INTRODUCING LOGANSPORT -- OUR TOWN

Precious Memories --

This blog has been created in order to provide a location where the people who love the Town of Logansport, Louisiana, can share their memories of Our Town, its history, people, and events.  All contributions are welcomed.  Anyone who wishes to contribute can submit their memories can do so by emailing francesfreeman7@me.com.

Check out these links for additional information:
The Town of Logansport
Facebook Remember When in Logansport
History of LogansportFacebook Our DeSoto Parish Roots
Logansport High School
Logansport in Wikipedia
Chamber of Commerce
Logansport Library (Library Page)
Surname List for DeSoto Families from the Research of Hugh Rutherford
Ancestry Information for Logansport and DeSoto Parish
Related Blog (CommunicatingLife2)
Mayor Dennis Freeman
Mayor Dennis Freeman on Ancestry

COLLECTING IMAGES OF LOGANSPORT SCHOOLS FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY

WANTED -- IMAGES OF LOGANSPORT SCHOOLS

WANTED:  IMAGES OF LOGANSPORT SCHOOLS

BETHEL SCHOOL in the Bethel Community of Logansport closed in the 1940's

Mary Thompson, who will be sharing her grandfather’s stories of the early schools of Logansport and DeSoto Parish, has requested that those attending the meeting of the Logansport Historical and Genealogical Society (LHGS) on Jan. 21, plan to bring and share pictures of Logansport schools.  We are interested in snapshots and pictures taken over the decades at any of the old school locations.  We are especially interested in those that show school buildings and grounds as well as the interiors of the classrooms, gyms, auditoriums, libraries, lunch rooms, etc.  Pictures of teachers and school events, students in school dress from different decades or in athletic, band, or cheerleader uniforms are of special interest.  If at all possible, please include information as to the dates of the photos and the people or events depicted.

If you have digitized (scanned) copies of your photos of Logansport schools, we invite you to send these to francesfreeman7@me.com or to mmact@hotmail.com so they can be shared at the meeting.   If you are unable to attend the meeting, but are interesting in seeing the images or sharing your pictures, you are invited to drop by the Logansport Library and bring your pictures.  Josh Wolf or one of the other librarians will scan your photos.  If you want a digital copy, bring a thumb drive with you.  Later this month we will compile all of your images of Logansport Schools into a single file, and make these available to anyone who wants a copy.  Remember, only bring photos you are willing to share with the public, and leave your name and contact information so we can reach you if we need additional information about your pictures.  Selected pictures from these files will be displayed in the lobby of the Logansport Library during the month of February.

Everyone is invited to join us at the Logansport Library at 4:00 on Jan. 21 for the first meeting of the LHGS.  Refreshments will be served at 4:00, the program will begin at 4:30.  Mary Thompson’s presentation will end by 5:30, in time for those who need to be home by dark to depart.  Those who wish to remain are invited to stay for further discussion and sharing.

Mary Thompson’s presentation will be in story format, with tales from her grandfather Will Price’s account of the history of the town of Logansport.  After the presentation, audience participation will be invited, to allow those present to share unique perspectives on the schools of Logansport.

The second meeting of the LHGS is scheduled for the same time on Feb. 18 (third Tuesday).  Even though we are formally organizing, the meetings are open to all, and everyone is invited.  If you are interested in joining the society or in presenting or participating in other ways, please contact Frances Freeman at (318) 347-8318.

ANNOUNCING THE ORGANIZATION OF THE LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

FIRST MEETING OF LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

The DEPS of Logansport History –

Announcing the Logansport Historical and Genealogical Society

            Discovering, Exploring, Preserving, and Sharing are the objectives of the initiative to create the Logansport Historical and Genealogical Society (LHGS).  All of those with an interest in the history or people of the border region of western DeSoto Parish and the area surrounding the Town of Logansport are encouraged to contact Frances Jackson Freeman at 318 (347) 8318 or francesfreeman7@me.com. 

The first public meeting will be held on Jan. 21, at the Logansport Public Library.  The public is invited to gather at 4:00 for refreshments and socialization.  The program, which begins at 4:30, will review THE HISTORY OF LOGANSPORT HIGH SCHOOL as recorded in the memoirs of Mr. Will Price.  This story of the roots of public education in western DeSoto Parish will be presented by Mr. Will’s granddaughter, and noted Louisiana educator, Ms. Mary Mac Thompson.   The program will end before 5:30, but those who wish to participate in the future of the LHGS are invited to remain for further discussions.

            The second meeting will be held on Feb. 18, with the same location and times. Other programs planned for 2014 include: The Story of the Rosenwald Schools with emphasis on the History of Logansport Rosenwald; The History Trunk – How we can use historical artifacts to help children understand the past; Ancestor Hunting In DeSoto Parish – with emphasis on collections, materials, experts, and tools available locally; The History of Football in Logansport by Tim Wheless; Oral History in the Digital Age – Preserving and Sharing Our Memories through digital recordings; The Ghosts of River City; and The History of Logansport, a Documentary Project.

            Membership in the Logansport Historical and Genealogical Society will be $15 per year for the local society or $20 per year for joint membership in the LHGS and the DeSoto Parish Historical and Genealogical Society.  The officers and bylaws of the LHGS will be determined by the will of those who become charter members.

LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY SEEKS CHURCH HISTORIANS

CALL FOR CHURCH HISTORIANS

First United Methodist Church of Joaquin, TX about 1938

CALLING ALL CHURCH HISTORIANS

Whether your church was started last year or over a centenary ago, the job of Church Historian is challenging.  Documenting, recording, discovering, exploring, preserving, and sharing the stories of faith and dedication that underpin our Churches has always been a difficult and often lonely task.  This is especially true as new technologies offer many new opportunities, but require new knowledge and multiple skills.

Whether the goal of your church is a traditional history using e-publishing or a multi-media CD, your church historian has a big job and too often little guidance or help.  In order to support, encourage, and assist church historians in accomplishing their daunting tasks, we are organizing a support group for Church Historians as part of the Logansport Historical and Genealogy Society (LHGS).  We are trying to identify church historians from the churches of Logansport, Joaquin, DeSoto Parish, Shelby County, and surrounding areas. Our goal is to bring together a representative group to discuss mutual opportunities, problems, and challenges.  If topics of general interest are identified, we will organize one or more workshops to meet our needs.  With luck, we will be able to assist one another or identify outside experts willing to share their knowledge and skills.

If you are a church historian, or if you are interested in becoming the historian for your church, we invite you to join us at the first meeting of the Logansport Historical and Genealogical Society on Jan. 21, at the Logansport Library in Logansport, LA.  The meeting will begin at 4:00 with refreshments, followed by a presentation on the schools of Logansport.  If you are unable to attend this meeting, please contact Frances Freeman at (318) 347-9318 or francesfreeman7@me.com, or leave your contact information with Josh Wolf at the Logansport Library.  Our first objective is to build a list of local church historians, so we can meet together.

FIRST MEETING OF THE LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY -- JANUARY 21, 2014

TELLING THE STORY OF LOGANSPORT SCHOOLS

Mr. Will Price, Logansport Historian

TELLING THE STORY OF LOGANSPORT SCHOOLS

         The town of Logansport and the surrounding areas are fortunate that Mr. Will Price carefully, with understanding and humor, recorded the story of his town.  On this Tuesday, at 4:00 in the Logansport Library, his granddaughter, Mary Thompson, will share Mr. Will’s stories of the Logansport schools.  Her presentation will be the highlight of the first meeting of the Logansport Historical and Genealogical Society (LHGS).  The public is invited; refreshments will be served at 4:00 with the presentations to begin at 4:30 and end before 5:30.  The audience is invited to bring and share pictures and stories related to their “school days.”

Logansport School 1910

            Mr. Will, who was born in 1880, was the son of Logansport pioneer and first Mayor, Elijah Price and his wife Eliza.  Mr. Will attended the early Logansport schools and as a young man was hired by the T & NO (narrow gauge) Railroad.  For 51 years, he served as the Logansport Depot Agent. Most travel was by train, and urgent news arrived through the telegraph, so Mr. Will was always at the center of Logansport life.  Over the course of both World Wars, Mr. Will received and delivered news and messages to the families of Logansport.  One could say he was both CNN and Face Book for his town.  Mr. Will kept letters, notes, and a journal, and toward the end of his long life, he wrote his memoirs.  Through his memories, we have valuable insights into life in Logansport from the late 19^th Century through the middle of the 20^th Century.  

            Many of Mr. Will’s memories involve the schools, which he and his siblings, his children, and grandchildren attended.   He remembers principals, teachers, buildings, board members, sports teams, coaches -- and escapades.  Today, we take for granted free public schools, available to all; but this was not always true.  As Mr. Will recounts, creating a system of free public schools, open to all children, was a gradual and difficult undertaking.  Mr. Will doesn’t take himself or his subject too seriously, and his account includes more than a few unlikely and comic episodes. 

            Mary Thompson, Mr. Will’s granddaughter, and noted Louisiana Educator, says that her informal presentation is a story, not a dry account.  She has encouraged those attending to bring photos and stories to share with the group.  The first project of the LHGS is to create a collection of images of School Days in Logansport to preserve and share this aspect of the town history.

Logansport High School for most of the 20th Century

LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY -- INFORMATION & APPLICATION

GENERAL INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FORM FOR THE LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY -- LHGS 
General Information

Objectives:                    DEPS

Discover:   The Events, Places & People that created Logansport.

Explore:    Investigate, research and study to expand and deepen our understanding and  appreciation.

Preserve:    Save, maintain, and protect our heritage.

Share:         Publish, distribute, and disseminate through all approaches and technologies to ensure wide circulation and availability to posterity

Membership:         Open to anyone.

Dues:          For the first year dues will be $15 for membership in the LHGS only, or $20 for joint membership in LHGS & the DeSoto Parish Historical and Genealogical Society. Students and those over 80 are free for LHGS.

Charter; Bylaws; Officers; etc.: All of these will be determined by members. Organizational meetings will be held later this spring.

Meetings:  The first two meetings will be held at the Logansport Library on Jan. 21 and Feb. 18.  After these meetings, future meeting times and dates will be established by the membership.

Additional Information:  For additional information follow the Facebook Pages:Remember in Logansport when....  and Our De Soto Parish Roots. OR Checkout the related Blogs at http://communicatinglife2.blogspot.com.  You can also check at the Town Office or the Library for information, or contact Frances Freeman (318) 347-8318 or francesfreeman7@me.com.   Even better, stop by the Library between 10:00 and 1:00 on Thursdays and give us a helping hand.

Projects:  (Immediate)

Logansport Schools Library Exhibit for February—Needed memorabilia from Logansport Schools over the to display in the Library.  All will be returned to owners.

Logansport School Image Archive  -- Needed photos of Logansport Schools in order to create a CD and on-line archive of our past.  All photos will be scanned to digital format.  You will keep your originals.

(Short Range)

Workshop for Family Historians – To promote, support and assist those who desire to develop skills and use local resources to pursue genealogy and family history.

Workshop for Church Historians – To encourage, support and assist those who undertake the difficult task of recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of our churches.

Workshop on E-Publishing and Multi-media Publishing – To provide practical and technical assistance to those interested in on-line publishing or creation of Multi-media DVDs or CDs.

(Long range)

LOGANSPORT, DESOTO, HASLAM, & JOAQUIN ORAL HISTORY – To record and preserve the memories of our older (and younger) residents and former residents in a database, searchable, digital video and audio archives. 

LOGANSPORT, DESOTO, HASLAM & JOAQUIN HISTORICAL ARCHIVE – To collect digital copies of manuscripts, documents, photographs, family bibles, cemetery records, newspaper articles, etc. and create a searchable database to allow researchers, teachers, genealogists, historians, and others access to our precious heritage.

Suggested Programs For 2014 Meetings –  (These are suggested, and will be scheduled based on interest.  Suggestions for other programs are eagerly sought.)

The Story of the Rosenwald Schools with emphasis on the History of Logansport Rosenwald.

The History Trunk – How we can use historical objects and artifacts to help children appreciate and understand the past.

Ancestor Hunting In DeSoto Parish with emphasis on collections, materials, experts, and tools available locally.

Ancestor Hunting in East Texas  with emphasis on Shelby and Panola Counties.

The History of Football in Logansport by Tim Wheless.

Oral History in the Digital Age – Preserving and Sharing Our Memories through digital recordings.

The Ghosts of River City & No Man’s Land --

The History of Logansport, a Video Documentary Project by Mark Price.

The LHGS will have an impact only you care and are willing to take time to participate in the organization and our projects.  Everyone is needed, from students in our schools to our precious centenarians.   Develop your interests and skills, and share your knowledge and talents.  JOIN US.

______________________________________________________________________________

THE LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Contact Information Form

NAME: _____________________________________________________ TITLE: _________

ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________

E-MAIL: ___________________________________________________________________

HOME PHONE: _________________________   CELL:_____________________________

Interested in:    History      Genealogy      Both

What is your experience in genealogy?       Beginning      Intermediate        Experienced

Are you a Church Historian?   ______    Name of Church: ______________________________

Are you interested in being a Church Historian? ______________________________________

Are you involved (or wish to be involved) in local/community History (explain and name the area or community)? (i.e. Civil War History; WWII History; Texas History; Sports History; Bethel History;  Haslam History; Rosenwald School History; Vietnam War History; Black History; Agricultural History; etc.) 

In what Projects (see examples on information sheet) are you interested or believe you can make a contribution? __________________________________________________________________

In what Programs (see examples on information sheet) are you interested or believe you can make a contribution? __________________________________________________________________

Would you suggest other Projects or Programs? ________________________________________

Are you interested in becoming a member of LHGS?  __________________________________

USE THE REVERSE SIDE TO GIVE US FEEDBACK OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION(Return this form to Frances Freeman at POB 39 Logansport, LA 71049, or drop off at the Library or Town Hall)

FEBRUARY, 2014 MEETING OF THE LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

THE LOGANSPORT HISTORICAL & GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY -- Second Meeting

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,  2014
LOGANSPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY

Mr. Charles Adams, President of the Logansport Rosenwald  High School Alumni Association

MR. CHARLES ADAMS PRESENTS ON THE HISTORY OF LOGANSPORT ROSENWALD SCHOOL

February is Black History Month, and the Logansport Historical and Genealogical Society is pleased that Mr. Charles Adams will present the History of Logansport Rosenwald Schools at their month meeting.   Open to the public, the meeting begins with refreshments at 4:00 on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Logansport Library.  Mr. Adams’s presentation will begin at 4:30.

  A 1965 graduate of Logansport Rosenwald High School, Mr. Adams received his Bachelor of Science degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge in 1969. After graduation, he served four years in military service in Vietnam.   A decorated veteran, he subsequently received his Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, and pursued doctoral studies in Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Arlington.  He is listed in the International Who’s Who Among Professionals (1996).

A civil servant with 38 years of public service, Mr. Adams represented the United States Department of Agriculture in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2004, providing training related to safe drinking water.  In 1989, he participated in Water Quality Technology Exchange with Israel, providing technical guidance in the efficient use of irrigation water for crops and fields.

Mr. Adams is currently CEO and Director of Motivation Plus, which provides keynote addresses to both civic and religious groups on a wide range of subjects including: management, sexual harassment, time management, financial management, and leadership.  Prior to retirement, he was Director of the National Employee Development Center in Ft. Worth.  Previously, he was Regional Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Over his long career, he worked as a Conservationist in Georgia Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and the Caribbean.  He possesses expertise and special skills in natural resources, sustainable agriculture, rural development, forestry, biodiversity, and water quality management.  He has numerous honors for a wide range of conservation projects, including USDA Honor Awards for work with American Indians and Puerto Rican coffee farmers. 

He has served as twice as President of the National Organization of Professional Black NRCS Employees (1992-1994 & 2005-2007).  He also served as President of the North Texas Soil and Water Conservation Society and the Diversified Board of Directors. In Houston, he served as member of the Board of Directors of the Museum of Cultural Arts.

Mr. Adams has played a key role in the organization and development of the Logansport Rosenwald High School Alumni Association.  His interests have lead to his avocation as an historian, specializing in local school history.  He has collected extensive documentation on the Rosenwald Schools in DeSoto Parish, including lists of all graduates and teachers.  He is uniquely prepared to share his research and experiences.  

4:00 -- For Refreshments and Socialization
4:30-5:30 -- Presentation by Mr. Charles Adams on the History of Logansport Rosenwald Schools
5:30-6:00 -- Discussion and Planning