Cameron Parish had its share of beautiful teachersReprinted in the Cameron Parish Pilot on July 28, 2011. This story was first printed in the Cameron Parish Pilot in about 1958. It was written by Archie Hollister, principal of the Klondike School and Cameron Parish’s unofficial historian. Hollister is now deceased. By ARCHIE S. HOLLISTER
It is more or less the current fashion to deride those benighted individuals who lament the passing of the “good old days”. In the superiority of our knowledge and the sophistication of our understanding, we explain to them, as painlessly as possible of course, just how bad those bygone days really were.
But perhaps those old boys have a point after all. This picture shows the teaching staff of Cameron back in 1911, and while everyone is aware that our educational system, on the whole, has advanced greatly since then, in the matter of appearance and personal good looks -- (Pause here for reflection; one could get into trouble.)
No, I didn’t say it -- in fact I didn’t think it -- but an acquaintance of mine did remark, and I quote: “There are more pretty girls on that front porch than you can find at any teachers’ meeting in Cameron today.” End of quote! The setting is the front porch of Mrs. Bill Stine’s hotel in Cameron, and the occasion was a “Teachers’ Institute,” which was the quaint expression then employed for what we would refer to as a “workshop” today.
At the extreme left in the bottom row is Miss Willie Cain, and the next is Jewell McPherson. The third is Estelle Martin who married Ott Stewart, and made Cameron her permanent home.
The younger man in the picture is Charles Eagleson, then sheriff of Cameron, and the one with the mustache and bow-tie is A. G. Murray, superintendent of schools at the time.
The other three are Miss Frizell, Supt. Murray’s own daughter, and Inez Smith.
In the back row is, from left to right, a Miss White, and Miss Fannie White. The second Miss White is quite well known throughout the parish. She married George H. Savoy of Creole, and taught in several of the communities in Cameron during a long and fruitful career.
The girl in the white dress is Miss Aline Sibley, who, like Miss Martin and Miss White, married a local boy, Johnny Meaux. The three remaining are Mayme Pugh, Bessie North and Florence Tanner.
It might be of some interest to note that Supt. Murray had his residence at Lowery, and conducted the affairs of the school from there. This worked no particular hardship on anybody though. The local teacher on the job had an independence unknown today, the superintendent was not expected to be in constant contact with the schools, and the School board itself met but once every three months.
But perhaps those old boys have a point after all. This picture shows the teaching staff of Cameron back in 1911, and while everyone is aware that our educational system, on the whole, has advanced greatly since then, in the matter of appearance and personal good looks -- (Pause here for reflection; one could get into trouble.)
No, I didn’t say it -- in fact I didn’t think it -- but an acquaintance of mine did remark, and I quote: “There are more pretty girls on that front porch than you can find at any teachers’ meeting in Cameron today.” End of quote! The setting is the front porch of Mrs. Bill Stine’s hotel in Cameron, and the occasion was a “Teachers’ Institute,” which was the quaint expression then employed for what we would refer to as a “workshop” today.
At the extreme left in the bottom row is Miss Willie Cain, and the next is Jewell McPherson. The third is Estelle Martin who married Ott Stewart, and made Cameron her permanent home.
The younger man in the picture is Charles Eagleson, then sheriff of Cameron, and the one with the mustache and bow-tie is A. G. Murray, superintendent of schools at the time.
The other three are Miss Frizell, Supt. Murray’s own daughter, and Inez Smith.
In the back row is, from left to right, a Miss White, and Miss Fannie White. The second Miss White is quite well known throughout the parish. She married George H. Savoy of Creole, and taught in several of the communities in Cameron during a long and fruitful career.
The girl in the white dress is Miss Aline Sibley, who, like Miss Martin and Miss White, married a local boy, Johnny Meaux. The three remaining are Mayme Pugh, Bessie North and Florence Tanner.
It might be of some interest to note that Supt. Murray had his residence at Lowery, and conducted the affairs of the school from there. This worked no particular hardship on anybody though. The local teacher on the job had an independence unknown today, the superintendent was not expected to be in constant contact with the schools, and the School board itself met but once every three months.