Councill Elementary School

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Councill Elementary School
Councill School.jpg
BCS small logo.png Birmingham City Schools
Years 19262012
Location 1400 Avenue M Ensley, (map)
Belview Heights
Grades Pre-K-6
Principal Steve Brown
Enrollment 429 (2008)
Colors
Mascot
Website

William Hooper Councill Elementary School (formerly Davis School and Councill Negro Elementary School) was an elementary school in the Birmingham City Schools system located at 1400 Avenue M Ensley.

The original Davis School building, named for Alfred Davis, was constructed in 1898 at the corner of 20th Street and Avenue L (now Avenue P).

The current school building was constructed on a triangular site for 1,040 African-American pupils in 1926 and expanded in 1928. It is named in memory of William Councill, the founder and first president of A&M College at Normal.

In the 1930s jazz bassist Walter Blythe started a band program at Councill, mentoring young musicians including Jo Jones, Nehamiah Stanfield and Jimmy Chappel.

In 2009 plans were made for $7 million in renovations to Councill Elementary, but interim superintendent Barbara Allen suggested joining the student body with that of Bush Middle School in a new K-8 school. That proposal was repeated in 2012 by superintendent Craig Witherspoon.

Principals

References