Hall-Kent Elementary School: Difference between revisions

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'''Hall-Kent Elementary School''' is one of three elementary schools in the [[Homewood School System]] serving grades kindergarten through fifth, located at 213 Hall Avenue.  It primarily serves households in [[West Homewood]].  The school was established in 1887, well before the Homewood School System existed.
[[Image:Hall_Kent_elementary_school.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Hall-Kent Elementary School in 2009.]]
'''Hall-Kent Elementary School''' is one of three elementary schools in the [[Homewood School System]] serving grades kindergarten through fifth, located at 213 Hall Avenue.  It primarily serves households in [[West Homewood]]. Enrollment in [[2016]] was 588 students.  The principal is [[Kiana Coleman]].


Enrollment in 2005 was approximately 440 students.  The principal is [[Carol Lord]].
==History==
The first school in the area, to which Hall-Kent traces its roots, was [[Zelosophian Academy]], established in the [[Oak Grove (Homewood)|Oak Grove]] area by [[James Hall|James Hugh Blair Hall]] in [[1892]]. It was followed by [[Oak Grove Elementary School (1908)|Oak Grove Elementary School]], a [[Jefferson County Schools|Jefferson County school]] established in the area in [[1908]], but which burned in [[1927]].  Hall-Kent was built to replace the latter.  [[Raleigh Kent|Raleigh B.]] and [[Edna Mae Kent]] donated four lots with school officials buying a fifth lot for the new school.  The four-room, wood-frame schoolhouse, which featured outdoor plumbing, was completed in [[1928]] and named in honor of Dr. Hall and the Kent family.
 
The school initially served Oak Grove, [[Green Springs]], and [[Shades Mountain]].  The county later added bus service for students in [[Spaulding]], [[Shannon]], and [[Oxmoor]].  In the early 1930s, Hall-Kent was one of the first schools in [[Alabama]] to have a kindergarten program.  In [[1935]], the Hall-Kent Improvement Association held its first fall carnival to raise money for lunchroom equipment.  The carnival became a long-standing annual event.
 
The pot-bellied stoves were replaced by a gas heating system in the late 1940s.  Enrollment increased from 93 students in [[1950]] to 236 in [[1959]], necessitating the addition of four more classrooms, an auditorium, restrooms, a teacher workroom, and principal's office during that time.  The first two brick sections were added in [[1955]] and [[1960]], the latter of which included four more classrooms.
 
An April [[1965]] fire destroyed the old wood-frame section, including the library, boiler room, and lunchroom.  Some portions were torn down, but the lunchroom was rebuilt as the new library.  Enrollment grew to 360 by [[1968]], leading to large class sizes and some portable classrooms despite the building additions.
 
In [[1970]], Hall-Kent became one of the newly-established [[Homewood City Schools]] system's three elementary schools.
 
Hall-Kent was awarded a National Blue Ribbon from the U.S. Department of Education in [[2021]].
 
== Principals ==
* Mrs. J. F. McClain ([[1928]]–?)
* [[Aleen Mitchell]] (?–[[1968]]) <!-- started 1965 or earlier-->
* [[Anne Jordan]] ([[1968]]–?) <!-- to at least 1969 -->
* [[Gene Burgess]] (?–[[1990]]) <!-- started 1972 or earlier -->
* [[Jack Allison]] ([[1990]]–[[2002]])
* [[Carol Lord]] ([[2002]]–[[2013]])
* [[Gina Dorough]] ([[2012]], filled in during Lord's leave of absence)
* [[Abbie Freeman]] ([[2013]]–?)
* [[Kiana Coleman]]
 
 
== References ==
* {{Summe-2001}}
* Rodriguez, Ana (April 23, 2013) "[http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/04/hall-kent_shades_cahaba_elemen.html Hall-Kent, Shades Cahaba elementary school principals announce retirement]." {{BN}}
* Crain, Trisha Powell (September 21, 2021) "Five Alabama schools earn 2021 National Blue Ribbon award." {{BN}}


==External Links==
==External Links==
*[http://www.homewood.k12.al.us/hallkent/ Hall-Kent Elementary School official website]
*[http://hkes.homewood.k12.al.us/?ac=1 Hall-Kent Elementary School] website
 
{{school-stub}}


[[Category:Homewood schools]]
[[Category:Homewood schools]]
[[Category:Elementary schools]]
[[Category:Elementary schools]]
[[Category:1928 establishments]]
[[Category:1928 buildings]]
[[Category:1955 buildings]]
[[Category:1960 buildings]]
[[Category:Burned buildings]]
[[Category:1965 demolitions]]
[[Category:Former Jefferson County schools]]
[[Category:Blue Ribbon schools]]

Latest revision as of 16:42, 21 September 2021

Hall-Kent Elementary School in 2009.

Hall-Kent Elementary School is one of three elementary schools in the Homewood School System serving grades kindergarten through fifth, located at 213 Hall Avenue. It primarily serves households in West Homewood. Enrollment in 2016 was 588 students. The principal is Kiana Coleman.

History

The first school in the area, to which Hall-Kent traces its roots, was Zelosophian Academy, established in the Oak Grove area by James Hugh Blair Hall in 1892. It was followed by Oak Grove Elementary School, a Jefferson County school established in the area in 1908, but which burned in 1927. Hall-Kent was built to replace the latter. Raleigh B. and Edna Mae Kent donated four lots with school officials buying a fifth lot for the new school. The four-room, wood-frame schoolhouse, which featured outdoor plumbing, was completed in 1928 and named in honor of Dr. Hall and the Kent family.

The school initially served Oak Grove, Green Springs, and Shades Mountain. The county later added bus service for students in Spaulding, Shannon, and Oxmoor. In the early 1930s, Hall-Kent was one of the first schools in Alabama to have a kindergarten program. In 1935, the Hall-Kent Improvement Association held its first fall carnival to raise money for lunchroom equipment. The carnival became a long-standing annual event.

The pot-bellied stoves were replaced by a gas heating system in the late 1940s. Enrollment increased from 93 students in 1950 to 236 in 1959, necessitating the addition of four more classrooms, an auditorium, restrooms, a teacher workroom, and principal's office during that time. The first two brick sections were added in 1955 and 1960, the latter of which included four more classrooms.

An April 1965 fire destroyed the old wood-frame section, including the library, boiler room, and lunchroom. Some portions were torn down, but the lunchroom was rebuilt as the new library. Enrollment grew to 360 by 1968, leading to large class sizes and some portable classrooms despite the building additions.

In 1970, Hall-Kent became one of the newly-established Homewood City Schools system's three elementary schools.

Hall-Kent was awarded a National Blue Ribbon from the U.S. Department of Education in 2021.

Principals


References

External Links

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