Banks High School

L. Frazier Banks Middle School was a middle school in the Birmingham Public School System that fed into Woodlawn High School. The school, which was named for former superintendent L. Frazier Banks, occupied six buildings in a residential area on on 86th Street South in the South East Lake neighborhood. The capacity of the school was 1,192, but as of 2006 the school's enrollment was only 447. The last principal was Jesse Daniel.

Banks High School

The school was opened as a high school in 1957 and, at first, accepted only freshmen. The first graduating class matriculated in 1961. The school's athletic teams in that 1960-61 season won the Birmingham city football, basketball and baseball championships. The football team, initially made up of those who didn't make the Woodlawn team as freshmen, was coached by Jimmy Tarrant. The basketball team was coached by Albert Morton.

In 1961, the Alabama Air National Guard loaned the school a U. S. Air Force F-86D "Sabre" [1] which was a relic of the Korean War. The plane was painted in the school colors of Columbia Blue and Scarlet was installed as a mascot and landmark on the roof of the school.

In 1972 and 1973, Coach Shorty White led the Jets to consecutive 4A state football championships. The school was recognized nationally as a football power, even appearing in the pages of National Geographic. Future NFL quarterback Jeff Rutledge led the team into a 1974 showdown with Woodlawn High School and running back Tony Nathan at Legion Field. The crowd was estimated at 42,000.

Banks Middle School

In the 1980s Banks was transformed into a middle school under the direction of Superintendent Cleveland Hammonds.

In December 2000 arson caused extensive damage to the auditorium, destroying approximately $30,000 worth of band instruments which, because of ever-tightening public school budgets, have been only partially replaced. In February 2006, the South East Lake Neighborhood Association voted to appropriate $5,000 of their neighborhood funds to go toward new band instruments.

In October 2006 the Facilities and Technology Committee of the Birmingham Board of Education heard a recommendation from new superintendent of schools Stan Mims to close Banks and transfer its students to the new Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School which was built as an elementary school that would have replaced Robinson Elementary School. Students from Banks relocated to their new campus in South East Lake in January 2007. The board is still considering whether to convert Ossie Ware Mitchell into a K-8 school.

After the school's closure, the state agreed to turn over the landmark jet to the Southern Museum of Flight, where it will be restored to its military colors and displayed.