Bolton High School: School’s Out for Summer

As I mentioned in the previous post, one of the most popular threads ever published on CenLamar concerned Bolton High School. The first entry on Bolton was published on September 13, 2006, and it attracted a significant attention and an influx of comments from current and former teachers, Bolton’s former principal, current and former students, parents, and concerned citizens. The initial post asked a series of simple questions, but some perceived my interest in the topic as purely political (though it was not).

It seems appropriate that after a full school year and after the election of two new School Board members to simply ask “Has anything changed?” and “How are things now?”.

These questions are not intended to incite any negative personal attacks on current or former Bolton teachers, staff members, or administrators, but rather, they are offered as a follow-up to the more than 800-plus comments generated by the previous posts.

When reviewing the previous posts and subsequent comments, it’s easy to get the impression that the community was concerned about the future and the health of Bolton. Is this conversation still relevant?

Responses

Anonymous

June 5, 2007

I don’t think much has really changed since last school year. The same people rule the school. Enrollment is about the same. Test scores keep going down. Bolton is complacent, even though it’s bleeding.

Reply
Drew Ward

June 5, 2007

Personally I think we should set Bolton apart from the rest of public education in Rapides. Its academic performance has always plotted a noble place for the school, but that has been eroding in recent years and it needs to return to that academic route. I have read two major stories about Bolton this year. One promising a new focus on football which is anything but what the school needs (c’mon, this is the school where hald the letter jackets say debatem quiz bowl and such — and where such academic honors are proudly worn!). The other was the implementation of apple laptop avalabilitiy to its students. This is more like Bolton.

Many think of Bolton as a school founded in 1926, some even tracing it back to 1915 when the original school (site of the current federal courthouse) opened. But in fact, the history of Bolton goes back to around the 1840’s. It was in that time that the people of central Louisiana came together to provide a place of formal education for their children and young adults. Over the next 70 years the school moved through several stages from using public meeting space to a wooden school house, to a brick structure, a larger school (later Westend Elementary) and finally to the two Bolton High Schools.

It’s not just the oldest school in Alexandria, it’s one of the oldest public schools in the entire country! And along with its age have come pride and traditions that are unrivaled outside of the ivy prep schools of the Northeast. I will never forget Mrs. Alich Chilton telling me the story of how at the end of her Junior year at Bolton the entire school packed up their books, supplies and equipment and marched as a whole down Murray street to Vance Avenue to inauguarate their new shining symbol of educational progress — the new Bolton High. Of all the wonderful things this remarkable woman had accomplished in her life, she was still, 70 years later immensely proud of being among the first products of this grand facade, the graduating class of 1926.

That pride has continued with generations of Boltonians. Where else do you find people who can trace their school back through 5 or 6 generations of alumni of a high school, 3 or 4 of which probably graduating under the Bolton banner?

Bolton’s not just a school. It’s the apex of public education in Central Louisiana. It shouldn’t be just another school. Cenla needs a true center of excellence; not just another magnet school, but a center of learning that prepares those of this area willing to work for it for entry not into state or regional universities, but into the leading Colleges and Universities of our nation. Bolton is the Ivy League of high schools in Cenla, it should be used to prepare those of our children willing to reach for that same standard in college.

If anything, Bolton should be restructured to act as a public (non-boarding) alternative to the Louisiana School (LSMSA) in Natchitoches. It should be open to all parishes within reach, and removed from all of the idiocy and regulations of a normal public school.

A true prep school, one on equal ground with the best schools anywhere in the nation is a part of our regional education system that is sadly missing. Bolton’s the opportunity. Students of such an institution would have the opportunity that this area simply can’t provide right now…one to do as their Alma Mater proclaims: ‘Bolton go forth, win honour and win Fame!’

Also, on another Alumnus point: Bring back the BEER SONG!!!

I’ll start…

Beer, Beer for old Bolton High.

Bring out the whiskey, bring out the rye.

Drew Ward
Nuremberg, Germany

(oh yeah, I learned to speak German at Bolton. Also somthing that seems to no longer be possible in Rapides!)

Reply
1. Brittney Winborn
  
  May 29, 2012
  
  I was reminiscing about high school life after watching Project X tonight and realized I couldn’t remember all of the words to the beer cheer. I googled the bits I could remember and that is how I found this post. I graduated in 2008 and would just like to say that you can’t “bring back” something that is still there.
  Beer, Beer for old Bolton High.
  Bring out the whiskey, bring out the rye.
  Send those freshman out for a beer and don’t let ’em sober ’till there sophomore year!
  Juniors never stumble, seniors never fall.
  We sober up on pure alcohol.
  So all you SONS OF BHS,
  We’re getting drunk tonight!
  
  I really hope, after another four to ten years go by and I am once again trying to recollect these fine words, that I stumble across this post and pat myself on the back for putting it somewhere I knew I’d find.
  
  Reply
Anonymous

May 12, 2013

You’ll be happy to know that the “Beer Cheer” is still proudly sung several times at each football game (that is more than likely being lost, but not that any students care if they win or lose)

Reply
bigfella422

July 2, 2013

I have enjoyed the posts above and reminiscing about Bolton. I am a 1983 graduate of BHS and I must correct Brittney above for the words to the “Beer, Beer” song:

Beer, beer for old Bolton High;
Bring out the whiskey, bring out the rye–
Send a FRESHMAN out for beer, and don’t let a sober SOPHOMORE NEAR!
JUNIORS NEVER STAGGER! SENIORS NEVER FALL!
We sober up on pure alcohol,
All you saints of BHS, we’re gonna get drunk tonight! HEY!

I’m embarrassed to say the phrase of saying “SOPHOMORE YEAR” started 30 years ago while I was at BHS, but I couldn’t prevail upon the sophomores who had heard wrong and passed on the incorrect wording. I only knew the correct version because my brothers had attended Bolton in the 70s.

Reply
lab leak walnut

June 26, 2014

Check with your city’s department of building and safety before asking for estimates, and avoid any plumbers who are reluctant to comply with regulations.
Look for the most qualified and friendly plumber in your area to do your plumbing work.

An emergency plumber is called largely by residential area.

Reply
San Dimas Plumbers

June 28, 2014

In either case, this is a repair caused by the tenants negligence and would be an expense of the tenant.
Commercial plumbers perform an equally important
job when servicing commercial clients. Another curious fact is that tellaks were tax exempt.

Reply
sylvia margolius

November 18, 2014

I remember the fight song as: Beer, beer for old Bolton High, Bring on the Whiskey, bring on the Rye. Send those Freshmen out for gin and don’t let a sober Senior in. We never stagger, we never fall. We sober up on wood alcohol….And I don’t remember the rest!!

Reply
sylvia margolius

November 18, 2014

I should have signed the post “Sylvia RUBIN Margolius

Reply