Larry G. Dugas, Jr. – Health & Physical Education and Social Studies, 1956

Larry G. Dugas, Jr.

1956  Health, Physical Education & Social Studies

When I think of S.L.I., fond memories of people, places, and events cross my mind.  I attended U.S.L. only as a graduate student, so my memories are somewhat limited.  I think back of S.L.I. as a small, friendly campus where everyone knew everyone else.  The events that are most memorable in my mind are the football games at McNaspy Stadium watching Lou Roth, Jimmy Hebert, Lindsey Dumond, James O’Conner, Mike Milano, French Blanchard and others play.  I remember basketball games at Blackham Coliseum watching Eddie McCauley, who should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame.  There were track meets at McNaspy Stadium and the famous Southwestern Relays.  These were baseball games at the field back of McNaspy Stadium where I watched Dan Danos, my brother-in-law, Harley Cahill, Jim Gore, Clyde Wolf, Rick Lalande and others play.

The Physical Education department was staffed by excellent teachers, including Coach Elvin Brand, Coach V.J. Edney, Miss Margaret MacMillan, Mrs. Bourgeois and Coach Russell Davis, who left abruptly one spring.  Other faculty members that I recall were Dr. Howard Turner in Education, who I later realized was one of the most dedicated teachers I have ever known.  Dr. Ben Kaplan, who taught Sociology, was an excellent teacher.  Glynn Abel was Dean of Students and Dean Guillory, one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, was in charge of Veteran’s Affairs.

                I recall a fellow named Harris and myself started a Veteran’s Club.  He left to go to dental school and I graduated; so I really don’t know what became of our organization.

                The places I remember the most are the Student Center, Hick’s, Judice Inn, Airport Club, Voorhies Roof Garden, Boundary Club, Toby’s, Landry’s Palladium and Dave’s Drive Inn.  Most of these establishments no longer exist.  You must remember that at the time the Judice Inn was out of town.

                Many of us who attended S.L.I. at this time were military veterans and were following a precedent set by veterans after World War II, that of getting a degree and getting on with our lives.

                I could not in good conscience write this letter without mentioning many names that I remember and many of these people I have had contact with over the years either in the course of my work or in social situations.  Names such as Curtis Cazes, John DeBarge, Allen Hymel, Jimmy Meche, Jim Griffin, Allen Stelly, Bob Jackson, John McKean, Herman Smith, Rodney LeDoux, Curtis Joubert, Sonny Roy, Allen Meyers, Jimmy Kennison, Ed Hebert, Henry Marks, Jim Soignet, Norman Marcel, Harold Buckmaster, Charlie Arceneaux, Gale Breaux, Dallas Abshire, Roxie Prejean, Marvin Leonard, Charles Richard and others.  Many of the above mentioned became quite prominent in their fields of endeavor.

                As for myself I spent 40 years in education as a teacher, coach, and  guidance counselor.  I am currently retired but still do some part-time work in education assessing new teachers, doing evaluation work, and consulting.