Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1970 Victor Leander Roy, Louisiana Educator. Douglas Calvin Westbrook Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Westbrook, Douglas Calvin, "Victor Leander Roy, Louisiana Educator." (1970). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 1900. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/1900 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I I 71-10,593 WESTBROOK, Douglas Calvin, 1927- VICTOR LEANDER ROY, LOUISIANA EDUCATOR. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ed.D., 1970 Education, history University Microfilms, A XEROX Company , Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED VECTOR LEANDER ROY , LOUISIANA EDUCATOR A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in The Department of Education by Douglas Calvin Westbrook B.S., Northwestern State College, 1949 .A., Colorado State College of Education, 1953 August, 1970 EXAMINATION AND THESIS REPORT Candidate: Douglas Calvin Westbrook Major Field: Education Title of Thesis: Victor Leander Roy, Louisiana Educator Approved: Major ProfMsor and Chairman Dean of the Graduate School EXAMINING COMMITTEE: 4, Date of Examination: July 22j 1970 ACKNOWLEDGMENT The writer acknowledges with gratitude the assis­ tance received from many persons and from the following in particular: the head of his committee, Dr. 0. B. Fuglaar; other members of the committee, Dr. W. Rodney Cline, Dr. R. E. May, Dr. G. C. Gibson, Dr. C. W. Roberts, J r . , and Dr. R. F. Shambaugh; Dr. R. S. Roy, Sr., Natchitoches, Mrs. Lucile R. Caffery, Houston, and Mr. V. L. Roy, Jr., Baton Rouge; and to his wife, Audrey, whose serene.patience and encouragement made the writing of this dissertation the most enjoyable endeavor in his doctoral studies. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE EARLY LIFE AND SCHOOLING OF VICTOR LEANDER R O Y ................................... 1 Derivation of the Name, R o y .................. 1 A n c e s t r y ......................... 2 Pedigree Chart ............................... 4 Childhood ................................... 6 Early Education ............................... 7 Higher Education ............................. 9 i II. MR. ROY'S PROFESSIONAL LIFE BETWEEN 1890 AND 1904 11 First Teaching Experience .................... 11 Teaching in New Orleans ...................... 12 Secondary School Principal .................. 2 5 Teaching at Southwestern Louisiana Industrial I n s t i t u t e ................................... 31 III. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS IN AVOYELLES PARISH . 41 Avoyelles Parish School Board ............... 41 F i n a n c e s ...................................... 43 Consolidation and Transportation... .......... 46 Sitesj Buildings, and Special Taxes ......... 49 E d u c a b l e s ...................................... 52 School Enrollment ............................. 53 School Session ............................... 55 iii iv CHAPTER PAGE Teachers 1 Qualifications .................... 5® Teachers' Salaries ........................... 59 Distribution of Teachers .................... 61 Teachers ‘ P e n s i o n ........................... 62 Superintendent of Two Parishes .............. 62 Development of the High S c h o o l s ........... 65 Equipment of Schools .................... 68 L i b r a r i e s .................................... 69 Beautification of G r o u n d s .................. 70 Negro S c h o o l s ................................ 72 Private Schools ............................. 73 Boys' Corn C l u b ............................. 73 The Rural Youth of America .................. 74 The Middle West Pioneers .................... 75 The South Follows Closely .................. 76 Resignation ..... 00 State Club Agent ............................. 00 The Agricultural Train ...................... 02 Agriculture in Louisiana Schools ........... 04 Agriculture in High Schools During 1909- 1 9 1 0 ......................................... 95 Progress During the 1910-1911 Session ^ . 06 Requirements of Agricultural Departments . 07 Agricultural Course of Study ................ 98 System of Secondary Agricultural Schools . 09 V CHAPTER PAGE Merits of the Louisiana P l a n ............... 10 0 Secondary Courses in Agriculture in State Institutions, 1909-1911 .................... 103 President of Louisiana State Teachers1 Asso­ ciation ..................................... 104 Family Life ................................... H I IV. PRESIDENT OF THE NORMAL ........................ 112 Historical Sketch of the Louisiana State Normal School ............................... 113 The Louisiana State Normal School in 1911 . H 8 The School S i t e ...................... 119. B u i l d i n g s ...................................... 120 Academic Achievements ...................... 129 E n r o l l m e n t ................................... 136 Public Relations ............................. 139 Service of Normal Graduates .................. 141 Student Expenses ............................. 3.42 Extension Activities ........................ 144 Social Life on the Campus .................... 144 The Rules and Regulations of the Institution. 150 F a c u l t y ........................................ 160 F i n a n c i a l ...................................... 3-62 Board of Administrators...................... 3.67 Political Ambition .......................... 3-71 Professional Activities ...................... 3.72 Resignation ................................... 3-74 vi CHAPTER PAGE Family Life ................................... 176 Publications ................................. 18 8 V. THE LATER Y E A R S ................................. 182 Retirement Activity .......................... 182 Schoolmasters' C l u b .......................... 183 Religious L i f e ............................... 185 F a m i l y ........................................ 186 A Pioneer Passes ............................. 187 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................... 199 APPENDICES ............................................ 199 Appendix A Selection of Teachers .................. 2£-2 ^ f ° Appendix B Some Suggestions in the Interest of Education in Louisiana 2-11 - / Appendix C Annual Address of the President of the Louisiana State Teachers Association. V. L. R o y ............................. 2 i '7 Appendix D Published Writings of Mr. R o y ......... 2.35 J VITA ................................................... 255 £ IVJ LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Parish of Avoyelles Statistical Report of Superintendent for 1890 13 II. State of Louisiana Statistical Report of State Superintendent of Public Education for 1890. 16 III. Statistics of Private Schools in Avoyelles Parish for the 1897 School Y e a r ........... 28 IV. Class Schedule for Fall Semester, 1901 .... 35 V. Avoyelles Parish School Board Receipts and Disbursements 1907 ......... ........ 44 VI. Receipts of Funds from the State Current Fund, Police Jury, Special Taxes, and Total of School Board Receipts of Avoyelles Parish 1904 to 1908 . / ........................... 45 VII. Transfer Routes and Dates Established in Avoyelles Parish 1906 to 1908 ............. 4 8 VIII. Data on School Buildings, Equipment, and Special Taxes of Avoyelles Parish 1907 . 52 IX. Number of Educables, Number of Schools, Number of Teachers, Enrollment, Number of High Schools, Average Session of the Schools of Avoyelles 1903 to 1908 ...................... 53 X. Number of Teachers and Average Salaries (White and Colored) in Avoyelles Parish 1904 to 1909 .......................................... 59 XI. Quality Point System, 1929 ................... 135 XII. Statistical Report of the Louisiana State Normal School for the Year Ending June 30, 1 9 1 3 .......................................... 137 XIII. Number of Students Enrolled in the State Nor­ mal School, First Week, 1913 Summer School . 138 vii viii TABLE PAGE XIV. Enrollment Figures and Graduates for Loui­ siana State Normal School 1911-1929 .... 140 XV. Quarterly College Expenses, 1927 .............. 143 XVI. Faculty Salaries, 1929 ......................... 161 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to compile in one volume the important contributions of Victor Leander Roy to education in Louisiana. He was born in 1871 and went to the public schools of his parish at a time when the entire southern part of the nation was recovering from the devasta­ tion of the Civil War. When he began his professional work/ the general public was not vitally interested in education. To men like Mr. Roy and other of his colleagues fell the important task of selling the public on the benefits of education. As an educator, Mr. Roy had experience in most facets of school work: he was a classroom teacher in a private school, an instructor in college, the principal of a secondary school, the superintendent of a parish school system, and president of a state college. Mr. Roy was responsible for bringing many worthwhile innovative