Do you read the Ouachita Parish Public Library's newsletter called Cattails? If you do, you know that in the back of every issue is an article about local history, written by Cyndy Robertson. The latest newsletter article is about some of the Ouachita Parish schools and the people they are named for. You can read … Continue reading Ouachita Parish Schools and the People They Are Named For.
Tag: Ouachita Parish Schools
Prairie Du Bois
This is a great little article about Prairie Du Bois in Southeastern Ouachita Parish. Port Gibson Herald (Port Gibson, MS), August 31, 1843 PRAIRIE DU BOIS. - One of the lovely spots we have ever seen is this Prairie; Nature seems to have lavished her bounties upon it. It is of considerable extends a level … Continue reading Prairie Du Bois
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
The First School Bus in Monroe
How about this old newspaper clipping? It shows an early Monroe school bus, circa 1915, parked in front of Kern's Blacksmith Shop, which had built it. Kern's Blacksmith was located on Jackson Street right where Grammont comes in.
Beloved Sterlington Principal Leaves Behind a 43 Year Legacy in Education.
Dedication page photo from the 1951-52 Smithy yearbook. Some of you from the Sterlington area may have had this gentleman as a principal. Mr. O.K. Bailey, Sr. served for 43 years as principal of Sterlington's elementary, Jr. High and High School. The above photo was taken when he served as principal for A.L. Smith School. … Continue reading Beloved Sterlington Principal Leaves Behind a 43 Year Legacy in Education.
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.
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 