Blog Administrator's Note: During the discussion of Black Bear Way, a topic was created related to buildings used as THS and TJHS.
Thanks to all for sharing the memories. It has been a joy and a blessing.
And, thank you Jimmy for agreeing to administer the blog. I look forward to reading and reflecting on our wonderful years as Black Bears.
I am pleased that the City of Tuscaloosa has renamed 17th Street between Hackberry Lane and 10th Avenue Black Bears Way and I wish that I could have been there for the dedication. From my perspective the memorial street has been located exactly at the right place; however, others have a different opinion. Several months ago when we first heard that the City was considering this action, I was in a discussion with friends and relatives who are 10-15 years older than we are. It was their opinion that Black Bears Way should have been located adjacent to the old high school building where they attended high school and where we attended junior high.
For many years, Tuscaloosa High School was located in what we knew as Tuscaloosa Junior High. Does anyone know the first year and the last year that Tuscaloosa High was located in our old junior high school building? I assume that the words in our Alma Mater, "underneath the old oak trees" refers to the oak trees at our old junior high building.
When our junior high was Tuscaloosa High, does anyone know where the old, old junior high was located? Stella O.'s father was the coach and physical education director at the old, old junior high. As a five year old boy, I lived one-half block away from the school and coach O. became my friend. He was kind and patient with me as I stayed near him and bombarded him with questions all day while the boys would play softball during P.E. I loved to chase foul balls and occasionally when a foul ball would go down the storm sewer in front of Marjorie M.'s house, they would send me into the pipe to retrieve the ball.
Perhaps like some of you, my long term memory is better than my short. So, I'm looking forward to hearing your stories.
Blessings,
William T.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
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William's message included something that jogged another memory for me. I think it was the year we were freshmen at THS that Life Magazine printed a feature on a protest at school against the sack dress, led by Don S. The pictures showed some freshly planted oak trees at our school. I believe that William is right that the "old oak trees" were those at the building on 21st Avenue. Now the trees on 15th Street are "old" - it was fifty years ago that we entered that school.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have a copy of that old Life Magazine?
The building on 21st Avenue is now the city Board of Education. It was refurbished 10 (?) years ago and re-landscaped, but the old oak trees were long gone by then. I don't think there are any oak trees planted there now.
The senior class when we were freshmen was the first class to be in "our" building for all four years of school, so it would have been 1955 when they entered and I think that's when the building opened.
Sorry, no knowledge about the old, old junior high.
William,
ReplyDeleteGood to hear about your younger life. The high school was at the corner of 10th St. (now Bear Bryant Drive), but I don't know where the jr high was back then. Maybe others will know.
Yes, Old Tuscaloosa Jr. High was the old HS.
ReplyDeleteMy dad went there and they played football behind the school. He told me stories of some of the things that they pulled against opponents. Remember the old goal post were still standing when we were in Jr. High. I remember going with my Dad to watch my cousin, John J., practice in the early 50's. Football practice was held on the old playing field.
I think the high school moved to the new school on 15th in 1954.
The old Jr High stood for year at the intersection of Queen City Avenue and 10th Street (Paul Bryant Drive today). It was torn down and Alabama Power built the building that still stands in that location.
Does anyone remember the clock on Delview Dairy.
That was the only way I could keep tract of how long baseball practice lasted and when physical ed would end.
Oh, so many great memories! Oh, to go back to the good ole days knowing what we know now. We did not know how good we had it.
My older sister, Barbara, was in the first class to graduate from the "New" Tuscaloosa High School, the Class of 1957. The date for the "Old" THS, I think, is engraved on the building.
ReplyDeleteA little history of the new school. The completion of the two identical schools, THS and Druid High School, was delayed a year. My father was in construction and the unions struck for almost a year... As a union man, Dad (Tom Reed) always 'marched' in the Labor Day parade and we had to sit through the Labor Day (union) rally in the Bama Theater. I probably joined the band so I could march in the parade and get out of listening to those speeches.
Yep, we need a blog.
I am enjoying all the good e-mails and the rememberances of the past surroundings around the school. Especially the smell of the bread at Hardin's Bakery. The best french fries in the world were at McDonalds. Now my grandchildren think french fries and McDonalds are better than a steak house.
ReplyDeleteAbout the old Tuscaloosa High School that was our Junior High School, the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education is located there now. There is a marker on the building with the date of 1924. I am trying to get more information that goes back past that date. Will forward when I get it.