Gladys Mary Buller Babovec – History Education, August 8, 1940

Gladys Mary Buller Babovec

August 8, 1940

History Education

            I am Gladys Mary Buller of Elton and was a student at SLI from September 1937 through July 1940.  I graduated on August 8, 1940 with a B.A.  My major was History, with minors in English and French.

            On a Sunday afternoon a neighbor took his daughter and me to DeClouet Hall.  The housemother and upperclassmen greeted us, showed us to our rooms, and later that afternoon gave us a tour of the campus.  Then dorm rules were read and explained.

            We were all supervised.  Each time we left the dorm, other than going to class, we signed out giving our destination.  Freshmen were to be in by 7P.M.  Those making the honor roll could stay later at the library.  Since none of us had cars on campus, we stayed there until the Thanksgiving holidays. We became close friends walking to church and to a movie on Sunday or listening to the radio.  Going together to football games and special programs were fun.  When “Gone With the Wind” came to the theatre, our housemother walked there with us because we would be late getting in.

            All of us ate in the dining hall including weekends six to eight students at the same table with each meal served family style.  French students were to speak only French at their table.  Students worked as waiters.

            Club and sorority activities were most enjoyable.  I belonged to Zeta Delta Phi, Kappa Delta Pi, Vermilion Honor Society and Le Cercle Francais.

            Girls wore dresses.  Pants and shorts were worn only for certain sports or as a uniform.

             Classes were small enough that we knew most of the members and usually felt as if our teachers were our friends and always ready to help us.  Those teachers I remember best were Mr. Joseph Riehl and Mr. Harry Delarue of the history department and Ms. Muriel McCulla, an English teacher.

            We were experiencing a severe depression.  I worked for Ms. Agnes Edwards in the Dean of Women’s office during my freshman year and for Dean Harry Griffin the remainder of my college years, earning approximately 33 cents per hour.

After graduation in September, I began teaching upper elementary social studies in Jefferson Davis Parish earning $97 per month (room and board was $28).  After teaching two years, I joined the Women’s Army Corps and served 2.5 years, spending most of that time at Tilton General Hospital, Ft. Dix, N.J.

In 1945, I married Jerry Babovec and moved to Texas; we had three daughters, two of whom are teachers and one a nurse.  In 1957, we moved back to Elton where I taught high school social studies and English until I retired.  While teaching, I received two letters of commendation from McNeese for having prepared students well for their college American History classes and the Louisiana Farm Bureau General Education Freedom Award given for continuous service to foster Americanism.

Even though I’m retired, I remain active as a CCD teacher and coordinator, in American Legion and Auxiliary Americanism activities, in church activities, and as a volunteer in the Veterans Administration program.

Gladys B. Babovec