The History of Phillips High School

Information provided by Attie Fleming  

Written By: Mary Compton  

Journalism Class of 2000

The first, wooden frame school building across the highway from the present location of Phillips School, held grades 1-9.  This building caught fire around Christmas of 1925.   Local churches provided temporary space for the  teachers and pupils.  Mrs. J. R. Phillips  graciously donated land  for a new school on April 16, 1926.  Her husband ,who passed away in April 1925, wanted  the addition of a high school.  The community pulled together with its energetic volunteer labor and donated timber from virgin pines in Bear Creek.  Members of the community sacrificed time and money in their participation with the construction of the new Phillips School.  Logging was done by wagon and hauled to Veal's sawmill.  Brick came by rail and was transported by wagon to the site.  McKinley Campbell, assisted by his brother, was the contractor for the new facility.  Family names are:  Phillips, Tidwell, Fleming, Campbell, Morrow, Arnold, Vickery, Smith, Golden, Veal, Flippo and others.

The first principal at Phillips School was Mr. Robert E. Moody of Joppa.  He worked diligently, prior to the beginning of school in the fall of 1927, to encourage drop outs  to reenter school.  Now they would not have to leave home to attend high school.  The first graduation was held  at Phillips High School in 1929.  Agricultural and home economics departments were added in 1935 and housed near the present location of the cafeteria.  The football field was located behind the main building, which was later replaced in 1969.  The only building presently standing  that was a part of the first campus is the band room.  It was formerly the community canning plant.

Over the years, the J. R. Phillips family has given additional land by  Oscar, Horace Phillips and L. G. Phillips, and more recently Wayne Phillips.  Additional classrooms were added to the high school section in 1979 and 1982.  The elementary gym was erected in 1982.  The high school gym was renovated and the new lobby was erected in 1988.  In 1999-2000 an additional building was constructed near the band room, containing new elementary classes and bathrooms.  The school has grown to 260 high school students and 342 elementary students.  The faculty consists of approximately 21 high school teachers and 27 elementary teachers. 

On Saturday, September 2nd, the Phillips football field (James E. Glass Stadium) was named after Coach James E. Glass in honor of the dedication he has given to the football team and school throughout the years.  Our football field was the first football field in the state of Alabama to be lighted.  This occurred in the fall of  ‘33.