Valdosta, Albany and the controversial 1929 football season, Part III

Continued from Part II

The SGAA waited to rule on the 1929 Valdosta-Albany football game until after head coach Mike Herndon and Valdosta returned home. After playing Albany, the team went to Athens to watch the Georgia-Georgia Tech game, which was played in the brand new Sanford Stadium.

One of the points of Valdosta contention was the name of an official. The Wildcats expected one of the men to be Lake Russell, Mercer’s head coach (coaches as officials was extremely common). Valdosta claims the man on the field was even introduced as Lake Russell, but Russell assured Valdostans via telegram that he was not in Albany. There was an official surnamed Russell on the field that day, it being Glasgow Russell.

Valdosta, Albany and the controversial 1929 football season, Part II

The Valdosta High Wildcats of 1929, printed in the December 3, 1929 Valdosta Times. Head coach Mike Herndon is far left. To his immediate right is possibly city schools superintendent A.G. Cleveland. VHS is posed in front of its school building on Williams Street, which was its home from 1922-73. The building has since been destroyed by fire.

Continued from Part I

Valdosta was feeling quite confident heading into the 1929 football game with Albany.

Even before Moultrie was played, Valdosta’s local CRYING Out Loud column said it was in the bag.

“Albany will be disposed of next week,” said DeWitt Roberts’s column printed November 26, “unless some surprising upset occurs. That will leave the Cats the undisputed champion out of the conference, perhaps out of the entire South Georgia area.”

The column even said that Valdosta folks were looking into a game with Athens for what it called a state championship. The two had already had a so-called title game in 1920, which was won by the Wildcats.

Moultrie was duly conquered, 27-0, on Thanksgiving Day. It was on to Albany.

Valdosta, Albany and the controversial 1929 football season, Part I

For as long as there have been sports, there have been controversies over plays. From kids arguing over fouls in backyard games, to the 2017 Georgia High School Association state championships, there have been disputes.

Every team has one they can point out.

The “Holy Roller” and “Immaculate Conception” are two from National Football League history. Georgia and Florida argue over the number of wins in their football series. Peach County feels they were robbed of the Class AAA football title last year.

One of the biggest controversies on the high school gridiron during the first half of the 20th century occurred in 1929 when Valdosta High disputed an Albany High touchdown and walked off the field.

Valdosta’s 1929 season was more than a single play. It was a season of incidents that affected multiple games. Many of the individuals from both season and game ended as big names in their communities and the state.

This is an attempt to tell what happened.

A look back at the state’s largest high schools

Reclassification is months away in the Georgia High School Association, but guesses about which schools are the biggest in the state are probably fairly easy ones.

The largest will come from Gwinnett County, some just slightly smaller from Cobb County. Lowndes may push into the state’s top 10.

Collins Hill dropped jaws and raised eyebrows when it topped 4,000 students almost 15 years ago. A high school larger than the populations of some small towns, including county seats.

It may not have been the first high school in Georgia to reach that mark.

Georgia’s average daily attendance figures for schools are difficult to find prior to the late 1970s.

I have stumbled on a partial list from 1951 and have a full list from The Atlanta Constitution from 1965. I lack access to ProQuest’s Constitution archives to see if more exist.

There are three lists that popped up – 1961-62, 1967-68 and 1969-70 – labeled Public High School Data in the Georgia Government Publications archives. The box of Georgia Interscholastic Association archives housed by the Georgia High School Association has a handful of region lists with ADA numbers.

Finally, some school systems would give attendance reports at the beginning of school years. Most of those that have surfaced are from smaller systems.

Mega-sized schools were few and far between in the olden days, at least by current standards.

The Atlanta Daily World in 1936 did claim that Atlanta’s Washington High was housing nearly 4,000 students. What grades Washington taught was not mentioned. Washington was the city’s sole public black high school.

Few others would have held as many as 1,500.

A few numbers that have surfaced from before the 1960s are eye-catching.

Augusta’s Richmond Academy had 989 students at the start of the 1940-41 school year while all-girls high school Tubman enrolled 1,118. In 1952-53, The Augusta Chronicle reported that at the start of the fall term Richmond Academy (and the associated junior college) had 1,500 students. Tubman had 1,262.

Lucy Laney had 904 students in high school in October 1952. At the time, it was Augusta’s only public black high school.

Lanier was a 2,000-man school for 1952-54 reclassification, according to numbers published in The Daily Tifton Gazette. It and A.L. Miller, boys and girls high schools, respectively, were probably similarly-sized. At that time, they were the only public white high schools in Bibb County.

Soon, more cumulative lists were published. These were the largest high schools in each, with a few historical notes:

1959-60 (GIA archives)

1. Washington, Atlanta (1,534)
2. Howard, Atlanta (1,188)
3. Spencer (1,164)
4. Ballard-Hudson (1,104)
5. Beach (1,082)

Desegregation began in 1961 and Atlanta kept opening majority black high schools in the city, but Washington consistently grew through the decade. Howard grew slightly, but by 1969-70 was falling, with an average daily attendance recorded at 858 that year. In 1976, the Atlanta school system closed Howard High. Washington lost numbers in the 1970s, but never dropped below Class AA.

1961-62 (Public High School Data, includes white and black schools)

1. Savannah (2,008)
2. Washington, Atlanta (1,777)
3. Albany (1,697)
4. Baker (1,605)
5. Columbus (1,581)

Albany High was not at its largest in 1961-62 – it was listed at 1,824 students in 1967-68’s Public High School Data – but the school was arguably at its most powerful. Albany was the sole white high school in the city (Monroe was the only black high school) and with no big private schools to eat at its population.

In 1963, the Dougherty school district opened Dougherty High on the east side of town. As the city’s population shifted, Westover opened in 1968 on the northwest side. With Deerfield Academy opening, then Riverview Academy opening and white flight taking hold, Albany’s significance began to dwindle. Albany’s ADA was 830 in 1969-70. While stable, it ultimately wound up on the chopping block in 2017. Dougherty’s oldest high school is no more.

1966-68 (Atlanta Constitution list for GHSA reclassification from Nov. 18, 1965)

1. Lanier (3,126)
2. A.L. Miller (2,994)
3. Arnold (2,761)*
4. Jordan (2,512)
5. Baker (2,445)

Lanier and Miller would both lose significant numbers with the creation of Mark Smith and Lasseter high schools. All three Macon girls’ high schools were GHSA members, but oddly only Miller was listed in reclassification. A.L. Miller, Lasseter and McEvoy, the latter being the other Macon girls’ high school, were only associate members of the GHSA.

While the classifications list was released in November 1965, Baker’s and Jordan’s attendance figures might have been estimated (or simply incorrect as they vary tremendously from the state-published Public High School Data figures from 1961-62). The Constitution does list the region’s newest school, Hardaway, as having 1,448 students. Baker remained one of the state’s largest high schools as of the 1967-68 Public High School Data, but its number had dropped by 600 students. Jordan was even harder hit, losing around 800 in average daily attendance.

Long associated with Columbus’ military community, Baker’s decline was steep. The GHSA’s average daily attendance was 934 when it began publishing average daily attendance data in its handbooks for 1978-79 region listings.  In 1980, the number was 607 before falling all the way to 363 in 1986-87. It recovered to 600 in 1990-91, but by then it was too late; Baker closed in 1991.

* Arnold is almost assuredly an incorrectly labeled Savannah in the reclassification region list. Though the new Windsor Forest possibly pulled from its attendance area, Public High School Data of 1967-68 lists Arnold’s average daily attendance figure as 397, with Windsor Forest at 605.

Savannah is not listed in region list (the listing is technically “Savannah Arnold” in The Constitution) and at that time, Savannah’s numbers were huge. The GHSA region list of 1966-67 has both schools in the same conference.

1966-68 (GIA archives)

1. Ballard-Hudson (1,862)
2. Spencer (1,353)
3. Monroe, Albany (1,138)
4. Carver, Columbus (1,098)
5. Tompkins (1,066)

Note: Likely constructed during the summer of 1966, after several teams jumped to the GHSA, the ADA list did not include schools such as Washington of Atlanta, which would have been around 2,000 students. It does, however, include several Savannah schools that jumped that year.

1967-68 (Public High School Data)

1. Washington, Atlanta (2,039)
2. Savannah (2,017)
3. Albany (1,824)
4. Baker (1,811)
5. Price (1,716)

Albany peaks in (known) attendance. Price had 500 students fewer in the 1969-70 Public High School Data. Savannah began to slide, too, in 1969-70.

1968-70 (GIA archives)

1. Ballard-Hudson (1,559)
2. Monroe (1,142)
3. Central, Newnan (763)
4. T.J. Elder (711)
5. Fairmont (692)

The exodus had begun, in both terms of larger schools to the GHSA and integration, and by the time district play actually commenced in 1968, Ballard-Hudson was gone to the GHSA as well. When fully integrated, Washington County – with whom Elder combined – would never be higher than a Class AAA school. Fairmont’s enrollment, however, would push Griffin to being one of the state’s largest high schools.

1969-70 (Public High School Data)

1. Washington, Atlanta (1,919)
2. Baker (1,918)
3. Warner Robins (1,815)
4. Savannah (1,797)
5. Jordan (1,762)

Warner Robins’ ascent was rapid. After opening in 1944 – high school students were sent to Bonaire when the base first opened – its growth was enough to warrant a second high school (Northside) in 1963. In 1961-62, Warner Robins High had 1,286 students. In 1969-70, the Warner Robins and Northside accounted for nearly 3,200 students.

To be continued in part II, where we jump ahead to the end of the 1970s and see the rise of much larger metro Atlanta schools.

Sources: Atlanta Daily World – Sept. 15, 1936; The Daily Tifton Gazette – Oct. 24, 1951; The Augusta Chronicle – Sept. 8, 1940, Oct. 8, 1952; The Atlanta Constitution – Nov. 18, 1965.

Random box score: 1977 Albany-Thomasville

Occasionally, the Georgia High School Basketball Project Blog will offer up a random basketball box score.

The games are not necessarily of high historical value, even for either team during the season. It’s just a random box score from a freely available source.

Published January 8, 1977 in the Albany Herald

Albany vs. Thomasville, January 7, 1977

No girls point summary was included.

Albany High closes

The final Albany High School (source: Wikipedia)

The Dougherty County School System announced Tuesday that Albany High was closing, effective immediately.

Albany was the county’s oldest high school, with roots to the 1800s and was the system’s only public white high school until Dougherty opened in 1963. Monroe was the home of all of the system’s black high school children until September 1964, when 12th graders began the process of desegregation.

The closure came six weeks after the Dougherty County School System proposed reorganization for Albany High, whose numbers have been declining.

The Albany Herald said the vote was 4-3 in favor of closure.

The final AHS building was completed in 1954, costing a whopping $1.9 million at the time. By contrast, in 1952, Terrell County estimated that it would cost $1.5 million to build seven elementary schools as part of its building program.

When opened in 1954, Albany High had 1,300 students. The last numbers released by the Georgia High School Association – average daily attendance for reclassification in 2016 – Albany was down to 837.

Average daily attendance numbers are hard to come by before 1978, but AHS had to be near its peak in student population in 1962 when the number was 1,697. That made it the second largest white high school in Georgia (Savannah, 2,008) and third largest in Georgia overall (Washington of Atlanta was second at 1,777).

Upon the opening of the 1954 building, no guarantees were made about how long it would last.

The Albany Herald said, “With Albany growing at its present rate, however, no building can be made adequate for anticipated needs for any great length of time, Mr. Kalmon [E.H. Kalmon, Dougherty board chairman] indicated.”

The lengthy article described every facet of the building, from recessed water fountains to its 1,900 lockers. Naturally, the athletic facilities were quite nice for the era.

“THE GYMNASIUM is of such tremendous size as to stagger the visitor. No less than six basketball goals are erected on the interior which boasts a maple floor and pull-out bleachers recessed in the walls which will seat 1,400 persons. In addition, huge ventilating fans keep the structure pleasantly cool. Two practice and two contest courts are provided for basketball and the gym is fringed with showers and dressing rooms, as well as offices and class space for physical education and coaches. The girls’ showers are planning for individual use, whereas the boys have “gang” showers. Lockers and shower facilities are also provided for visiting athletic teams.

“The gymnasium also has a well-designed lobby containing trophy cases, a concession stand and public rest rooms. It is easily available to the enormous parking area in the plant’s rear.

“The basketball goals of the gymnasium may be pulled up and recessed into the wall when not in use and facilities are available to drop a metal screen down the center of the gym to separate boys’ and girls’ basketball squads or physical educational classes.”

Within 10 years, the city had a new high school to behold with the opening of Dougherty on the growing east side of town. Westover opened in 1968.

Albany kept its school population over 1,000 until likely the mid 1990s. GHSA numbers were based on three grades until 1998.

In 1978, the first year the league printed ADA figures in its handbooks, Albany had 922 students from 10th-12th grade. The number dipped to 852 in 1984 before falling under 700 during the next classification cycle.

Albany High recovered to 914 students in 1998, but spent 2000-14 under 800 students, including a low of 702 in 2012-14. The number jumped again to 912 for 2014-16, but dropped again.

The second Albany High School

Albany’s first dedicated high school was built in 1916, according to the Albany High Times, and located at the corner of Society and Monroe streets. It quickly outgrew the site and was replaced by a building at 1000 N. Jefferson Street. Before the high school buildings, Albany’s high school was part of an all-grades building called Albany Academy.

Albany won only one boys state basketball tournament, the Class B championship in 1935 under head basketball coach and former head football coach, Bevin Lee. The Indians dominated Perry, 34-20, at Woodruff Hall in Athens for the championship.

Albany High basketball, 2006-07

They were runners-up in 1990 and 1993 – both times to Westover – under Archie Chatmon.

Albany’s girls won state titles in 1952 and 1953. They had not been to state since 2012.

Starting in 1955, Albany also hosted the city’s major boys basketball Christmas tournament before the Civic Center was built.

Indians was chosen as the athletic teams’ nickname in a contest c. 1924. Albany did not have a nickname prior, though the school colors of orange and green had already been established.

1961-62 Albany High Squaws

Sources: The Dawson News – Nov. 6, 1952; The Albany Herald – Aug. 17, 1954, Dec. 16, 1979; Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Education Statistics: Public High School Data; Southern School News – September 1964; multiple handbooks of the Georgia High School Association; Albany High Times