Bolton High School (Louisiana)

Bolton Academy
Bolton High School in 2007
Location
2101 Vance Avenue Alexandria , Louisiana 71301 United States
Information
Established	1915 [1]
School district	Rapides Parish School Board
Superintendent	Jeff Powell
Principal	Jenifer Scott [2]
Assistant Principal	Hayley Dean [2]
Teaching staff	53.34 (FTE) [3]
Grades	pre-K – 12
Enrollment	561, grades 9–12 (2023–2024) [3]
Student to teacher ratio	10.52 [3]
Color(s)	Royal Blue and White
Mascot	Bear
Yearbook	Bruin
Website	sites.google.com/rpsb.us/boltonacademy/home

Bolton High School (now known as Bolton Academy Academic & Performing Arts Magnet School) is a public magnet school in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. ^{[4] [5]} The school's neoclassical building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

1915 – 1924

Bolton High School was originally segregated, and African American students attended Peabody Industrial School. Scott M. Brame became the school's principal in 1909. ^[6]

Kewaunee Manufacturing of Kewaunee, Wisconsin advertised it was supplying furniture and equipment for the new school building in 1915. A photo of the school is featured in the advertisement. ^[7]

Bolton High School
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	2101 Vance Ave., Alexandria, Louisiana
Coordinates	31°17′36″N92°27′20″W / 31.29333°N 92.45556°W / 31.29333; -92.45556 (Bolton High School)
Area	4.5 acres (1.8 ha)
Built	1926
Architect	Favrot & Livaudais
Architectural style	Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.	84001349 [8]
Added to NRHP	January 9, 1984

The Bolton High School building at 2101 Vance Ave. was constructed in 1926. It is Classical Revival in style and was designed by New Orleans architects Favrot & Livaudais. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. According to its National Register nomination, the building "can be seen as the most urbane and sophisticated early-twentieth century building" in Rapides Parish. ^[9]

The building is described as a "three story neo-classical masonry structure with limestone facing". ^[9] Expansive front and rear sections of the building are separated by an open area but are connected by two corridors. The expansive rear section of the building included a large auditorium. A cafeteria was added in 1967. The front entrance lobby has an ornate design, but much of the interior was "relatively plain", ^[9] emphasizing functionality over ornamentation.

In 1946, archery was added as an athletic program for girls at the school. ^[10]

On November 7, 1957, a tornado three blocks away from the school caused a power failure during a performance of Madame Butterfly . The performance was canceled. Nobody was injured. ^[11]

In 2019, a Career and Tech Center were added and a conservatory planned. ^[12]

2024 – present

In August 2023, the Rapides Parish School Board voted to transition Bolton High School into a magnet school. ^[13]

Beginning with the 2024-25 academic year, Bolton High School became Bolton Academy Academic & Performing Arts Magnet School. ^[14] During the first year, the school accepted students in grades 6 to 12, but the new magnet school is expected to accommodate students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. ^[5]

Athletics

Bolton High competes in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA). ^[15]

Notable alumni

• Errol Barron (b. 1941), architect and professor
• Daniel T. Barry (b. 1953), NASA astronaut ^[16]
• Elliott Chaze (1915–1990), journalist and novelist ^[17]
• Luther F. Cole (1925–2013), state politician and judge ^[18]
• Bob Hamm (1934–2009), writer and poet
• Catherine D. Kimball (b. 1945), Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court ^[19]
• Maxie Lambright (1924–1980), football coach
• Gillis William Long (1923–1985), U.S. representative ^[20]
• Harold B. McSween (1926–2002), U.S. representative
• Warren Morris (b. 1974), Major League Baseball player ^[21]
• Vernon W. Pickett (1912–1944), US Army First Lieutenant that was killed in action during World War II, and the current namesake of Fort Pickett ^[22]
• Ned Randolph (1942–2016), state politician ^[23]
• Jock Scott (1947–2009), politician ^[24]
• Mickey Slaughter (1941–2023), quarterback in the American Football League ^[25]
• Randy Thom (b. 1951), winner of two Oscars, one British Academy Award, and one French Academy Award for film sound

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Rapides Parish, Louisiana

References

1. Committee, Bolton Reunion. "Bolton High to celebrate 100 years". The Town Talk. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
2. "Bolton Academy - Administration & Guidance". sites.google.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
3. "Bolton High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
4. "Bolton High School". U.S. News & World Report. 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
5. "Bolton Academy". sites.google.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
6. Principals (U.S.), National Association of Secondary School (April 19, 1917). "Yearbook of the National Association of Secondary School Principals". The Association – via Google Books.
7. Bruce, William George; Bruce, William Conrad (April 19, 1915). "The American School Board Journal". Bruce Publishing Company – via Google Books.
8. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
9. Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation (October 1983). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Bolton High School". National Park Service . Retrieved March 20, 2023. With accompanying nine photos from 1983
10. "Journal of Physical Education and Recreation". American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation. April 19, 1946 – via Google Books.
11. "Tornadoes Kill 14 in Tri-State Smash". Enterprise-Journal. November 8, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
12. Bazzle, Allison. "Bolton High School to get performing and visual arts center". kalb.com.
13. Vedros, Colin (August 24, 2023). "RPSB votes to move forward with magnet school at Bolton". kalb.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
14. Gregory, Melissa (August 24, 2023). "Let this magnet school change lives: Bolton High to become prek-12 for academics, arts". thetowntalk.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
15. "LHSAA". www.lhsaa.org. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
16. "Survivor Cast: Dan B". CBS . Retrieved July 19, 2021.
17. Lloyd, James B (1981). Lives of Mississippi Authors, 1817-1967. p. 87. ISBN   9781617034183 . Retrieved July 19, 2021.
18. "Luther Cole Obituary (2013) - Baton Rouge, LA - The Advocate". Legacy.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
19. "Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball". Louisiana Supreme Court . Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
20. "Gillis Long Throwing Out Political Rules in Campaign". Shreveport Journal . November 22, 1962. p. 32. Retrieved July 19, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
21. Domangue, Dylan (June 8, 2021). "Warren Morris walk-off homerun, 25 years later". kalb.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
22. "Lt. Vernon Pickett Reported Killed in Action in France". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. October 2, 1944. p. 1. Retrieved June 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
23. "Former Alexandria Mayor Ned Randolph dies at age 74". thetowntalk.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
24. "John Wyeth "Jock" Scott". The Town Talk. April 29, 2009. p. C2. Retrieved July 4, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
25. "Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame". www.latechsports.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.