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| Mary Carter |
Mary Carter served as temporary District 4 alderwoman since Nov. 1984. She was appointed by the Board of Aldermen to serve in place of her late husband, G.T. Carter when he died in November. Mrs. Carter was Ponchatoula resident since 1951. Her main goals were to improve city streets and drainage, cooperate with the council, advocate good, sound business principles and help city residents.
Mrs. Carter was a retired economic teacher,. She worked at Perrin Junior High School from 1951 to 1969 and then she taught at Ponchatoula High School until 1974. Mrs. Carter is a graduate of Hammond High School and Southern University in Baton Rouge. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in vocational home economics in 1951 and later worked toward a master's degree in home economics at the same university.
She was the mother of four children: Attorney Gideon T. Carter III, Hammond; Gwendolyn Renee Carter, R.N., New Orleans; Genor and Gemetri Carter, students in Baton Rouge. I was delighted to sit and talk with Gwendolyn about her parents. Gwen and her family reminded me of the King family. Dr. King and his wife Coretta Scott King and his four children fought for equality and justice for the oppressed and so did the Carter family of Ponchatoula, Louisiana
I sit across the table from her listening her talk about what her parent went through and the racism they faced tried to stand up for justice and seeking a quality of education for African-American children. She recalled some of the meetings that took place in her home. She remembered her father Gideon Carter talking to A.Z. Young and other prominent African American men and women.
I can't wait to meet and talk with Gwen again. The rich history of her family sure be recorded and documented,
