Led by Henry Schuyler Thibodeaux, whose home was in present day Schriever, Terrebonne Parish was
carved out of the southwest portion of Lafourche parish in 1822. In that time, the area had wildlife such as bald
eagles, wolves, puma, and buffalo in the area. The first attempt at a town was Williamsburg, located in the Bayou Cane area (just south of the Southland Mall). The first courthouse and jail were built there. In that year, five persons were appointed to the parish school board ... Francis Guyal, WIlliam Watkins, Henry S. Thibodaux, Leufroy Barras, and Henry M. Thibodeaux.
At that time, settlers of the parish wanted to move the parish
seat further down the bayou, closer to the road that went from
Bayou Terrebonne to Bayou Black. Hubert M.
Belanger and Richard H. Grinage donated a section of land (1 arpent front by 10 arpents deep) to the parish. The rest
of their property was divided into lots and sold. That land became the nucleus of the town of Houma, which was founded in 1834. |
Terrebonne Parish area in the early days |
School/Courthouse area 1855 |
A school was built on the block behind the courthouse in the early 1840s by Alex McMaster (the fellow who built the courthouse and jail). On June 11, 1849, an ordinance was passed to allow the police jury to donate land on which to build a school. That donation occurred in 1853. A lot (100' wide facing Church St.) on the block behind the courthouse was donated to the directors of the 4th school district. An 1849 issue of DeBow’s Review mentions a large brick school house in Houma. It was a plastered brick structure about 30’ deep by 60’ wide. The white-columned front of the building faced Church Street. A later addition to the rear of the building was painted red.
School/Courthouse area 1885
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An early private educational institution in Houma was the Houma Academy. It was organized in 1858 and built on land donated by R.R. Barrow. In 1870, the building was sold to the Catholic church and became known as St. Francis de Sales Academy.
Many other small public schools were constructed around the parish to meet the education needs of the various communities. Another issue in 1851 of DeBow’s states that Terrebonne Parish had 13 public schools. It also mentions that an excellent free school at Houma is well patronized. All of these schools were for elementary grades. Wealthier citizens might pay for private tutors that would help their children pass the entrance exams to get into institutions of higher learning.
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School at Bayou Blue |
School at Chacahoula |
School at Dulac |
School at Gray |
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After the Civil War, the Constitutional Convention of 1868 passed an article saying students would be admitted to classes "without distinction of race, color or previous condition." Due to the segregationist ideas of the day, the white population objected to mixed races in the schools and often kept their children home.
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The old two-room brick school (left) behind the courthouse was one of these schools that had a white teacher but only African-American students. Soon after, a white school opened on the bayouside of Main Street between Barrow and Roussell. Its one teacher was said to be a carpetbag appointee.
In 1872, another resolution was passed to allow the school board to build a school on that block. That was also the year that the city voted to build a firehouse on the batture in front of the courthouse block.
After Governor Nicholls was elected in 1878, the integrated system faded and white children began returning to schools. Though the Constitution of 1879 required a superintendent of schools for each parish, the low salary of $200 per year and no qualifications for the job ensured that people ill-equipped to lead education were often hired. The school system in Terrebonne Parish made little progress for the next 20 years. |
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In 1896, the leaders of Houma applied to the Secretary of State for a charter to establish a high school in the town. The same year, the "rooster" fire hall (named due to its rooster weather vane) was moved from that batture opposite the courthouse to the block behind the courthouse. It had been donated to be used as a school.
In 1898-99, the High School Auxiliary and High School Association were formed to promote the idea of a high school for the parish. At that time, the fire hall was used for older students, while the older school building on the north side of the block was used for elementary students. It was placed south of the old brick school in the middle of the block facing Church Street. The former firehouse and old school were used for both elementary and high school classes. The older brick structure on the north side of the block was the girls’ school, while the fireman’s hall was used as the boys’ school. |
"THS": 1908-1909
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In 1904, superintendent W.P. Tucker brought in 20-year-old John M. Foote as head of the Houma schools. He also taught mathematics. Another math teacher, Mr. Moise Levy, acted as an unofficial assistant principal.
In 1908, THS was approved as a state high school. Jennie and the other high school students attended school at the old fireman’s hall. Elementary students attended class in the brick building on the north side of the block. |
Jennie Klingman, Class of 1908 |
Jennie Klingman |
It was the old rooster building that graduated its first student from high school in 1908. Miss Jennie Klingman was the only graduate that year. After graduation she went to Louisiana Normal School to become a teacher. She returned to teach grammar school at THS (primary, grammar, and high school students all attended school on the same block). The marble marker by the oak tree in the front of THS was dedicated to her on the 70th anniversary of her graduation. |
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That was also the year of the first yearbook, the Panorama. It was called the Panorama because "it revealed to the people of Terrebonne a life-like view of student life at Terrebonne High."
The first editor was Alice Aitkens. That first edition included histories of the library, the Ladies Auxiliary, and the Sugar Belt Athletic and Literary Association.
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Alice Aitkens |
The administration knew that the old fireman’s hall was not the best facility for a high school. Mr. Foote used to carry around a hammer and nails to point out the need for a new high school building. On May 12, 1908, third ward property owners voted a special tax towards the construction of Houma's first high school. On July 7, 1908, it was announced that bids would be taken for a new high school.
Mr. Foote's tenure as principal was short-lived. When Mr. W.P. Tucker passed away in 1909, Mr. Foote succeeded him as superintendent. Terrebonne Parish finally had a professionally trained educator as superintendent and the move towards a better educational system was underway.
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