Yearbooks Online at the Internet Archives

Another thing I have noticed is that several Ouachita Parish High School Yearbooks have been digitized here, mainly from the 1960's - 1980's. You will find Ouachita, River Oaks, Carroll, St. Frederick, West Monroe and Neville. There is even one from St. Matthew! Here is a link to Neville's yearbooks: https://archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22Neville+High+School%22 Just search the name … Continue reading Yearbooks Online at the Internet Archives →

Ouachita Parish High School Homecoming Parade, circa 1959

I found this photo in the 1960 Roarer yearbook. I think it was probably the homecoming parade, since the float has something about "Ski Bearkats..." Ruston perhaps? The float and band are right at the corner of DeSiard and Catalpa streets. You can see Bell's Pharmacy, Dew Music Co., Silverstein's Women's Clothing, Keene's Shoe Store, … Continue reading Ouachita Parish High School Homecoming Parade, circa 1959 →

Area High Schools Served as Music Venues

At the end of September, I posted the below list in the Ouachita Parish History Facebook group. I decided to compile a list of ads I found in the newspapers for performances at the local high schools between 1940 and 1967 when the Civic Center was built. I was INCREDIBLY surprised at who came through … Continue reading Area High Schools Served as Music Venues →

Ouachita Parish High School

This is a photograph of the original OPHS building at an angle I have never seen before! This building became the Junior High before being torn down to make way for the I 20 bridge.

The Destruction of the Original Ouachita Parish High School

This photo appeared in the News-Star in a July, 1961 edition. It shows the wrecking ball taking down the original Ouachita Parish High School. The land where it once stood is now under the I 20 Overpass, next to the Ouachita Grand Plaza, which was the second OPHS building.

Ouachita Parish High School Graduating Classes

We still continue to go through and find treasures in our collection. Two Ouachita Parish High School documents from the 1920's are of particular interest. The first is a 1921 OPHS graduation invitiation, which lists all of the graduating class members. You may recognize some of the names! https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-orv%3A116 The second document is a program … Continue reading Ouachita Parish High School Graduating Classes →

1904 Ouachita Parish High School Catalogue

Here is a treasure! A new document just digitized for our collection is almost 120 years old! It is a rare Ouachita Parish high School handbook published in 1904. In it you will find a history of the school, the School Board members, faculty, a list of alumni and even the course listing for each … Continue reading 1904 Ouachita Parish High School Catalogue →

A List of Ouachita Parish High School Alumni Who Fell During War

Back in May, 1945 Ouachita Parish High School's seniors had a newsletter called the Ouachita Lion. It served as a sort of yearbook since the yearbook wasn't publishing during WWII. On one of the pages of the May, 1945 issue, they paid tribute to what they called "Gold Star Honor Roll". Basically, alumni of OPHS … Continue reading A List of Ouachita Parish High School Alumni Who Fell During War →

Eddy Arnold and the Duke of Paducah Perform at OPHS

Probably the biggest names to perform on the stage at OPHS were Country Music Hall of Famers Eddy Arnold and Benjamin Francis Ford (AKA the Duke of Paducah) in 1949. You can read about the concert in the clipping below:

Walley Fowler and His Famous Oak Ridge Quartet Plays the Ouachita Parish High School Auditorium.

A while back, I told you about all the famous acts that came and performed at Neville auditorium. I decided to see who came to OPHS. I got curious when I found this concert ad in 1951. Surely it can't be who I think it is. After a little digging, I found out that these … Continue reading Walley Fowler and His Famous Oak Ridge Quartet Plays the Ouachita Parish High School Auditorium. →