Byrneville Elementary School was started in 1941 when it moved into the present building at 1600 Byrneville Road. The school was built around the time of the depression. It was built by a government project called the WPA. The WPA was a group of people who were given jobs as an emergency. They worked for approximately $.50 a day. Around the time of construction it only cost about $7,000 to build the building. The school was originally supposed to go to Santa Rosa County. People in the community joined together to persuade the government to put the building in Byrneville. The first principal was Mr. Preston Wiggins. In 1941 when the school started the teachers were still at the old school. Mr. Wiggins had to go in his car to the school to get them.
After Wiggins retired, Albert Shumake, a teacher at Bratt Elementary, took over as principal. This was in the late 1960s. In 1973, Shumake retired. At that time Roy Ikner was principal at Davis Elementary. He moved to Byrneville in June of 1973.
The original school did not have electricity. Through the years it got electricity along with the rest of the Byrneville Community.
Amazingly through 50 years the present building has remained so well kept. Roy Ikner contributes this to the WPA.
Through the years portables have been brought in to compensate overcrowdedness. In 1991 the school got parking spaces, new paved sidewalks, and covered walks. These improvements were made possible by volunteers, PALS, and the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization). The PTO has invested a lot of money into the school over the years.
The goal for the school as of the 1990-1991 school year was to service the boys and girls of the area with education that will feed their need in the future.
