Dr. Percy L. Julian High School

Dr. Percy L. Julian High School (formerly Robert E. Lee High School) is a public secondary school in Montgomery, Alabama, United States, serving grades 9–12. The school is part of the Montgomery Public Schools system.

Dr. Percy L. Julian High School
Address
225 Ann Street

Montgomery, Alabama
36107

United States
Coordinates32.378°N 86.271°W / 32.378; -86.271
Information
School typePublic high school
Mottotogether we build, together we build"
Established1955 (1955)
School districtMontgomery Public Schools
CEEB code011900
Teaching staff81.50 (FTE)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,492 (2018-19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio18.31[1]
Color(s)Red, white, black, grey
  
MascotGenerals
Communities servedMaxwell Air Force Base Gunter Air Force Base
Websitewww.mps.k12.al.us/o/pjhs

Dr. Percy L. Julian High School is zoned for the northside of Montgomery, including residents of the Gunter Air Force Base and Maxwell Air Force Base, however, few military students attend Montgomery public schools.[2] [3]

History

Early history

In January 1953, the Montgomery Board of Education purchased 12 acres (49,000 m2) of property on Ann Street for $74,000 for a new high school. The new school would alleviate overcrowding at Sidney Lanier High School and accommodate children coming to Montgomery due to Maxwell and Gunter Air Force Bases.[4] The final cost of the new facility was nearly $1.25 million.

The school opened to students for the first time on September 6, 1955 under the name Robert E. Lee High School.[4] The new school had 35 faculty members and approximately 800 students. Most of the 232 juniors and 173 seniors entering the school were transfers from Lanier, and some 354 sophomores moved up from area junior high schools. Its first graduating class consisted of 144 students.

Expansion

An auditorium was added in 1963. The guidance office, lunchroom, and library were enlarged and the math wing and mini-gym were added during the 1970s. By 1979 rooms were air conditioned, after students and teachers raised the necessary $80,000. In 1992, the library underwent extensive renovation and the entire school received a new roof. In 1997, land behind Julian formerly occupied by apartments was donated to the school, and in 2000 the space was completely paved to provide parking. In the summer of 2002, the entire school system was networked and wired with fiber optic cable to provide better and faster internet and network capabilities. Fine arts at the school have grown. The fine arts program includes drama which perform plays in the Auditorium, Art, Debate, and Choral .

The school added 9th Grade in the 2010/2011 school year. Julian High School's motto is The pursuit of continuous excellence.

Confederate legacy

The school included a plaque dedicated to its former namesake, Robert E. Lee, instructing students to not defame him.[5]

Renaming

In 2020 the school district's board of education voted to change the school's name.[6]

In November 2022, it was announced that the school would be renamed Dr. Percy L. Julian High School after Percy Lavon Julian.[7]

Sports

The Generals represent the school in ASHAA sporting competitions. During the 2005–2006 and 2007–2008 school years the Generals Cheerleaders won the Cheersport National Championship.

State championships
  • Boys Basketball: 2020
  • Baseball: 1975
  • Boys' Cross Country: 1967
  • Football: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1969, 1970, 1979, 1986, 1991, 1992
  • Boys' golf: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1974
  • Boys' indoor track: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1980, 2017
  • Boys' outdoor track: 1961, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1980
  • Girls' outdoor track: 1981
  • Wrestling: 1957, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1992

[8]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Lee High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  2. "Maxwell AFB Community". Department of Defense Education Activity. Archived from the original on 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  3. https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/education/2020/10/14/if-quality-montgomery-public-schools-doesnt-improve-maxwell-air-force-base-leave/5913796002/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Carter, Clinton; Palmer, Kerry; Stifflemire, Roger (2015-01-01). 'Echoes' of Robert E. Lee High School: The First Decade, 1955-65. NewSouth Books. pp. 1–6. ISBN 978-1-60306-380-7.
  5. Charles, Safiya (2020-07-08). "Lee High School plaque warns students never 'discredit the name of this great man'". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  6. Johnson, Krista (2020-07-14). "Montgomery school board votes to change the Confederate names of three high schools". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  7. Koplowitz, Howard (2022-11-10). "Montgomery school board approves name changes for Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee high schools". al.com. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  8. "Lee Montgomery Generals Sports History". Alabama High School Football Historical Society. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  9. Rankin, Duane (27 April 2018). "Montgomery to NFL: The Undrafted — Tyrone Rogers". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
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