| DECADES OF TRADITION |
In the beginning the school was called Burns Academy, and the location
was in a different area of the community than the present-day facility.
By 1923, the school changed its name to Southside and became a county
school where ten grades were taught. J. A. Lunceford became the first
Principle, and his staff consisted of five teachers: Mrs. J. A.
Lunceford, Thelma Sisson, Lucille Sissan, Annie Sue Berry, and Eura
Belle Hagin. The school was one large building without much equipment,
a coal stove for heating, and gasoline lamps. In the summer of 1926,
citizens of the community donated material and labor to erect a
building that provided a home for the teachers who lived outside the
community and also for students who could not get home when the Coosa
River was high and the ferry could not run.
In 1927, the school
became accredited by the State of Alabama, and Southside's first
graduation took place with eight members in the graduating class. They
were Cecil Baugh, Grace Brown, Paul Furhman, Howard Gray, Hazel Myrick,
Marshall Phillips, Ed Routon and Charlie Herman Wolfe. In the summer of
1928, the Vocational Department was added, consisting of Home Economics
and Agriculture. People of the community donated material and labor for
this project. An interest in sports began to be manifested this same
year and a coach, Dan Smith, was employed for basketball and football.
In the late 1920's or early 30%, four schools consolidated further to
enlarge Southside High School. Riddles Bend, Whorton Bend, Pilgrims
Rest and Brannon Springs Schools contributed additional pupils. The
original P.T.A came into being about this time and earned almost a
thousand dollars the first year. Many ingenious projects showed the
enthusiasm of everyone! The most unique project was a cotton patch
producing eight bales, planted, cultivated and gathered through the
efforts of parents, teachers and pupils. |
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