Henry Norton Sr
Henry Buford Norton Sr (born October 25, 1888; died June 12, 1973) was principal of Robinson Elementary School from 1922 to 1959.
Norton, the son of Henry Thomas Norton and the former Nancy Richards, graduated from State Normal School in Florence, Lauderdale County (now the University of North Alabama) and also completed a bachelor of science at the University of Alabama. He went on to earn a master of arts and "Superintendent of Schools" diploma from the University of Missouri on Columbia. He also studied at Vanderbilt's Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee and the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Norton worked as a principal and superintendent around the state before taking a position at Birmingham City Schools. He was hired as a teacher by Superintendent Charles Glenn, and promoted to principal ten days later in February 1922. During his career, He served terms as president of Birmingham's School Masters' Club and Birmingham Principals' Club and as presdient of the Principals Division, Department of Elementary Principals, and Department of Superintendents for the Alabama Education Association. He was a proponent of the platoon system of teaching and contributed on article on Birmingham's experience with that system in the yearbook of the National Education Association's Department of Elementary School Principals.
Norton was succeeded as principal by one of his former students, John Tarrant. The newly-completed cafetorium at Robinson Elementary was named the "H. B. Norton Auditorium" in his honor.
Norton was married to the former Bertha Mae Bendall, a writer who compiled a history of Birmingham for its centennial entitled Birmingham's First Magic Century: Were You There?. They had four children, Henry Jr, Mervin, Carolyn, and Donald.
Norton was a member of East Lake Methodist Church, the East Lake Lions Club, and the American Legion General Walter E. Bare Post No. 43. Norton died in 1973 and is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery.
| Preceded by: T. D. Moor |
Principal, Robinson Elementary School 1922–1959 |
Succeeded by: John Tarrant |
References
- "Norton Principal Since Feb. 1922." (March 1, 1956) East End News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- "Henry Norton, retiring Robinson principal, honored for long service." (April 10, 1959) The Birmingham News, p. 19
External links
- Henry Buford Norton at Findagrave.com