A List of Past Principals of Ouachita Parish High School

I got curious last week and decided to compile a list of all the Principals who have served OPHS. I started all the way back in 1894 when the Original High School was being built and worked my way to the current day. I am unsure of the modern principals' tenure years, but I am … Continue reading A List of Past Principals of Ouachita Parish High School

Ouachita Parish High School’s First Principal

Meet Mr. Henry E. Chambers, OPHS' very first principal! I was shocked when his photo came up associated with the school. Henry Chambers is well known in my department for writing a classic set of books on the history of Louisiana. We have a set. The above etching is what he looked like when he … Continue reading Ouachita Parish High School’s First Principal

The First Graduating Class of Ouachita Parish High School

So I told you yesterday about the first class of the Monroe City High School, which is the forerunner of Neville. Lets go back about six years, to when the Parish High School was built. Who were the members of OPHS class of 1895? This comes from the New Orleans Times-Democrat (June 7, 1895, Page … Continue reading The First Graduating Class of Ouachita Parish High School

An Update to “An Early Graduating Class” Post.

Back on March 24th, I posted a photo from Dr. Williams' collection showing a group of high school graduates which I could not identify. During the hiatus, I was contacted by a reader of the blog, Mr. Lee Carbrey who informed me he had a newspaper clipping that dates the photo. Yep. Right there in … Continue reading An Update to “An Early Graduating Class” Post.

An Early Ouachita Parish Graduating Class

Oh this one is super frustrating. A label on the photo states it was the photo of Maude Rogers, Parish School Graduation. There is where the trail runs cold. I've tried imputing Maude's name in the Newspapers.com search to see if there are any graduation announcements, but no luck. The Ouachita Parish High School (original … Continue reading An Early Ouachita Parish Graduating Class

Ouachita Parish High School Faculty, 1914 – 1915

Solemn bunch aren't they? This is the faculty that taught at Ouachita Parish High School over 100 years ago! No order of the names was given, but the above people are: Superintendent T.O. Brown, Principal H.E. Hays, Assistants: Mrs. S.W. Harris, Miss Christine Pohlman, Miss Mary E. Donaldson, Miss Eva Scott, Miss Lamy Wetzel and … Continue reading Ouachita Parish High School Faculty, 1914 – 1915

1915 Ouachita Parish High School Girls Basketball Team

The oldest area yearbook in the Ouachita Parish Public Library collection is a 1915 Ouachita Parish High School "Pelican". It is kept upstairs in Special Collections due to it's rarity. It was the first yearbook OPHS ever published. One of the things I found interesting in it was the photo of the girls basketball team! … Continue reading 1915 Ouachita Parish High School Girls Basketball Team

Yearbooks in the Genealogy Department

Did you know that the Ouachita Parish Public Library's Genealogy department has a large collection of elementary/secondary/college yearbooks? Over the next couple of days, I'll post the list of what is available. Today we will start with elementary/secondary yearbooks. Yearbook TitleYearSchoolNoteThe Smithy1952A. L. Smith - Monroe, LAGrades 1-9The Smithy1953A. L. Smith - Monroe, LAGrades 1-9The … Continue reading Yearbooks in the Genealogy Department