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| Delegation Visited O.W. Dillon School Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell |
This past week a delegation organized by Dieone Johnson, Executive Director for O.W. Dillon Preservation Organization met with Jessica G. Richardson, National Register Coordinator, Division of the Historic Preservation, Office of Cultural Development. The delegation and Executive Director toured the school with Jessica, educating her about the history of the school.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic place worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect America's historic and archeological resources.
Tangipahoa Parish Training School is the oldest in the Nation. ]The school is gaining national attention for its historical Heritage in the African American community. The doors opened in 191l and closed several years back. The school fostered the idea of having boys learned scientific agriculture, dairying, and horticulture for girls; sewing, domestic economy, cooking, and other life skills training. The Tangipahoa Parish Training School drew many students from surrounding parishes, including Washington, St. Tammany, St. Helena, East and West Feliciana. Some students came from Mississippi to get an education.
The delegation toured the school that could be used as Community Enrichment Center, Museum & Cultural Center, and a vocational training school. They visited the classrooms, gymnasium, the cafeteria, and the school grounds.
During the visit, Susie Bates and Valeria Temple Thompson alumni's of the school reminisce about their school days and the staff of the school. Also attending were local historian and television talk show host Antoinette Harrell joined the delegation to help them document the rich history of the school. Youth photographers; Connor, Chase and Jo'elle Lacoste took pictures for photo documentation.
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| O.W. Dillon School Kentwood, Louisiana Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell |
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| O.W. Dillon School Kentwood, Louisiana Photo Credit: Connor LaCoste |
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| O.W. Dillon School Kentwood, Louisiana Photo Credit: Connor LaCoste |
