The news from West Monroe Saturday afternoon was devastating. Boley Elementary School was on fire. It appears the fire was started by lightning from a major spring storm that had blown through the area. By Sunday morning, the school was a total loss. The building was a fixture of Cypress street since 1953. It was built at a cost of $205,000 as a high school for the African-American community. It was named after Marion F. Boley (1856 – 1936), a leader in the educational field. The site for the school had been part of his land. The school was turned into a Junior High School around 1964 and later it was made an elementary school. The loss is a huge one for the community.
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 