Johnell Blanchard Theriot – Elementary Education, 1969; M. Ed., 1989; Ed. S., 1992

Johnell Blanchard Theriot

1969, 1989 & 1992

Dear Dr. Dugas,

                My educational experiences may be varied, but they have one common nucleus, my USL degrees.

                The memories of USL are numerous and span four decades.

                I entered USL as a first time freshman in June of 1965.

                I recall…

                                Martin Hall being newly built

                                Brown Ayres as an Art building

                                O.K. Allen as the main dining hall where we ate greasy spaghetti and gumbo made with tomatoes

                                Declouet Hall as a Freshman Dorm

                                the path on the side of Cypress Lake which we used as a short cut to Little Abbeville

                                the tennis courts behind McLaurin Gym

                                Dupre Library with only 1 floor

                                the mounted brown bear in the lobby of Billeaud Hall

                                the 9 P.M. curfews in the dorms

                                Hamilton Hall being a Laboratory Training school (where I did my student teaching)

                                Hopper’s and the 12 cent ice cream cone

the first registration completed by computer with girls in boy’s P.E. and students ending up with over 100 hours on their schedule

the building of Maxim Doucet

the renovation of Girard Hall

the building of Agnes Edwards dorm

the little house where the Dean of Women lived

the midnight fire drills in the dorms

the pine tree in front of Declouet Hall where I became engaged

I received my first degree on May 25, 1969 and became an elementary educator.

During the 70’s, I returned frequently to the campus to upgrade my education and recertify in Special Education.  In 1988, I returned to USL to work on my masters.  It was December 1992, before I left with a Masters in Elementary Teaching, a +30 and an Educational Specialist in Administration and Supervision.  The campus had expanded and changed greatly.  But the spirit of loyalty remains.  It is still very inspiring to walk the quad at dusk during the fall and savor the crisp night air as you are walking to a late class.