Thursday, May 23, 1985--4th Year, Number 34
€
THE PONCHA TO ULA TIMES
1918- 1985
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Teaching sisters celebrate last year at St. Joseph
By BRYAN T. McMAHON
Editor & Publisher
An era of Ponchatoula history comes to a close Sunday as the city and St.
dJh Parish say goodbye to the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The religious
er has taught here since 1918
Top P.H.S. grads
b.'. top graduates at Ponchatoula
School are: (Bottom, left to
U'klle) Shah Robertson, John
Stout, Jamle Wagner, Shed Castell,
(Becl¢) Jason Corneille, Rodney
n', ealge Mes.
' ('glmes Photo Duane Harris)
At Antique Festival
State challenged to gator race
In a private interview with The Ponchatoula Times, the school's remaining
three sisters told of their future plans while taking a sentimental look backward at
their years educating young people in Ponchatoula.
Sr. Mary Allan Ryan, principal of the school, has been stationed here since
1973. Fourth Grade teacher Sr. Agatha Lachowsky served here since 1975,
joined in 1982 by her sister, in both senses of the word, Sr. Wilma Lachowsky,
who has worked in the school library.
Saturdayl May 25, following a 6 p.m. mass in the school gym, the community
unit say golbye to the sisters and their order. The sisters will leave Ponchatoula
at the end of June; Sr. Mary Allan to a teaching post in San Antonio, Sr. Agatha
to the staff at the sisters' retirement community, Chattawa in Mississippi, where
St. Wilma will enjoy her retirement.
Their leaving ends a long chapter in the area's educational history.
St. Joseph Church itself is the oldest church in Ponchatoula, beginning as a
mission started by Fr. John ScoHard in 1866. In 1875 Fr. Scollard and his parish
built the first Catholic church on land donated by Charles Yokum at the comer of
Seventh and West Pine. In 1890 the Benedictine Fathers took over the parish,
followed by the Dominican Fathers. A parish hall was added in 1912. In 1927 the
frame church building was torn down and replaced with the brick structure.
The school's history too is traced to the parish's founder Fr. Scollard. The
school was taught at first b/the missionary priest and an assistant, then by the
Benedictine Sisters from Covington who operated a one-room school. That
school was closed in 1907, but it was reopened under the direction of a lay
teacher in 1910. The Dominicans took it over in 1911 and in 1918 "modern"
history began when two sisters from the Milwaukee province of the School Sisters
of Notre Dame (Our Lady) were assigned to take over St. Joseph School. it had
13 students at the time in grades 1-4. "Every year after that it seemed to grow,
and a room had to be added here, another there," said Sr. Mary Allan.
A statewide alligator race will be one
highlights of this year's Louisiana
ue Festival, June 1-2 in Pon-
Mayor Charles Gideon
the challenge to other cities,
and to representatives of the
media to find a full-sized alligator
can outrace Ponchatoula's mascot
Hardhide," an over ten foot long
whose cage dominates the
shopping area.
separate race of "wallet size" two
a half foot alligators will also be held
festival grounds on the city's east
on property owned by the Pon-
Auction Company, the largest
auction house in the South.
alligator race, emceed by Master
Ken Berthelot, New Orleans
is sponsored by
Committee for a Better
The race is one of a series
eVents that make the state's official
Festival unique among
Louislana's crowded calendar of
festivals.
Ponchatoula's three largest buildings,
all on the festival grounds, will provide
indoor booth and auction space for
dealers and collectors from across the
United States who have already re-
served all of the indoor festival space.
Some booth space at this writing is
available in the outside fairgrounds but
is expected to be allocated before the
festival officially opens Saturday, June
I at 9 a.m.
Musical entertainment begins at I0
SEE PAGE TWO
Class of 1985
Ponchatoula High School
Apolonio Deleon Acosta Jr., Jeffrey
John Adams, Sondra Lynn Adams,
Isarah Ailes Jr., Regena Alexander,
Christine Marie Ansei, John Tracy
April, Melanie Elizabeth Babin,
Lawrence Jose Balado, Deborah La-
Dean Beall, Terri Lee Beard, Bruce
Norman BeePer, Monica Lynn Belle,
Brett Shannon Bennett, Timothy John
Beyl, John Gary Bohning, William
Ashley Bohning, Teddy Allen Bostick
Jr., Carol Faye Brooks, David Wayne
Bryant;
April Faith Cain, Johnny Ray
Camarata, Rocky Paul Cannon, Sheri
Lyn Casteli, Nanette Kaye Charbon-
net, Delena Christy, Timmy Lee
Coates, Shantell Marie Collins, Michael
Hahn Cooper, Jason Stephen Cor-
neille, Osman Henry Crain, Rhonda
Sue Crouch, Jeffrey Fritz Darouse,
Darrall Kent Davis, Martha Jean Davis,
Christopher Joseph DeMarco, Tracie
Elizabeth DeMarco, Timothy Edward
Disher, Carol Renee Dominguez;
Lori Denise Dominguez, Natalie Ann
Downey, Tina Marie Duncan, Jaylon
Dewayne Dupont, Seana Lynne
Durman, Emmett Eugene Egnew,
Lester Joseph Ernst, Donald Edward
Fendlason, Jessica Lynn Ferrante,
Timothy Paul Forstall, Laura Helen
Frey, Theresa Dianne Gainey, Ver-
onica Ann Gannon, Rodney Garrison,
Marie Ann Geer, James Clayton Gilles-
pie, Sherie Lynne Gomtlla, Gawain
Paul Guedry, Kimberly Collean Hall,
Ronald Wayne Haltom, John William
Hammer Ill, Gregory Alex Hampton;
Virgil Lem Hampton, Celina Hanible,
Joyce Marie Harris, Cynthia June
Hebert, Sharon Denise Hickerson,
William Dale Hill, Joseph Clinton
Holmes, Richard Wesley Hoyt Jr.,
Michael Lauren Hudgins, Chad
D'wayne Huff, Paul Douglas Hughes,
Reginald Hughes, Ttna Marie Hurst,
Stephanie Lynn Ivey, Lynette Tishone
Jackson, Mack McKinley Jackson,
Larry Joseph Jacob, Deborah Ann
Jenkins, Sandra Jean Jenkins, Cindy
Lee Johnson, Donna Marie Jones;
Cullen Thomas Kennedy Jr., Laura
Stun Kern, Barry Joe Kinchen. PhiUio
)ewavne King, Craig Anthony Kraft,
Man(:hac
irlow of icial
Staff Report
Manchac was officially opened
during an enthusiastic, op-
and at-times tear filled
ceremony that cited the el-
of many men over two decades of
Particular, the ceremonies Friday
dedicated to the memory of Bert
who was cited repeatedly for
Pioneering efforts in bringing the
on the North Pass to fruition. His
son and daughter were on hand
SEE PAGE FOURTEEN
New garden
Ponchatoula's Flower Lady, Violet
Collier, waters a new bed of plants
behind the neat wooden fence erected
on the vacant lot between Whttey's
Meat Center and Branch-Danlels
Insurance. She said the lot's owner,
Judge Wallace Edwards, has always
cooperated in her efforts to help
Leslie'Jon Kraft, David Michael Lalejini,
David Devon Leaveil, Diana Lynn
LeBlanc, Rebecca Joy Lee, Melissa Kay
Lemoine, Richard Joseph Lotz, Kim-
berly Faye McBride, Tania Ann
McBride, Charles Edward McLtn Jr.,
Scott James McLin, Jerry Louis Mc-
Morris Jr., Lori Paige Marasales, Susan
Carol Marshall;
Rose Marie Martin, Nicole Marie
Matus, Jennifer Quadronette Maxwell,
Shirley Mae Maxwell, Nancy Lynnette
Mickenheim, Traci Lynn Montgomery,
Eric Millard Morrow, Aleata Jalene
Mounce, Raffel James Neal, Steph-
anie Ann Nicholas, Lena Marie Niehaus
Gina Marie Norton, Wendi Lou Odom,
Mary Alice Ourso, Frances Marie
Ow,=ns, Salonia Undrea Owens,
Corinne Christina Patbl, David Joleph
Parrish, Paige Andrea Pellichino, Tale
Joseph Perez, Sharon Kay Perrin,
Dennis Charles Pevey;
Darren Michael Pinion, Dorothy Jane
Poche, Sandra Faye Poche, April
Louise Powell, Sharyn Noelani Pulling,
Lora Michelle Quave, Becky Lynn
Raney, Juliette Ann Read, Andrew
John Reno Jr., Brian Evan Richardson,
Shari Jean Robertson, Charles James
Rodriguez, Jerry Joseph Rome, Terri
Ann Rome, Carl David Scott Jr.,
Beverly Ann Smith, Marilyn Kay Smith,
Janette Clair Sommers;
Richard Takeru Spencer, Jesse Roy
Stafford Jr., William Scott Stanga,
Allison Elette Statham, Tammi Jean
Stewart, John Edward Stout Jr.,
Shawn Patrick Sweeney, Miqueline
Annette Tanner, Jennifer Ann Terre-
bonne, Bryan Keith Theard, Darren
Gregg Thomas, Jason Verell Thomas,
Nehemiah Himebeth Thorn, janet Lee
Threeton, Polly Ann Trammel,
Chandra Ann Troxclatr, Patrick Mitchell
Vicknair, Daniel George Wadsworth Jr.,
Jamey Paul Wagner, La' Von
De'Santa Washington, Susan Ann
Watts, Michael Kenneth Wax Jr.;
Sadie Merline Wells, Sunny Ann
Wells, Carlyn DeLane Williams, Roger
Allen Williams, Debbie Ann Wright,
Jean Marie Wright, Russell Louis
Wright, and John William Zeringue.
St. Joseph School grads
Jason Adams Thomas Marrero
Tiffany Arbour Jeffrey McCarroll
Sherry Amouville Tammy McCrory
Jo Shane Boudreaux Marly McKean
Kevin Darouse Anna McMahon
Fran Dominguez Angela Menzer
Colt Fisher Amy Palisi
Micheile Garaudy Troy Pinion
Todd Hebert Tomlyn Poche
Kim Huszar Deborah Pugh
Christie Labourdette Lester Richoux
Rachel Lagarde Jamte Ryan
Glen Laurent Cindy Stanga
Nancy Latino Lance Vitter
Alyson Lee Tara Yenni
Theresa Little Renee Zimmerman.
Letgh Ann Martino
beautify the downtown area. " ' ,,, ,
]Vlanch0000c Mermaid proves to be rare find
By BRYAN T. McMNHON
sighting of at least otle manatee
in Manchac's ,South Pass
set off a flurry of excitement among
at the Louisiana Department
Fisheries.
in last week's edition of
Times, four Manchac
viewed the huge mammal in
Pass on Saturday, May 11, a rare
.M Louisiana waters.
The manatee, or sea cow, has a tail
the shape of a whales, resembles a
walrus somewhat in facial charac-
teristics, is a mammal which suckles its
young, and scholars believe it is the
sight of manatees which gave rise to
mermaid legends, made up of the
stghtings of early sailors encountering
the strange sight for the first time.
It is one of the earth's disappearing
species, protected by federal law.
The manatee viewed in Manchac was
about 12 feet long, according to com-
mercial fishermen Rocky Rakocy, E.L.
Sykes, Billy Saltzman and Mike
lvanysk=v. Others "alona the oa. re-
ported seeing the huge mammal. Earlier
reports came from the waters of the
Amite River, indicating the "mermaid"
was probably heading for more familiar
warm waters to the South.
Rumors have been circulating among
fishermen in Manchac that the
manatee, or herd of manatees, had
been brought to the Amite River by a
government agency as part of an ex-
periment to control water hyacinths.
No way, reported La. Wildlife &
fisheries biologist Larry Hartman, con-
nee'ted with the water hyacinth research
in this state. "They eat a variety of
wildlife vegetation but they are ineffec-
tive combating water hyacinths, it
would .take so many them in a given
area that you wouldn t have room for
SEE PAGE THREE
In the early days the small community of nuns lived on what is now the Dugas
property on the city's northeast side, which is how Sisters Road got its name.
The nuns raised food for the St. Joseph Orphanage in New Orleans on their
farm, with the orphan boys making the trip here to harvest the crop each year.
The reason the current school, built in 1940, has seven upstairs classrooms was
that until 1945 the school taught only grades 1-7. The state in that year mandated
that an eighth grade class be offered and so renovations began on what had been
the school's "basement," which is now largely given over to classrooms.
Sister Mary Allan recalls that St. Joseph was very popular that year. The sole
first grade teacher was confronted with a starting class of 65.
The sisters had a tough go of It, trying to teach as many students as possible
with limited numbers which grew to an all-time high population of eight sisters
teaching at St. Joseph in 1960, one for each grade.
The reason the convent on North Eighth is so large is that at the time it was built
(1959-1960) with 11 bedrooms upstairs and five bedrooms downstairs, there
were plans to build a high school for St. Joseph that would be taught by sisters.
After those plans fell through and after the sister's order established its own
province in this area of the country, the convent was used for a time to house the
SEE PAGE FOURTEEN
MY PONCHATOULA
By OLE HARDHIDE
The Alligator
Can you believe these, dare ! say it in mixed company, humans! The
audacity, the nerve!
If Doc Get-it-on wants to race Ole Hardhide at the Antique Festival he had
better get on his jockey outfit. Whatever he wears in the way of clothing 1
suggest it be light. I'm on a diet.
Can you believe this human? Trying to make sport out of the exertions of
one of the best evolved species on the planet (ugly rumors persist that way
back in prehlstory my ancestors looked human; ugh}. Anyway, there is no
way I am going to race any gator next to Stanley Cowen's luau pit near the
g in front of all the cameras and microphones of three southern
states for anything less than my share of the gate in the form of either free
access forever to Joe Ebrecht's chickens, or the kind of cash a Secretariat
could make if he could win races and also type a newspaper column.
Wild Butch Meyn has Doc issuing bloody challenges that would make a
fierce wrestler cringe, daring a]| comers to bring their biggest gator to
Ponchatoula June 1 and try to beat Ole Hardhide, me, in a race to the death,
all to (believe this because the truths Ponchatoula produces are too
unbelievable to make up) an orchestra playing the Blue Danube. The Doc
cassettes have already been sent to radio stations all over Louisiana.
That's okay, Butch. Just you dress up in a little jockey outfit to take Doc's
place should he fall off and disappear early in the race.
Congratulations Angela Marie Lorio for being a top student in the state and
a member of the first graduating class of the Louisiana School for Math,
Science and the Arts.
Hey Angela Falgout, if the Wheel would have spotted the brand burger you
were munching on your lunch hour Tuesday he would have given you a
whopper! (Go easy Bootsy, this one pretty cashier brings in who knows how
many guys. 1 saw one moon-eyed fellow buy a six pack, checking out one
beer at a time- and Angela).
Suppose it's true that the mayor is mulling over a downtown mini-park .
program?
By the way, why is Lawyer Troyer so indignant in Livingston Parish these
days? (most lawyers ! know are indigent. It's their clients that are indignant),
Why is Barbara Reys at City Hall walking on air and feeling like Most
Valuable Mother of the Year? i suppose it had nothing to do with daughter
Jennifer's winning MVP honors Sunday.
While the folks out Robert way are still trying to get over the wild and crazy
paddleboatlng of Corey Dufreche. Manchac, you should be warned (because
I know Deputy Chuck Reed hasn't gotten around to it yet). Brie Layrisson
now has a boat at his command. Last seen he was pulling antics usually reser-
ved for North Seventh Street on the South Pass. He has arms (the better to
throttle and steer by) and he is dangerous. (But he's all yours now.).
Hey South Pass Teddy Kraft, how is the entrepreneur doing? I hear If you
stay in this line untangling business long, with all your sports fisherman clients,
you're going to make a real killing!
Speaking of which, the title goes to Buddy Rottman this week for The Man
Most Likely To Have Himself Scissored; for snipping off with scissors the tie of
towering Irishman Doug O'Bannon. Ole Doug has a sense of humor,
as long as something's funny. He also has the build of King Kong, Buddy.
Be diplomatic In the future, you humans! One day you could be as smooth
as Marshal Gordon Anderson who between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and
a.m. attended one lull high school awards banquet, a wake, and the
dedication of Port Manchac (wonder how the rest of his day went? Whew!).
! do know that I don't like Perrin the Coast Guardsman, who Thursday night
in My Ponchatoula taught about 50 local Lions how to survive In the water af-
ter capsizing their boats. That's just not fair.
Those fools are an Important alligator food source!
The local Lions can stand to take a little heat. Those great guys are hustling
the ice at SLU used to cool the Special Olympians (now that is cool).
Ask Carol Kinchan about the Jaycee Women's convention, held in Alexan-
SEE PAGE TWO
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