Lamar County Training School

Lamar County Training School. Lamar County. , In 1928, the county constructed a two-room schoolhouse with Ms. Ruby C. Todd, a Jeanes Supervisor of Negro Schools, serving as teacher. The school provided a 7th through 12th grade education for Black students. In 1935, the school added five new teachers. In 1936, the state of Alabama certified Ms. Todd as a high school teacher for Black students. The school continued to grow, with construction of a vocational building in 1937 to provide curriculum in science and home economics. Ms. Todd's sister, Ms. Zephyrus Todd, taught the first graduating class of eight students in 1938. In 1940, the school constructed a dormitory for female teachers and students. It also added a three-room elementary school in 1941 and hot and cold water for the Home Economics Department. The school built a dairy barn in 1942, producing its own dairy products, and started a canning program from the fresh produce the students grew. In 1962, the county built a new high school and LCTS was renamed Todd High School, operating until integration in 1969. Lamar County Training School is the first and only high school built for the African Americans in Lamar County, and reflects the struggle and perseverance of the Black population after reconstruction. Listed in the Alabama Register of Historic Landmarks and Heritage March 24, 2022 .