Yvonne Breaux Carter – Mathematics Education, 1943

Yvonne Breaux Carter

Graduate, Cum laude 1943

Majors:  Mathematics Education

Minors:  English, Science, History

            Memories of SLI (now USL) include:  living with relatives (great aunts, aunts, and grandparents) who had little but were generous in sharing what they had; commuting from Crowley, Church Point, and Carencro; scheduling 18-21 hours a semester; and working 40 hours a month for 30 cents an hour in the college library first located in the basement of Girard Hall and later Stephens Memorial Library.

In 1939 more than 900 freshmen enrolled, many of whom received working scholarships funded by a new state program.  Many of the men lived in the farm dormitories and about 30 girls lived in the large house on Smith Street (I was privileged to stay there for a regular semester and a summer session).  We ate our meals at the Farm Dining Hall, located behind what later became Veteran’s Village.

Bus transportation was $7.50 a month for six days a week.  Tuition was $16.00 a semester or about $9.00 if you had an academic scholarship (one of which I earned as high school valedictorian).

Commuters had access to the Girls’ Club, located in the basement of Martin Hall and the Boys’ Club also located there.  Mrs. Earl Barnett provided much comfort to the girl commuters.

Despite the large enrollment, we had access to truly dedicated teachers, such as Dr. Mary Dichmann, Dr. Hosia Phillipe, Dr. Harry De La Rue, Dr. Lise Vige, Mr. W.B. (Daddy) Stokes, Dr. John Buell Aycock, Mr. Gerald H. Zernott, Mr. Wilbanks, Miss Minnie Pearl Kelly, Miss Olive Gehrig, Miss Loma Knighten, and Mrs. Vesta Bourgeois.

Dr. Tinsley, heading student teaching at that time, urged me to take a job at Sulphur High School in September 1942 and promised to arrange for me to do student teaching at Hamilton Training School in Mathematics at the seventh and eighth grade levels in the 1943 summer session.  I took the job!

My career and additional education were based on the foundation I received at SLI (USL):  Teacher, History and Math at Sulphur High; Principal, Sardis High School, Sardis, Tennessee; Teacher-librarian Gueydan High school (19 years); Library Science Assistant Professor, Northwestern State College and Southwestern; U.S. Department of Education in the Dallas region and then the Upper Midwest and with Library Education programs at major universities in library research and training.

Degrees at George Peabody College for Teachers include a B.S. in Library Science, MSLS, and an Education Specialist in Library Science.

Yes, SLI (USL) promised much if one worked.  It has certainly provided not only what I needed then, but continues to provide educational opportunities in my retirement