Built in 1836, this School in Mobile AL was the First Public School in the State

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Barton Academy, completed in 1836, was the first public school in the State of Alabama. The school was named for Willoughby-Barton, a member of the Alabama Legislature and sponsor of the act which created the Board of School Commissioners for Mobile County, Alabama's first local board of education.

The land for the building, a part of the Price Tract, was acquired on May 25^th, 1830.

Henry Hitchcock, Alabama's first attorney general, headed the committee appointed to secure plans and establish the school. A large part of the money used to construct the building came from Hitchcock's private fortune.

Private and denominational schools were held in Barton Academy from 1836 to 1851. The Mobile School Commissioners appropriated money to these Catholic, Methodist, Trinity and Bethal groups, as there were then no purely public schools in Mobile County or anywhere in Alabama.

The Mobile school authorities were the first in Alabama to provide a definite income for the support of public education. This income was derived from land grants and fines and a tax on the sales of slaves, livestock, and other commodities. There was also a license tax on shows, theatres, and similar amusements. These funds were supplemented by revenue raised by a lottery. Barton Academy was built with funds raised partially by lottery.

Barton Academy became Alabama's first public school in 1852. The year before Mobile voters had the choice of selling the academy with the sale proceeds going to private schools or retaining Barton Academy and setting up a public school system. Mobile voters voted for public schools. Willis G. Clark, chairman of the school board, was sent to study the school systems in the Northern states.

The County Superintendent of Education has used a portion of the building for his office since 1857, except for 1925-26 and 1968-69, when building renovations were made. Certain other school administrative offices were located there when most of the building was used for classrooms.

Barton Academy continued to operate as a public school from 1852 to May, 1965, when decreasing enrollment brought about by shifting population patterns led to the closing of the classrooms. When renovations were completed in March, 1970, Barton Academy housed all of the offices of its founding organization, the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County.

Building Description

Rectangle with protrusions. Entry Hall extends to front withl open portico above. Single small rooms extended to rear of corners. Original plan had central stair hall with stair running from ground to cupola. One large classroom on each side of central hall with office in small rooms at rear corners. This arrangement typical for first two floors. Third floor divided into four rooms plus office on each side of central stair hall.

Stuccoed brick exterior walls, wood floor joists and girders supported on wood columns. Corbeled brick footings. Stuccoed cornice carried by limestone slabs cantilevering from exterior wall and counterweighted by roof trusses. Wood cupola and lantern. Low pitched roof originally tin clad.

Symmetrical composition. Three stories with lowest floor slightly heavier than upper two. Doric pilasters run from second floor to cornice all four sides. Central portico extends to front at entry; enclosed at ground floor with open porches, second and third floor. Six Ionic columns run from second floor to cornice and support low pitched pediment Deep overhanging cornice with parapet above all four sides. Heavy drum and cupola, with dome surmounted by lantern. Twenty-eight wood Ionic columns around cupola. Exterior walls stuccoed and scored to simulate large scale stone.

Typical stout Greek Revival appearance. Cupola and drum extremely heavy to successfully compensate for foreshortening when seen from ground.

Plaster walls and ceilings on split lath. Ground floor stucco over brick. Other floor yellow pine. Back banded door and window trim. Exposed interior columns of wood, Doric Order. Cupola only portion retaining any original finishes.

Massive cast iron gateways, posts cast in the form of bundles of elm and birch bound with leather thongs containing an ax and blade fasces. Fifteen slender lances of iron between each post. Wrought iron railings over entry portico at both first and second floor porches.

East and West wings were extended to sides and rear in late 19^th Century. Structure bolstered and extended to rear in 1913-14.

(1970)