1967 Desegregation of Schools in Tangipahoa Parish

May 17, 1967


Dear Parent:

All grades in our school system will be desegregated next year. Any student will be entering one of these grades next year may choose to attend any school in our system, regardless of whether that school was formerly all-white or all Negro. It does not matter which school your child is attending this year. You and your child may select any school you wish.

Every student, white and Negro, must make a choice of schools. If a child is entering that ninth or higher grade, or it the child is fifteen years old or older, the may make the choice himself.  Otherwise, a parent or other adult serving as a parent must sign the choice form. A child enrolling in the school system for the first time must make a choice of schools before or at the time of his enrollment.

The form on which the choice should be made is attached to this letter. It should be completed and returned by June 15, 1967. You may mail it or deliver it by messenger or by hand to any school principal or to the Office of the Superintendent at any time between May 15 and June 15. No one may require you to return your choice form before June 15 and no preference is given for returning the choice from early.

No principal, teacher or other school official is permitted to influence anyone in making a choice or to require the early return of the choice form. No one is permitted to favor or penalize any student or another person because of choice make. A choice once makes cannot be changed except for serious hardship.

No child will be denied his choice unless for reasons of overcrowding at the school chosen, in which case children living nearest the school will have a preference.

Transportation will be provided, if reasonably possible, no matter what school is chosen.

Your School Board and the school staff will do everything we can to see to it that the right of all students are protected and that desegregation of our schools is carried out successfully.

Sincerely yours,

Deurit L Sauls,

Superintendent

St. Helena Historic Property-Lillian Cry House

Lillian Cry House

The Lillian Cry House, is nearly a ruin. It is a parlor-dole pen of boxes framed with a pyramidal roof, a hipped roof shed porch; and its only fireplace on the right pen. Symmetry is maintained by the window-door-window-door-window (6/6) facade.

Lillian Cry was the daughter of Bill Cry. She come from a large and respected Negro family.

Recorded by: M.B. Newton, Jr.
Date: May 2, 1981

St. Helena Historic Preservation Property-Warren Napoleon Sims

Warren Napoleon Sims

At the end of the nineteenth century, square (or Bill) Cry built the barn also know as the D.D.Day Barn and the Warner Napoleon Sim Barn. Cry is said to have lived in the right two cribs before he sold the land to D.D. Day, who built another house in 1922, Day sold the place to Sims. Cry and Sims were Negroes; Day was white. Sims (96) still owns it, although he has on account of  his age let it rundown.

The older part is the divided, 12 by 19 ft. crib ( 17 logs to the plate). It had been used as two says. It has two plank doors; both with carved, wooden latches (sliding bar). A 12-ft, runway separates the two main parts of the barn. The left crib is slightly narrower and is of larger logs (14 to the plate); its one door is a plank door made with square naisl. These two parts are of saddle-notched, round logs. A huge, gable roof covers the two cribs and,  in the rear, has three stalls, plus some other space devoted to animals. The front shed holds an excellent old house drawn hay rake.

This barn is remarkable in its black-white succession and in its hardware (wrought iron and carved wood).

St. Helena Property and Historic Significance-Blanche Williams Place

Blanche Williams Place

Henry William Johnson, a Negro farmer, miller, and builder, built his house, perhaps about 1900. It is well built, central-hall house with a built in porch, boxes cornices (front and rear), 4 by 6 in, porch posted with built-up capitals and key-holes notches at their bases, and a hood on three sides of the porch. It is of boards-and-battens; it had beaded siding under the gallery; it had one 6/6 window into each pen; its loft is finished; its one chimney is on the right.



The kitchen ell-now in ruin-also has a chimney.
This is a remarkable house, all things considered.

Recorded by M.B. Newton, Jr.
Date: May 15, 1981
For: Comprehensive Planning Assoc.
Devision of Archaeology and Historic Preservation