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PHOTOS to be added later
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PHOTO - THS: 1909-1918
The administration knew
that the old fireman’s hall was not the best
facility for a high school. Mr. Foote used to
carry around a hammer and nails to point out the
need for a new high school building. On May 12,
1908, third ward property owners voted a special
tax towards the construction of Houma's first
high school.
PHOTO - 1924 map
On July 7, 1908, it was announced that bids
would be taken for the new building. The first
building constructed as a high school in
Terrebonne Parish was completed in 1909. Built
to handle up to 400 students, it was located on
the corner of Goode and Point Streets behind the
St. Francis de Sales church.
When Mr. W.P. Tucker
passed away in 1909, Mr. Foote succeeded him and
became the first professionally trained educator
to serve as superintendent. The second principal
of THS, Mr. A.E. Phillips, served from 1910 to
1914. Oddly enough, the 1910 census noted he had
been previously employed in the sewing machine
business.
PHOTO - Boat "Transfers"
taking children to school
With a larger school
capable of handling more students, the
Superintendent Foote began work on consolidating
the school system in 1910. Rather than have many
small schools scattered around the parish,
students would be given the opportunity to
travel to Houma to attend school. Obviously,
transportation was an issue. To help foster
attendance from outside the city, boats (known
as transfers) were used to shuttle students to
and from school.
PHOTO - Principal A.E.
Philips, 1910-1914
In 1911, several new
endeavors began at THS. In that year, the
commercial (business) classes began. The tennis
club started that school year. At the end of the
school year, the juniors began holding an annual
event in which they bid farewell to the seniors.
PHOTO - 1909 Glee Club
Even in its early days,
there were student organizations. The 4H club
began a group at THS in 1914. Other clubs of the
day included the Glee Club, the Reporter’s Club,
and two literary societies (Washington Irving
and Alpha Beta Gamma).
One of the earliest sports
at THS was football. The organization of the
program in those days was very casual. For
example, the coach for the 1914 team was the
quarterback Allen LeCompte. The earliest
surviving yearbook (1915) reveals the males
played football, basketball, baseball, track,
and had a tennis club. Girls played baseball and
basketball as well. Most sports were made up of
class teams that played against each other
in-school. While there were in-school football
games, the football team did play other
schools. Their 1914 record was 2-2-1. The girls’
basketball team also played several games
against other teams.
PHOTO - 1914 Football Team
At that time, the high school grades consisted
of eighth through twelfth grades. For the
1914-1915 school year, 53.8% of students passed
all subjects. A bit more than half (59%) of the
student body was female. Those females were also
scoring better grades than the males (85.1% to
79.8%). The average age of both boys and girls
in high school was 17. Attendance at high school
was 94%. The common punishment for talking and
other offenses was to stay 45 minutes after
dismissal (for girls) or to walk “tours” around
the block a number of times (for boys). In the
spring, there would be an annual rally in which
students from around the parish met at THS for
academic and athletic competition.
A large clock was
purchased (with the funds raised by the 1914
senior play) and placed in the hallway. Statues
of Washington, Lee, Franklin, and Longfellow
were placed in the library in 1915. Two large
pictures on the “Evolution of the Book” were
placed in the hallway. Though the Ladies’
Auxiliary bought many books for the library, the
senior play “Puss in Boots” also contributed
money for books after the funds were used to pay
for the Panorama.
The year 1914 brought a
new superintendent, Mr. Henry L. Bourgeois, who
had been the principal of the Romesville High
School. Mr. Foote moved to a new job and
eventually ended up in Baton Rouge as the
supervisor for rural schools statewide. Mr.
Bourgeois continued Mr. Foote’s efforts to
consolidate the schools. The number of boat
transfers increased. The boats were joined by
buses in the early 1930s.
PHOTO - View the entire
1913 Panorama
The yearbook, previously
published only in 1908, resumed publication in
1913. It was also produced in 1914, 1915, and
1916. The next yearbook would not be published
until 1938. The 1913 yearbook contained the THS
alma mater, pledging allegiance to a flag of
crimson and gold. The early yearbooks give us a
glimpse at school life in those days.
If you know someone that
has a 1908 Panorama, please let us know so we
can ask to make a copy!
PHOTO - View the entire
1916 Panorama
PHOTO - O.H. Briedenbach
When Mr. Phillips left to
become Superintendent of Schools in Arkadelphia,
Arkansas in 1914, Mr. O. H. Briedenbach (then
principal of Bunkie High School) became
principal of THS. The student population was
950, 110 of which were in the high school
department. Though called Terrebonne High
School, students from primary grades through
seniors attended classes in the building.
During Briedenbach's
tenure as principal (1914-1918), it became
apparent that the student body was outgrowing
the relatively new building. Plans were made for
a new school to be located on the block behind
the courthouse. The old rooster firehouse and
the old school building on the block were torn
down at that time. A contract for a new school
building was signed on April 3, 1918.
In those days, students had to pass an entrance
exam to enter college. The Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools established an
accreditation program whereby accredited school
graduates did not have to take the exam. In
1914, Terrebonne High became the second high
school in the state (after Saline High School in
1905) to receive accreditation. Two other
schools were accredited in 1914.
ALUMNI ROLL - for the first few classes
of THS
1908
- Jennie Klingman (became
a teacher in Houma)
1909
- Alice Aitkens (became a
teacher in Houma)
- Claiborne Duval (became
a teacher in Houma)
- Josie Kelly
1910
- H.R. Berger (became a
linotype operator in Houma)
- Philonese Daigle (moved
to Plaquemine)
- Eugene Darden (worked in
the lumber industry in Donner)
- Charles Duval (became a
manager at the National Map Co. in Oklahoma)
- William Louviere
1911
- Marguerite Bisland
- Tom Bourg (became a
teacher in Bourg)
- Rupert Jolet (became a
machinist in Port Arthur, TX)
- Beulah Kellely (became a
teacher)
- Lois Lockett (became a
teacher at Blanchard School)
- Marie LeBlanc (became a
teacher at Ashland School)
- Leonie Theriot
1912
- Stella Cage (moved to
Bunkie and married G.W. Moody)
- Geraldine Daussat
(became a teacher)
- Felicie Guidry (became a
teacher in Bourg)
1913
- Nora Bonvillain
- Ernest Dupont
- James Haygood
- Maud Klingman
- Lottie Vice
- Elward Wright
- Helen Wurzlow
- Phoebe Belanger (became
a teacher at LeBlanc School)
- Carrie Cage
- Susie Celestin
- Alex Connely
- Albert LeCompt (became a
manager at L.C.F.&O. Co. in Houma)
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