History of Fenton School; Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Kathy LaCombe-Tell
Source; Fenton Elementary website
Submitted Sept 2004

************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
************************************************


In 1888, S. J. Fenton and family moved to Louisiana from the state of 
New York. In the spring of 1893, Mr. Fenton built a home at the present 
site of Fenton, Louisiana. The same year, he donated 240 acres to be 
surveyed for a town along the Watkins Railroad (later the Missouri 
Pacific Railroad). Very quickly a store, depot, post office and school 
(on the East Side of town) were built. Mr. I. J. Mills donated the 
lumber for the school building on the condition that his daughter, 
Jennie, would teach at the school. In the early years, teachers were 
paid a princely price of forty dollars a month to teach the first six 
grades. Until 1909, church services and Sunday school were held in the 
Fenton School House.
          
In 1915, a new four-room, brick school building was erected at a site 
on the West Side of town. Fenton School then had three teachers.
          
In 1937, a new high school was added onto the 1915 structure. While 
construction was going on, some classes were held in the Community Hall 
while other classes met in Reed's Dance Hall. Within the next two 
years, a Home Economics Cottage and a gymnasium were erected on the 
campus.
          
In 1951, a newly constructed Fenton High School replaced the old Fenton 
School on the same site. The school remained a combined elementary/high 
school until the beginning of school year 1994-95 when the high school 
was closed due to declining enrollment. At that time, high school 
students were bussed to nearby Lacassine High School and Fenton High 
School was renamed Fenton Elementary School.