John Bryan
John Edwards Bryan Sr (born September 3, 1895; died September 27, 1981) was an educator, president of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind in Talladega, and a member of the Birmingham City Council.
Bryan was the son of famed Presbyterian minister James "Brother" Bryan and his wife, Lenora. He graduated from Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia and completed post-graduate work at Columbia University in New York and at the University of Chicago. He began his career in the Birmingham City Schools in 1917, but took a leave of absence to serve in World War I. After returning he taught at Birmingham High School and served as principal of the 17th Avenue School. In 1920 he was named principal of the Cunningham School. He also served a term as president of the Jefferson County School Teachers Association, and as a member of the civil service board. In 1927 he was elected superintendent of Bessemer City Schools. He also taught at Howard College.
Bryan took on the job of superintendent of the Jefferson County School System in 1937 to 1948. He took over leadership of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind in 1948. He resigned in 1955 to accept an appointment from the American Foundation for Overseas Blind to advise the government of South Korea on public education for the vision impaired. He also served as executive vice president of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and was named "Birmingham Man of the Year" in 1962.
Bryan was the top vote-getter in the 1963 Birmingham municipal election, which seated the first nine at-large members of the Birmingham City Council after the city's form of government was changed. He was re-elected in 1967 and did not run again in 1971.
Bryan also served on the boards of the Metropolitan YMCA, Birmingham Boys Club, Salvation Army, National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Red Cross, Community Chest, Kiwanis Club and the State Training School for Girls.
Bryan Elementary School in Morris and the 1976 Seibels/Bryan Airport Terminal Building at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport are named in his honor.
Bryan and his wife, the former Gladys Frances Kerr, had three children. Bryan died in 1981 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery.
References
- "Prof. Bryan Is Given New Post." (June 16, 1927) Birmingham Post
- "Meet the Candidates" (February 22, 1963) Birmingham Post-Herald - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
External links
- John Edwards Bryan at Findagrave.com