Hamilton, Fuller M.;  Calcasieu (Allen) Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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Hamilton, Fuller M., parish superintendent of education, 
Lake Charles, Calcasieu parish, La., was born near Sugartown, 
Calcasieu (now Allen) parish, La., July 4, 1879; son of Rev. 
Isaac and Lydia E. (Simmons) Hamilton, the former of whom was 
born in St. Landry parish, La., Oct. 27, 1830, and the latter 
in Calcasieu parish, same state, March 5, 1841.  The paternal 
grandfather, William Hamilton, was a native of London, England,
and ran away from home when a boy, in company with a brother from  
whom he later became separated.  The grandfather followed the 
business of a sailor in early life, and served in the English 
navy during the War of 1812.  Afterward he located in St. Landry 
Parish, La., where he lived during the remainder of his life, following 
agricultural pursuits.  Isaac Hamilton, the father, was afforded limited 
educational advantages in his youth, but by private study acquired 
a good academic education.  While he was always a farmer, he was also 
an ordained minister of the Missionary Baptist church, and in addition 
to farming and stockraising, in what is now Allen parish, he preached 
regularly.  During the Civil war he was detailed for home duty as a 
blacksmith.  Fuller M. Hamilton, the son, attended the public schools 
of the locality in which he was born.  Later, he attended high school 
at Georgetown, Tex., of which school liis brother, D. L., was at that 
time superintendent, and where Fuller M. remained a student until he 
had completed half of his senior year, following which he was engaged 
in teaching two years.  In 1902 he entered the state normal school at 
Natchitoches, La., from which he graduated 2 years later.  During the 
succeeding year he filled the position of principal of the school at 
Pickering, La., and thereafter passed one year at the plantation home 
of the family.  In 1906 he became principal of the Oakdale high school, 
where he remained three years, utilizing his vacations during this 
time in taking special work at Louisiana State university.  In 1909 
he was elected assistant superintendent of the Calcasieu parish 
schools, under Superintendent John McNeese, in which capacity he 
served until July 1, 1913, when he was elected superintendent of 
education for Calcasieu parish, of which office he is incumbent 
at this time.  Under his administration, two bond issues, of $25,000 
and $16,000, respectively, have been voted for high school purposes; 
the school at De Quincy has been added to the high school list; 
domestic science, commercial, and manual training departments have 
been established at the Sulphur school; principals of approved high 
schools have been placed on yearly salary, and a uni£orm term of 9 
months for white and 8 months for colored pupils has been established.  
At the present time, the parish has under course of construction 3 
high school and 2 graded brick school buildings; 3 frame buildings 
of 2 and 3 rooms each to replace 1-room buildings, and has inaugurated 
a general policy of larger school sites.  One plot of 10 acres and 
another of something more than 22 acres have been acquired for 
agricultural purposes in connection with the school work, and in 
every way a policy of expansion and improvement of the parish schools 
is being vigorously pushed forward to an actual realization of larger, 
wider, more practical and more demonstrably modern and helpful 
educational advantages for the children of the people of Calcasieu 
Parish, and in the forefront of this forward movement is Prof. Hamilton, 
tireless in his labors for the advancement of the interests of 
the parish schools.  Sept. 4, 1908, Fuller M. Hamilton was married 
to Miss Pearl Litton, a daughter of Alfred and Sally (Tatum) Litton, 
of Sabine parish, La., and 2 children have been born to their union, 
these being Versie and Herbert.  Prof. Hamilton is affiliated with 
the Democratic party, and is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, 
teaching a class in the Sunday school of his local church.  He is 
affiliated, also, with the Louisiana Public School Teachers 
Association, and is a member of the council of the latter organization.



Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, 
Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic 
Form (volume 3), pp. 189-190.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  
Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.