Echoes From The Attic and Poems, Southeastern Louisiana (University), Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Don Johnson, Jan. 2001
Typed by Belford Carver
Written by by Edna F. Campbell
Copyrighted by Edna F. Campbell
With special thanks to her family for permission to use her works.

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1st GRADUATE, TEACHER

THE BIRTH OF SLC RECALLED

Southeastern Louisiana (University) which began in 1925 with an enrollment of 40 
students and a faculty of six has now reached above the 5,000 mark.  

One of the first members of the faculty and a member of the first graduating class in
1926 have remained in Hammond in the teaching field since the collegeís inception.

Miss D Vickers, who retired in 1956 and now is emeritus professor of English at SLC,
taught English, speech, political science and was librarian when the Hammond Junior 
College held classes in the East Wing of Hammond High School in 1925.  She taught at
the same college during her entire career.

Miss May Addison, because of the alphabetical order, was the first student to receive
a diploma from SLC in 1926.  She had attended Northwestern State College in 
Natchitoches the previous year.  She has taught continuously in Hammond Elementary 
School since graduation.

Linus A. Sims, principal of the high school, became the first president of the junior 
college.  This was possible since both held classes in the same building.  Other 
faculty members were Walter S. McKay, dean and who taught psychology and 
education for one year; J. P. Montgomery, science and mathematics teacher and dean 
the following year; Miss Marie del Theriot, history and French instructor; and Miss 
Ione Duncan, who taught public school art.

First graduates besides Miss Addison were Thomas R. Foster, Mrs. John B. Campbell, 
Miss Gladys Torrence, Miss Dorothy Snell and Miss Verdia Tycer.

Classes continued to be held in the high school for several years.  Then the Hunter C. 
Leake house, buildings and 15 acres of land were purchased for the college program.  
Mr. and Mrs. Sims and family occupied the Leake home which also had a portion 
reserved for a girlsí dormitory.  A servants' house a framework structure renovated 
and walled outside in stucco, was used for classrooms.  The barn was remodeled and 
used for a boys gym.

A bond issue was passed in 1938 for $18,000 which enabled the complete purchase 
of the property.

Dr. Lucius D. McGehee was chairman of the board of advisors.

Dr. Sims served as president until 1933, and the next president was Dr. Y. L. Fontenot 
who remained until 1937.  Dr. J. Leon Clark assumed the presidency in 1937, and was 
the first to occupy the presidentís new home.  He was succeeded by Dr. Gladney 
Tinsley, with Dr. George Bond acting president for several months.  Dr. Clark L. 
Barrow served for one year.  Dr. L. E. Dyson became president in 1955 and resigned 
from the post in 1968, at which time Dr. Clea Parker was designated president.

The first brick building constructed on the campus (1934)  was named the Lucius D. 
McGehee Hall.  One...was named  Carter-Harris Hall, for William Carter (1958) , and 
another named for one of the presidents who died while serving, Tinsley Hall (1956).
Numerous other buildings have been named during the expansive building program.

Miss Vickers and Miss Addison organized the SLC Alumni Association in 1927.

(From ECHOES FROM ATTIC, III, 1968, by Edna Campbell)

(Note: Enrollment hit 15,000 during the fall registration of 1997, with over 40,000 
degrees awarded by the end of the summer session of 1998.  The humanities building 
(1970) was later named for Miss D Vickers (1890-1981).  The library is named for 
Dr. Sims.

Presidents following Dr. Parker were J. Larry Crain, and G. Warren Smith.  Dr. Sally 
Clausen became the president on July 1, 1995.

May Addison was born in 1905 and died January 31, 1995 and is buried in Greenlawn 
Cemetery, Hammond, LA. 

A historical marker was recently erected at the site of the first classroom building, 
now occupied by the Ralph Pottle Music Bulding.  BEC 1/10/01)