William Shaffner Neal High School

Mission:

The mission of W.S. Neal High School is to faciliate learning appropriate with the unique needs of our students in a safe, nurturing, and enaging environment

History:

W. S. Neal received its name from Mr. William Shaffner Neal, who at one time was Superintendent of Education of Escambia County. Mr. Neal saw the need for state supported secondary schools during his tenure as Superintendent of Education and was successful in getting a bill passed through the Alabama legislature, which appropriated money for this purpose. Mr. Neal saw the need for public schools in order to educate the common person. The first such school in the State of Alabama was located in 1898 in Atmore, Alabama. Other counties immediately followed suit and our present secondary school system developed from this first measure, which was sponsored by Mr. Neal. In recognition for this and other services that he rendered to the schools of Escambia County, the Escambia County Board of Education adopted a resolution to name the school in East Brewton, W. S. Neal School. Before this time the school had been called East Brewton School.

In 1919, a storm destroyed the old two - room frame building which served as the East Brewton School. By the fall of 1920 a new two-story five-room brick building was ready.This building was soon out - grown and in 1928,the building was erected. As the school grew and consolidation took place more rooms were added. This new building was named W. S. Neal in honor of the first superintendent of Escambia County. A fire destroyed this building February 1, 1951. A more modern building replaced this one, having been completed in 1952.

Even though the school may be considered small by today's standards, it is still much bigger than it was when it was first constructed. It started out with only a few rooms, and gradually expanded over the years. It began its life solely as a high school, but as buildings were added on, this began to change. A few of the first add-ons were for elementary level learning. The school kept expanding, and it is interesting to see when the buildings were originally built. A lit football field and dressing rooms were built for the football team in 1946. Construction for the then new elementary school began in 1947, and it was ready for use in 1948. Other buildings came into being regularly after this until the school came to be what it is today.

W. S. Neal School became a consolidated high school in 1928-29. Previous to this time it had been an elementary school, and junior high school. The county building program in 1928, which promoted the building of six brick school buildings, also included the high school buildings, which Neal now uses. The last wing of this building, at present houses the library and rooms 12 and 13, which were added at a later date.