Ramsay High School - Rams Horn Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

Page 6 text:

Our $eginningd In the 1920'i, the citv board of education realized the necessity for a fourth high school which could serve the growing white community of the southern side of town Opened in September of 1930. the new high school was named for the long-time president of the board of education. Erskine Ramsay. Even though the school was officially named Erskine Ramsay Technical High School, emphasis was placed on academic and humanities courses with only four iHit of twenty-six teachers providing instruction in technical subjects. Generally, the students at Ramsay were ftom upper-middle class to upper class homes Under the leadership of their principal, Thomas Campbell Young, these students began to write an outstanding record of excellence for their school, a record w hich made Ramsay 'the high school in the state. Of the Birmingham high schools. Ramsay Ivad the largest percentage of its graduates in 19JJ cnteting college and the smallest pctCcmtge of semester hour failures during the 19J3-19M scholastic year. 0lie 'War IJeard In 1913. Ramsay students became involved in rhe war ef fort and were presented a minute man service flag for their support of the war bonds and stamps program VX'ith T- Young’s impetus, by the spring of 1916. they had sold bonds and sumps totaling $179.000. Not only did the students of Ramsay supply financial support for the war effort, hut they also endeavored to boost morale by writing to the men who had attended Ramsay and were in rhe service In addition, in 1915. the Victory Service Club erected a plaque with the engraved names of 1000 former Ramsay students who had served in rhe armed forces Golden stars were placed by rhe names of those who had died

Page 5 text:

 ?, amday JMternative J4igli S chool

Page 7 text:

Die Qolden Jit life tic Jlge Tl c Kams attained a prominent place in all area of hi h school athletics. For example, in 1947. Ramsay continued to build upon an already outstanding sports record by acquiring rise Erskinc Ramsay Sportsmanship Cup. By winning the city championship in tennis, the city and state championships in track, and the city and county championships in baseball. Ramsay achieved the best overall sports record of all the city schools in 1951. In 19V1. the mighty Rams were declared state football champions and were dubbed the Big Five's wmningest football team since the birth of the Birmingham high school league in 1950. 2 e egreaali on Racial problems began to plague all the schools of Birmingham Floping to voluntarily desegregate the schools through 1968. the board gave students of both races freedom of choice' to attend any high school m the system Ramsay attempted to adjust to the changes in its student body as did the other Birmingham schools at this time. During the 1969-1970 school vear. Ramsay's enrollment totaled 880 students, of which 50.2 percent were minority. In 1970-1971. the Birmingham Board of Education instituted new school rones, and for the first time. Birmingham students were assigned to specific schools, forcing many of them to lease their alma maters By 1975, Ramsay's enrollment was 75.5 percent minority