Alabama State Teachers College
Laboratory School Building

The Laboratory High School, founded in 1920, was located on the campus of the Alabama State Teachers College in Tullibody Hall, along with the college’s John W. Beverly Science Hall, music conservatory, and gymnasium. During the Secondary School Study, 300 students in grades K–12 were enrolled, with over 150 students attending the secondary school, grades 8–12. Since “Lab High” was receiving public funds as well as support from Alabama State College, admission to the school was open, i.e., nonselective. This led to a more diverse student population of abilities and interests (Dunn, 1946). The high school faculty included eight full-time teachers and nine part-time teachers from the college. Lab High, whose slogan during this time was, “Study the growth and beauty of nature—plants and animals for individual development,” served primarily as a site for the observation of classes by preservice teachers, with occasions for practice teaching (Hardy, 1943). Most student teaching placements were located off campus.

a brick from Tullibody Hall, donated to the Museum of Education
by A. C. Henry

In 1969, Lab High closed as part of a reorganization of Alabama State College to university status. The Laboratory High School building of the 1940s, Tullibody Hall, no longer stands.

The Laboratory School is located on the campus of the Alabama State Teachers College.  Its enrollment for grades 1-12 is 300, with slightly more than half of this number enrolled in grades 8-12.  The faculty of the High School department of the Laboratory School composed of eight full-time teachers and nine part time teachers from the college staff are attempting to develop a demonstration school whose instruction program will be suggestive to college students pursuing the teacher education curriculum.  Student-teaching is done largely off campus and the campus school is reserved for observation and limited practice.  The curriculum is being gradually organized along the lines of the core approach recommended for Alabama schools by the State Department of Education.  The school is accredited by the regional agency.  
From W. H. Brown and W. A. Robinson, Serving Negro Schools. Atlanta, Georgia: Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools for Negroes, 1946.

GOALS FOR 1941-42 SETUP
AT STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL

The Laboratory High School at State Teachers College, Montgomery, Alabama in setting up its goals for the year indicated how the various areas in the school planned to contribute to the achievement of the cooperative purposes which follow.
(a)        More emphasis upon democratic thinking and democratic training.
(b)        Greater emphasis upon student planning in course offerings.
(c)        More comprehensive development of student talent and cultivation of a deeper sense of responsibility.
(d)        Some training in student government.
(e)        More intelligent cooperation between instructors, pupils and library services.
(f)        More opportunity for the use of specialist in core courses.
(g)        The continued development within the pupil of traits of honesty, critical-mindedness, self-control, social sensitivity, and freedom from prejudices. 
(h)        Increased desire and more practice in the techniques of attacking life problems.

     An excerpt from the plan will illustrate the general nature of the contributions to be made by the various areas in achieving the goals mentions above.  Contribution will be made by the social science area through:
a.         The development of respect for individual opinions and differences;
b.         The scientific evaluation of opinions and materials before the formulation of a conclusion.

Contribution will be made through the social science area through:
a.         Group experiences showing the value of open-mindedness and critical-mindedness and leading to the cultivation of these qualities;
b.         The development of a general understanding of the forces that influence public opinion;
c.         The development of skill in propaganda analysis;
d.         The development of greater skill in the intelligent use of the avenues of communication.

Contribution will be made by the language arts area through:
a.         Widening the students’ range of observation;
b.         Evaluating the students’ thoughts;
c.         Enabling the student to see with the eyes of those who have seem most clearly and to feel with those who have felt most deeply.

The following procedures and student activities will be used to determine the extent to which the cooperative purposes previously listed have been achieved:
a.         Class discussions
b.         Debating activities and dramatic presentations
c.         Creative compositions
d.         Objective tests
e.         Science laboratory participation
f.          Student preparation of booklets and folders
g.         Carefully keeping and interpreting anecdotal records and records resulting from paper and pencil tests
h.         Through the use of questionnaires and interview
i.          Through observation of student conduct and participation in all activities of the school
j.          By making all interpretations in the light of the goals and purposes listed previously.
—Taken from Communications Committee’s Report

from To and From Our Schools: A News Bulletin of the Secondary School Study of the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools for Negros. Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia  Vol. 1 January, 1942 No. 2

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State Teachers College Laboratory School