POWERGRAMS

9 EDUCATION Beginning in July 1819, 44 delegates from the Alabama Territory gathered in Huntsville to draft a constitution for Alabama's statehood. Less than two months later, on Aug. 2, 1819, the delegates signed and sent it to Congress. President James Monroe signed the Alabama Constitution on Dec. 14, 1819, admitting the 22nd state into the union. The bicentennial anniversary of that milestone is at hand. To support the commemoration, the state formed a 12-member commission in 2013. The members have established over 225 committees throughout Alabama to plan and coordinate events focused on education and community involvement. To further a legacy of educational support, Alabama Power and the Alabama Power Foundation are the lead "centennial sponsors." "It's been an honor to be part of the team making Alabama's bicentennial celebration a success," said Alabama Power CEO Mark Crosswhite. "Throughout our company's own history, our growth has been closely tied to that of our state and we look forward to working together for an even brighter future." HISTORY Since the state's inception, education has been at the forefront of policy and planning, with an entire section of the 1819 constitution dedicated to education, stating that "schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged in this State." While education was still decentralized at the time, Alabama's founders knew that for the state to progress, educational advancement was essential. By the end of the 19th century, there were over 1,300 schools in Alabama, though standards of instruction varied by students' race and wealth. Renowned historian Leah Rawls Atkins wrote in "Developed for the Service of Alabama" that "the Alabama in which the Alabama Power Company was founded … DURING BICENTENNIAL, APC BUILDS ON LEGACY OF BOOSTING ALABAMA DURING BICENTENNIAL, APC BUILDS ON LEGACY OF BOOSTING ALABAMA By Erin Harney Gorgas School at the company village, Jan. 15, 1919. (AP Archives)

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