Remembering Ann Bedsole, ASMS School Founder and Champion

"ASMS has not just been good for Mobile, but for the state. We raised the bar in education." - Ann Bedsole

The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science could be named The Ann Smith Bedsole School for Alabama's Gifted and Talented. 

Ann Bedsole is the founder and champion of ASMS. During her tenure as an Alabama Senator in the 1980s, she recognized a need for an advanced high school and took action-which wasn't easy. Hurdle after hurdle popped up, and she cleared them all. 

She convinced Governor George Wallace to sign the bill authorizing the school before it ever crossed his desk. It took persistence and several visits to his office to win him over. She then pushed the Alabama House and Senate to pass the legislation, teaming up with a great ally in Rep. Steve McMillan, who would eventually serve on the ASMS School Board for 33 years. Finally, she had to raise money and locate a suitable place for the school. When the 

"perfect" location fell through at the eleventh hour, she, Walter Bell, and others associated with Mobile United purchased the former Dauphin Way Baptist Church campus. The rest is history-or, rather, math and science. 

Ann started a STEM school before the acronym became a catch-all term for emphasizing math and science concepts. Her perseverance, influence, and vision launched an institution that has improved educational outcomes for more than 3,000 students who have graduated from ASMS since 1993. The magnitude of her accomplishment is difficult to comprehend because so many people have been touched by her efforts. It's essential to continue honoring the person who started it all. Of course, many others helped, but at the center of it all is Ann. 

Behind the scenes, Ann has been an absolute pleasure to work with. Many of the projects we've undertaken lately originated from conversations on the extremely comfortable couch in her beautiful, immense living room. Did you know she was a pen-pal with Dr. Ed Wilson? They swapped stories for decades, sharing history about rural Alabama and ideas for improving our planet. She suggested naming the new Science Research Center after Dr. Wilson following his passing in 2021. Recently, she has pushed for ASMS students to help her find the precise location in Mobile where Dr. Wilson first discovered the red ants that set him on his long quest to investigate insects and biodiversity. When we find it, she plans to ask Mobile's mayor to post a historical marker. 

I also treasure hearing about her dreams and wishes for ASMS. "Let's buy any property that goes up for sale around the campus! We're running out of room!" "Maybe we should buy that old Rite Aid on the corner of Government and Ann St - can't we use it for something? Can you think of anyone who would want to purchase it for us?" 

I value these conversations because Ann's passion for ASMS is contagious and inspiring. She loves ASMS and always thinks of ways to improve it. At her 90th birthday party held on campus in 2020, she said something innocuous that nevertheless serves as a guidepost for me: "Your office is too hard to get to. You ought to move it." 

She was right. It was hard for folks to find, even after being in the same place for 33 years. So, we moved it to a more central location on campus. Seeking improvements should always be a priority at ASMS, even when doing so is inconvenient. 

On behalf of anyone who has been blessed by their association with ASMS, we all have Ann Bedsole to thank. 

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Ann, for founding the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science. Thanks for your vision and hard work. 

Ann's extraordinary life is chronicled in her recent memoir, "Leave Your Footprint." The world needs more Ann Bedsoles -- people who dream in bold colors and have the fortitude to make those dreams real. Ann, you have left giant footprints at ASMS.

adapted from the ASMS Magazine published in spring of 2025

written by Dr. John Hoyle