Biography of David Harrison Stringfield, Washington Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Frances Ball Turner (gturner@WORLDACCESSNET.COM) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ From History of Louisiana, by Chambers in 1925 Vol. II, pg. 19 David Harrison STRINGFIELD is rendering in his native parish an official service of marked efficiency and importance, as he is the incumbent of the position of superintendent of schools for Washington Parish, with residence and headquarters at Franklinton, the judicial center of the parish and also the place of his birth, which here occurred August 23, 1886. William S. STRINGFIELD, father of him whose name initiates this review, was born in Pike County, Mississippi, in 1855; but was a boy at the time of the family removal to Washington Parish, Louisiana, where he was reared and educated and where he has long held prestige as a progressive and successful exponent of farm inductry. He and his wife reside on their fine homestead farm one and one-half miles north of Franklinton. Both are zealous members of the Baptist Church, and he is a staunch supporter of the cause of the democratic party. Of the children, David H., of this sketch, is the eldest; Dr. John H., a graduate of the medical college at Little Rock, Arkansas, is now one of the representative physicians and surgeons in Washington Parish, Louisiana; Sarah Leona resides at Franklinton and is the wife of Walter H. BURNS, farm agent of Washington Parish; William J. died at the age of fourteen years; Nancy J. is the wife of Russell R. SINGLETON, a railroad employe, and they reside at DeRidder, Beauregard Parish; Edward O., who is now (1924) a student in the medical college at Little Rock, Arkansas, and who was graduated in the University of Louisiana in 1921, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, was in the nation's military service, at various camps in the United States, during nearly one year of the World war period; Bene B. remains at the parental home; Victor T. is a student in the University of Louisiana, and the daughter, Brownie B., is the youthful autocrat of the parental home circle. In the public schools, of his native parish David H. STRINGFIELD continued his studies until his graduation from the Franklinton High School in 1904, and thereafter he completed a four years' course in the University of Louisiana, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1909 and with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. For two years thereafter he was principal of the high school at St. Joseph, Tensas Parish, and in 1911 he became assistant principal of the high school at Franklinton, a position which he retained until October of that year, when he was appointed to his present office, that of superintendent of the public schools of Washington Parish, he having received successive reappointments in 1913, 1917, 1921 and 1925, and there having been no opposing candidate for the position at any time, a fact that attests the high popular estimate placed upon the administration of Mr. STRINGFIELD. Under his supervision are forty-five schools for white pupils and twenty-four for colored pupils; the white teachers of the parish are 200 in number and the colored number thirty-five, all being efficient in their assigned service and all giving loyal cooperation in the work of the popular parish superintendent of schools. In the parish the enrolment of white pupils is 5,600 and the colored pupils 2,000. These data indicate the broad scope and importance of the service to which Mr. STRINGFIELD has been called. Superintendent STRINGFIELD is a loyal advocate and supporter of the principles of the democratic party, and he and his wife are zealous members of the Baptist Church. He has active membership in the Louisiana State Teachers Association and the National Education Association, and he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Woodmen of the World. February 2, 1913, marked the marriage of Mr. Stringfield and Miss Elma JENKINS, daughter of Richard R. and Flora M. (SIMMONS) JENKINS, who reside at Rio, Washington Parish, where Mr. JENKINS is a successful dairy farmer. Mr. and Mrs. STRINGFIELD have four children, Margaret Ruth, Dorothy Elma, Eloise D., and Flora Elizabeth, born respectively in the years 1914, 1916, 1920 and 1924.