Sunday, June 30, 2019

Gov. Foster Speaks To Chamber

Twenty years ago Governor Mike Foster spoke to a large crowd at a St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce meeting. A lot of familiar faces were in the audience. Click on the image to make it larger. 


Saturday, June 29, 2019

Mandeville College - 1844

In 1844, Mandeville had its own college. According to an article in the Daily Picayune May 30th issue of that year, the college offered a number of advantages over similar schools in New Orleans, south of the lake.

Here is the wording of an announcement about the college being established in the community.

Mandeville College

The attention of parents and guardians is respectfully solicited to this institution, lately established in the town of Mandeville, on Lake Pontchartrain.

Mandeville is situated in the Parish of St. Tammany, within two hours ride of New Orleans. It is free from all epidemic diseases; bordered by a lake which wafts over the place an uninterrupted breeze, and which will serve the pupils as a salutary bath.

It is located far from the bustle of a large city and its concomitant pernicious effects; provided with three elegantly constructed edifices, 500 feet in length and surrounded by delightful gardens and orchards, it combines all the requisites for the promotion of that physical development and bodily health without which the best talent would lie dormant and become a burden to its possessor.

The physical education of young men has hitherto been too much neglected. It is the object of this institution to combine physical and intellectual education. Such being the plan of the college, it is believed that the State of Louisiana does not offer a more suitable spot for its location than Mandeville.

The instructing body of the college is composed as follows:

Lewis Elkin (late principal of the Orleans High School and formerly of Jefferson College) is principal and professor of mathematics.

Duncan Macauly, L.L.D., professor of Latin, Greek and English.

Felix Perrin (late of Paris) professor of French and History.

Francis Gonzales, professor of French


J. Hazeldon, professor of Vocal and Instrumental Music


Zenon Gora, Teacher of Drawing

The boarding establishment is under the charge of Mrs. Macauly.

(Article transcript from the State Library of Louisiana)
     http://www.state.lib.la.us



Front Cover of Sheet Music, Jazz Collection, Tulane University Digital Library

See also:

Early Education Efforts

Friday, June 28, 2019

100 Years Ago This Week

What was going on 100 years ago this week? CLICK HERE for a link to the St. Tammany Farmer of June 28, 1919. The link is provided by the Library of Congress and its Chronicling America service.

Click on the sample images below to see larger versions.






Building of Chef Menteur Road Of Great Interest






Interstate Wholesale Grocers Expands


Madisonville To Celebrate Fourth of July


Obituaries



Ship To Be Launched on July 4th


Society News


St. Scholastica Graduation



Fairgrounds 4th of July Celebration

Thursday, June 27, 2019

Abita Springs Jr. High Groundbreaking

This photograph shows a number of officials lined up to take part in the groundbreaking ceremonies for additions to Abita Springs Junior High School in the early 1980's. Click on the image to make it larger. 


Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Art & Authors In St. Tammany - 1981

In 1981 the St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce printed its first annual magazine, and one of the articles in that publication told about the large number of artists and authors in the area. Here is that article:

Art And Authors in West St. Tammany 

This side of Lake Pontchartrain, in proportion to its population, is amazingly blessed with talented, artistic people. Perhaps, when you think about it, there's a totally explainable and expected reason for this blessing of ours, the natural desire of the creative mind to seek a peaceful and relaxed environment where his body and soul are as free as possible from stress and tension. Thus, they escape from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans and come to live with us in the sweet, ozone-scented piney woods.



We have many well known "recognized" artists - oh, such a wide variety that it scares this writer to start naming names knowing that the required length of this article will permit her to mention but a few. Please be assured, therefore, that it's the writer's ignorance that can be blamed for any oversight, and her omissions can, and will, be quickly rectified in the subsequent issues of "Covington."

In the painting field we have such artists as Gene Culbertson, a local sign painter turned artist - a man who has never had a lesson in his life but whose paintings of ducks, fish and wildlife in general are nothing short of amazing in their reality. He also carves and paints duck decoys that have to be felt to convince the observer that they are not real. 


Jack Akers is another local painter to whom we can point with pride. We have watched his reputation spread out from Covington into New Orleans and
beyond, where his beautifully realistic paintings of nature are more and more frequently to be found hanging in art galleries.


Florence Chesnutt, another local artist, uses her talent with pen and brush in many different directions. Her ink sketches of local houses have been reproduced on note paper and calendars, and her paintings in water color hang in prominent places in many local people's houses.


Marilyn Carter Rougelot is getting better and better known in the area for her life-like and life-size acrylic portraits on canvas. She is also highly commissioned for her expressions in murals.


Ray Buck is an oil painter and is well-known for his limited edition etchings.


The appeal of Dale Hauck's art work lies in the fresh approach he takes with his media in depicting the further dimensions of the world of nature. He works in wood, acrylic and watercolors.


A bust of Walker Percy in the Covington Branch Library

In the writing department, we have Walker Percy and his books which have gotten national recognition.


John Kemp, a newspaper writer, has recently written a fine book on New Orleans which has had great sales in the area. 



Carol Saunders Jahncke, owner of a local bookstore, on realizing there was no book available on Covington's history went over the old St. Tammany Farmer newspapers starting in 1878 and came up with Mr. Kentzel's Covington

Hot off the press is now a more detailed history of the area titled St. Tammany Parish, L'Autre Cote du Lac written by Judge Fredrick Ellis, the result of many years of work and research. 

And these are just "published" writers. In this year, a local poetry anthology will be published by Covington Press which will allow "closet poets" (of which there are many) to share and air their talents. This book, entitled Boque Falaya Anthology, will be illustrated by local artists.

In the sculpture field we have Bill Binnings who was described as knowing this art form "from A to Z", so to speak. Whereas he is extremely versatile, he primarily works in bronze to create his aesthetically pleasing, very serious pieces in natural forms and shapes. His subjects range from horses to the human body to almost surrealism-like works.


A 1977 art exhibit at the art association

Jack Brown, who owns an arabian horse farm, is a unique sculptor of rare talent. He "sculpts" miniature horses out of wax to make a mold and then casts them in 14 Kt. gold and silver. They are truly exquisite in every tiny detail and the pride and joy of the ladies who wear them either on a chain or as a pin.


Susan Carver concentrates on hand painted, botanically correct flower metal sculptures such as iris and other local wild flowers. Each piece is perfect in its color and craftsmanship.


Then there are the jewelry makers of the area which must be mentioned in any article on artists. Ann O'Brien expresses her personality through her ability to transform 14 Kt. gold wire into magnificent jewelry designs.


Sam Alfano, a newcomer to our area, provides the old world art of custom hand engraving. He specializes in firearms, but also lends his unusual talent to custom, hand-crafted jewelry.


Drawing upon nature as his inspiration, Rene Chapotel expresses his love of flora and fauna into gold and silver. His interpretation of God's handiwork becomes a piece of finely handcrafted jewelry in the form of a spider web, dragonfly or wild flowers; truly unique works of art.


Yes - this side of "The Lake" is truly a mecca for artists and we are very proud of each and every one of them!




Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The Covington Daily News

In 1972 the Covington Daily News began publication. It was put together by Lou Major Sr., and featured the talents of his son, his daughter-in-law, and a few others, including myself.

Here are the pictures of those who worked on the newspaper at the beginning of its run. It lasted one year, and then transitioned to a twice-a-week newspaper after merging with the Mandeville Bantam

Click on the images below to see a larger version. 





See also:


Newspapers in St.Tammany Parish

WARB Memories

Judicial Election Candidates - 1981

A candidates forum for several people vying for a judicial post in 1981 was held at the Mandeville City Hall. Here is a picture of the group waiting for their turn to get to the microphone.


Click on the image to make it larger.

Monday, June 24, 2019

Kayaks Come To Chimes

Anytime you look at the Bogue Falaya River in Covington, you can almost imagine seeing someone (maybe even yourself) kayaking, or paddle boarding through that calm water, enjoying the serenity.

Chimes Restaurant in Claiborne Hill is always good for a balcony seat to view the river, but something new is afoot at Chimes (and I don't mean the goats.)

 
Canoe & Trail Adventures has set up a kayak and paddleboard rental service at the Chimes dock, with plenty of watercraft in bright colors, life preservers, and paddles to go along with them. The rental service is open five days a week, which includes Saturdays and Sundays, and folks can reserve the kayaks ahead of time by going to their website.


Click on the images to make them larger.


According to their website, Canoe and Trail Adventures has been around for over 45 years, mainly offering guided canoe trips into Louisiana swamps and bayous surrounding New Orleans. They have expanded the kayak swamp tour eco-tourism industry, and as a result Chimes has become the local kayaking and paddleboard renter center. Lots of folks have already come to take advantage of the service. Here are some pictures.










For more information about the kayak rental service, CLICK HERE.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Growth in St. Tammany Parish - 1985

In 1985, some thirty-four years ago, the Louisiana Public Broadcasting System produced a video report on "Growth In St. Tammany Parish."




to go to the webpage offering the video, then click on the "Play Triangle" in the middle of the viewing window to start viewing it.  There are lots of familiar faces in the video.  

That vintage video segment is made available for viewing courtesy of the La. Digital Media Archives, LPB Collection, Louisiana State Archives website.

Saturday, June 22, 2019

Mardi Gras 1982 A Few More Pictures

I found a few more pictures from the downtown Covington Mardi Gras parade held in 1982. Here they are. Click on the images to make them larger. 








See also:

Lions Club Parade 1982

Lions Club Parade 1982 Addition

Friday, June 21, 2019

100 Years Ago This Week

What was going on 100 years ago this week? CLICK HERE for a link to the St. Tammany Farmer of June 21, 1919. The link is provided by the Library of Congress and its Chronicling America service.

Click on the sample images below to see larger versions.