| Summary: | This historic marker is located on Gilbert Circle, Florence, Alabama.
The text on the marker reads: "Gilbert School, named in honor of Henry C Gilbert, school superintendent 1892-1904 and long time member of Board of Education was built in 1920, costing $79,000. The structure was planned by George D Waller, architect. A relief sculpture portraying a teacher Henry Grady Richard's served as Principal from 1921 to 1964. The original building and 14 classrooms, library, cafeteria auditorium and supporting facilities. later a three classroom annex and private dwelling made into three classroom were added. Designed to serve North Florence in March 1921 students from Fifth Ward school is Seven points and elementary students to Coffee High School formed the first student body which usually consisted of 500 to 700 students with eighteen teachers.
Gilbert school was planned to serve grades one through six, but seven and eight were added in periods of overcrowding. The school was closed in May 1980 and students were transferred to Hibbett Middle School.
The sixty one year old building was destroyed by fire in 1981."
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