost of 353000. The money for the field house was raised by subscriptions especially solicited by Mrs. Jim All- dredge who rode over the country in a buggy with chicken coops and egg crates fastened to the buggy, if one could not give money she would ask them to contribute a rooster, hen or eggs. She even accepted butter. This was interesting to see as well as hear when she returned to the school each day at sundown with roosters crowing and hens cackling. The next day the produce was sent to the market in Birmingham by a Blountsville peddler. This building still stands on the school campus.

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This poem, written by one of the students, ex- presses something of the spirit of the college. BLOUN T COLLEGE fBurned Jan. 5, 18951 Blount College the grand and noble temple, But yesterday stood towering to the skyg And at midnight hour, The bells rang out and Fire was the cry. So to the scene the people sped, To save the grand old temple dear g But the angry tongues of fiery red, Bade the college boys not come near. Thus alone in her proud innocence stood Blount College enrolled in flames of redg And when morning dawned upon Vale and Wood, Blount College lay smoldering in her bed. Heaps of honor on Blount College name, Now her ruined walls before me standg With proud hearts We all remember fain, The kindness at your president's hand. I love thy name, Blount College grand, And we will ever love just the same, When I am in some distant land, I'll speak thy name and tell thy fame. Now to all, let me kindly say, There is naught but good Blount College givesg And now to tell it on the way, That Blount College at Blountsville lives! T. C. Hughes, 1897 Class Prophet and Poet The Alabama Legislature, February 28, 1889, passed an act establishing an agricultural school in each of the congressional districts of Alabama. On February 18, 1895 Blountsville was selected for the Ninth District Agricultural school because of Blount College. Arrangements were made to carry on the college work and the high school classes in the same college building. College work was continued for two years after the Agricultural School was established and the class of 1897 was the last graduating class. This was a period when private schools such as Blount College were being replaced by public schools in Alabama. The work of this institution did not stop when the name of Blount College was dropped. It con- tinued as a State Secondary Agricultural School and on this Diamond Jubilee year is still sending out fine boys and girls who are finding their places of service all over the world. A brief history is traced at this point. The Ninth District Agricultural School was es- tablished in Blountsville under the administration of Governor William Oats in 1895. It offered a curriculum which was better suited for the needs of the citizens of the county plus cheaper fees, as this was a state tax supported school. The school was placed under a Board of Control in 1903. This Board of Control consisted of the Governor, the Conunissioner of Agriculture and Industries, the State Superintendent of Educa- tion and several citizens from the district in which the school was located. This loss did not keep the people'of Blountsville from continuing the school. Before the burning ruins had ceased smoking, a meeting was called and arrangements were made to carry on the school in the old academy. Arrangements were made at once to build a new college. With the untiring effort on the part of the citizens, Blount College was rebuilt at Blountsville on new prop- erty located south of town at the site of the present Burns Memorial Park. C See picture of building in history.J 'I55

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In 1927 the State Legislature passed an act creating a Demonstration Farm in connection with State Secondary Agricultural Schools. At this time a farm, now known as King's Farm, of 120 acres was purchased and converted into a modern demonstration farm. On the farm the following buildings were erected: superintendent's home, a tenant house, large dairy and horse barns, a cow barn, machine sheds, poultry houses and a seed house. The entire farm was furnished with running water and the superintendents house contained a central heat- ing system. The new addition to the school was purchased and built at a cost of about S20,000. Again on August 28, 1938, the halls of the school at Blountsville were swept by fire. The fire was discovered by the Principal, J. B. Pennington, about 9: 30 A. M. Once again the people of Blounts- ville rallied to rebuild their school. School opened on Monday morning in the elementary school and the following Monday in a ten room temporary building the men had built in a week. They set to work immediately and in less than a year the new building was completed. The citizens of Blounts- ville honored J. B. Pennington by naming this new school for him. Thus the J. B. Pennington High School we know today was created. The school stands today on a beautifully landscaped campus overlooking the town. The main building has twenty classrooms, library, restrooms, and auditorium seating 600. In 1966 the School Improvement Committee purchased twenty acres of land across the high- way from the school to be used for a recreation area. In 1967 a modern lunchroom seating 200 was constructed. Tennis courts were added in 1969. The spirit and value of a school cannot be told in buildings and grounds but is exemplified in the lives of its students. Serene in the assurance of duty well performed, Pennington celebrates her diamond anniversary in a Shine of Glory. Safe under the waving flag of this country and proud of the past, the institution proceeds to the future-a school of the people, by the people, for the youth of Blount County. PER ASPERA AD ASTRA.