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NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions.

1. Name of Property Historic Name: Husser School and Community Center Other Names/Site Number: Husser Community Center Name of related multiple property listing: N/A

2. Location Street & Number: 56280 Highway 445 City or town: Husser State: LA County: Tangipahoa Not for Publication: Vicinity:

3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance:

national state local Applicable National Register Criteria: A B C D

________________________________________________________________________________ Signature of certifying official/Title: Kristin Sanders, State Historic Preservation Officer Date

Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism

State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official: Date

Title: State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Husser School and Community Center Tangipahoa Parish, LA Name of Property County and State

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4. National Park Certification I hereby certify that the property is: ___ entered in the National Register ___ determined eligible for the National Register ___ determined not eligible for the National Register ___ removed from the National Register ___other, explain: ___________________________ Signature of the Keeper Date of Action

5. Classification

Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply.)

Private

X Public – Local Public – State Public – Federal

Category of Property (Check only one box.)

X Building(s) District

Site Structure object

Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count)

Contributing Non-contributing 1 Buildings Sites Structures Objects 1 Total

Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register: 0

6. Function or Use

Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions.): EDUCATION/school; SOCIAL/meeting hall

Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.): VACANT/not in use



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7. Description

Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions.): No style

Materials: (enter categories from instructions.) foundation: wood walls: weatherboard, shingle roof: metal other:

Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable. Begin with a summary paragraph that briefly describes the general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.) ______________________________________________________________________________ Summary Paragraph The Husser School was constructed between 1920 and 1921, to satisfy the educational needs of a rapidly growing rural community. With Pine timber donated from Zemurray Gardens in nearby Loranger, the two-room school was erected by citizens of the community, under the direction of Hypolite Husser, Jr. Several years after construction, one of the classrooms saw an addition, now forming one long room to the north, and the original smaller room to the south. During its peak of education in the community, a lunchroom sat approximately 50 yards to the northwest, with an outhouse for girls sitting approximately 50 yards to the north, and another about 50 yards to the northeast for the boys. These three structures were removed sometime after the school was closed in 1942. When the school was acquired by the Husser Community Organization in 1946 for use as the Community Center, minor changes were made keeping the building as close to its original state as possible. Two restrooms were added to the rear of the building sometime in the 1970s which were equipped with modern-day plumbing, but in doing so kept the style of the earlier years with sinks purchased from an antique store. The original flooring in the large room was covered with a newer floor sometime between 1946 and 1980, but the original flooring can still be seen in the cloak closet and the smaller classroom. These changes do not change the overall integrity of the structure, keeping the Husser School eligible for listing on the National Register. _____________________________________________________________________________ Narrative Description The Husser School is located in Husser, approximately 18 miles northeast of Hammond in southeast Louisiana. The school is situated on Highway 445, which runs north to south from Ponchatoula to Amite. The area has been predominately known as a dairy and farming community since its beginning but has seen more residential development over the last twenty years. The school occupies approximately 2 acres and is bounded by a horse pasture to the northeast, a residence to the southeast, Highway 445 to the southwest, and the Husser Fire Department to the northwest. The site itself is relatively flat with a large open yard that gradually slopes to a gully. The school is set back approximately 140 feet from the street, and the front faces directly west instead of facing the street. The school is a one-story, L-shaped wood frame building on a wood post foundation. Some of the wood posts have been replaced with low concrete piers. The exterior is clad in wood board-and-batten siding, and doors and windows are wood. The roof is cross hipped with moderate eaves and exposed rafter tails. It is covered primarily with standing-seam metal with corrugated metal on one portion. A small wood bell tower with a cross-



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gabled roof protrudes from the center. The tapered base of the bell tower is clad in wood shingles. The bell is labeled C. S. Bell Company No. 22 and dated February 2, 1926. A partial square brick chimney protrudes from the roof on the north side. The west (front) elevation is symmetrical with a projecting front-gabled porch in the center flanked by four grouped 2/2 wood windows on each side. A five-panel wood entry door is centered below the porch. The porch is supported by two square wood columns and two wood pilasters with simple capitals topped by a simple frieze and board-and-batten cladding above. The front gable end is clad in diamond shingles, and a small shed roof extends to the front at the base of the pediment. The elevated floor of the porch has been removed, and the columns now sit on concrete pedestals extending from the corners of a new concrete slab. A single concrete step provides access to the elevated front door. The north (side) elevation is also symmetrical with four-part grouped 2/2 wood windows flanking a board-and-batten wood door. Simple wood steps with open risers and a wood handrail lead to the door. A small shed-roof restroom addition dating to the 1980s extends toward the east from the rear ell. Simple wood steps with open risers lead to a ten-panel wood exterior door on the north side, and a 6/6 metal window is located on the east side. The east (rear) elevation of the front ell has a single 2/2 wood window near the inside corner. The south elevation of the rear ell has a door near the inside corner that is currently boarded over and two 2/2 wood windows. The south elevation of the front ell has a two-panel wood door and a pair of 2/2 grouped windows. The interior consists of a small central entry hall with a closet at its rear. The hall is flanked by a single classroom to the south and a large multipurpose room to the north. The entry hall walls and ceilings are clad with beaded board; a portion on the north side is damaged due to water intrusion. A later wood floor covers the original wood floor in this room. The closet interior is also clad in beaded board, and the original wood floor is visible. The side walls retain original or early wood shelving. A door to the exterior is located at the rear of the utility closet. The south classroom is clad in beaded board, and the original wood floor is visible. Chalkboards are present on the north and east walls. A flue box protruding from the ceiling indicates the location of a former wood stove. An exterior door is present on the south wall. An interior door on the north wall leads to the entry hall. The multipurpose room occupies the entire north portion of the building. The walls and ceiling are clad in beaded board with the central portions of the north and south walls, which are clad in horizontal wood boards. The wood floor in this room was installed at an unknown time between 1946 and 1980. Chalkboards are retained in the front (west) portion of the room on the south wall flanking the door to the entry hall. A low metal and wood divider separates the front 1/3 of the room from the rear 2/3. Two flue boxes protrude from the ceiling on the north side, indicating the former locations of wood stoves. The restroom addition is located at the rear (east) of the multipurpose room. A solid panel door leads to a narrow hallway with two single restrooms. The walls of the addition are clad in composite paneling. The addition has a plywood ceiling and a wood floor. The original configuration of the multipurpose room is unclear; however, changes in cladding and vertical wood strips at the center of the room indicate that it might have been divided into two separate classrooms with a hallway or dog trot between them. Alterations might have have occurred during the building’s use as a community center; however, at least one former student recalls the room in its current configuration in the late 1930s.1 Interior lighting consists entirely of ceiling-mounted porcelain lamp holders, and HVAC ducts are exposed throughout the interior. The Husser School retains a high degree of integrity of location, setting, design, workmanship, materials, feeling, and association. Though the school has lost its outbuildings and a fire station has been constructed adjacent to it, the rural, relatively isolated setting is retained. The building has seen only minor alterations since

1 Personal Interview: Jeanette Brunett Dunn, February 1, 2020



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its construction. The elevated front porch floor was removed and replaced with a concrete slab and steps; it is unknown whether this occurred during the period of significance. A portion of the roof was replaced after it was damaged during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Original materials and architectural elements are largely present. The Husser School would easily be recognizable to any alumni of the school or community member from the period of significance and remains eligible for listing in the National Register.

8. Statement of Significance

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.)

X A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the

broad patterns of our history. B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history Criteria Considerations: A Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes B Removed from its original location C A birthplace or grave D A cemetery E A reconstructed building, object, or structure F A commemorative property G Less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years

Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions.): Education, Social History

Period of Significance: 1921 - 1970

Significant Dates: 1921

Significant Person (Complete only if Criterion B is marked above): N/A

Cultural Affiliation (only if criterion D is marked above): N/A Architect/Builder (last name, first name): Husser, Hypolite Jr.

Period of Significance (justification): The period of significance begins in 1921, the year the school was constructed, and ends in 1970, the current 50-year cut off.

Criteria Considerations (explanation, if necessary): N/A



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Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any applicable criteria considerations.) The Husser School and Community Center is significant at the local level under Criterion A in the areas of education and social history. From 1921 to 1946, it served as the only known school for the community of Husser, and it is one of the few school buildings of its era that remains standing in the parish. Following the school’s closing in 1946, the building became the permanent home of the Husser Community Organization, which had utilized the building for its functions ______________________________________________________________________ Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.) Brief History of Husser The area once known to the Choctaw as Chappepeela, meaning “Hurricane River”, was generally the same area known as Husser today. Named for some of its earliest and most entrepreneurial settlers, Husser extended over about 16 square miles. Big Chappepeela Creek marked the most eastern boundary, with the Spring Creek marking the western boundary, and Bell Road bounding the north end. Early settlers mostly occupied areas nearest the creeks, using the power of water for operating different forms of mills and a cotton gin. When Laurence and Barbara Husser came to America from Alsace-Lorraine, France, they had no idea of the impact they would make on their future community. The young couple immigrated in 1839 and settled in the area of Madisonville, Louisiana where Laurence made a name for himself as a blacksmith and wheelwright. Some other early settlers of Husser recognized the need for a blacksmith and convinced Laurence to move into their community. Along with his four strong sons, Laurence was certainly a good advantage to the folks in the area. Since the region was comprised of farms, Laurence and his boys stayed busy repairing wheels and sharpening plows. As years went by the Husser family continued to leave a mark on the community, as Laurence’s third child Hypolite Husser founded the Husser Post Office in 1888. In 1939 Hypolite was recognized as the oldest postmaster in the United States at the age of 89. The exact population of Husser in those days is unknown, but according to a news article in 1986, Postmistress Kathryn Husser estimated there were about 500 people at the time of the news article being published.2 With a small population of 500 people in 1986, one can only imagine the few folks living in the area just 98 years prior. About the time 1900 rolled around, the neighboring Loranger community was in its prime of development, having been settled by Nathan and Melinde Joiner in 1807.3 At the turn of the century Loranger was known as “Jessica”, and had a very tiny population. An area later known for having one of the first model farms in the region, was most popularly known for being a large timber and milk producer. In a still up and coming community, the primary source of livelihood was farming, and mostly for sustainability of life. Families were comprised of multiple children, all expected to help out on the family farm just to put food on the table. Some cattle owners would drive their cattle from Husser to Madisonville, where they would take the cattle across Lake Ponchartrain on a schooner to the shipyard in Arabi, La. These were the select few who could farm for a profit, while most everyone else was farming simply to provide for their own families. Being a heavily wooded area, sawmills and Turpentine Orchards were a main job for some. Local trading and selling to neighbors were how most families made a living or bought supplies for cooking. According to the personal memoires written by Postmaster Hypolite Husser, “I remember when a fat barren cow sold for 12 dollars and a beef for 4 and 5 cents per pound. Eggs as low as 8 cents per dozen, bacon 7 and 8 cents per pound, cotton as low as 4 cents per pound, and common labor from 50 cents to $1 per day.” Hypolite’s memoires are but a minor indication of the low-income early settlers endured.

2 “Everybody remembers Uncle Polite”, Gumbo Magazine, Pg. 17, April 21, 1986 3 “Footsteps in Loranger: History of a rural Louisiana community”, James & Virginia Mosher, Pg. 10, 1996



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In the days of the yellow fever outbreak, many locals lost loved ones to the deadly virus. Typhoid Fever struck the region in 1906, and many people suffered from this as well. Joe Husser, brother of postmaster Hypolite Husser, lost just about every member of his family. Several children, his wife and his young married daughter all died within a few months of one another. About the time World War II rolled around, Hussers population was slowly on the rise. According to the 1940 US Census, Husser had just over 250 people, whereas 20 years prior in 1920 there were less than 200 folks living in the area. Even in 1940, the area saw few vehicles and barely any electricity, not to mention basic farm-to-table food practices for sustainability of life was still priority. Most people worked for themselves, either growing crops for their families or selling their crops for profit. Jeanette Brunett Dunn recalls her father operating a sawmill, a gristmill and even a syrup mill to earn a living to support his wife and five kids. Jeanette and two of her sisters also recall not having electricity or running water until sometime in the 1940s. They even recall their mother using a fireplace to cook over, in place of a stove.4 The 1940s also saw the first protestant church in Husser, as the New Sharon Baptist Church was founded in 1944.5 For some, life in Husser moved at a glacial pace, while others saw progress on the horizon and ran with it. Those who could get out of the “country” and make something of themselves, did just that. Many young ladies could find work in grocery stores or with the telephone company, while many young men joined the service or sought higher education. Those who were unable to do either of those things, simply stayed at home and worked the family farm. One major push towards progress came in 1968 when the Husser Volunteer Fire Department was founded by members of the community. Prior to this time, chances of a home being saved on account of a fire was slim to none. After a few years of keeping a secondhand fire truck behind Husser’s Store, the parish finally granted the department some funds for a small, two-bay fire station. With land donated by Rose and Harvey Husser, Sr. the fire station was constructed next to the community center where it remains today. Criterion A: Education It’s unclear exactly when the first schools in Husser came into being, but according to locals, education was a priority for some families. Harvey Melvin Husser, Jr., a lifelong Agricultural Educator in Louisiana, said in the early days before an established school some families would get together on occasion and teach the young children all they could, based on what they knew.6 Considering the timeframe was the late 1800s, many of their lessons revolved around life on the farm, with some reading and basic arithmetic mixed in-between. Members of the community would take turns volunteering to educate the youth in their homes long before a designated building was constructed. Since public transportation was nonexistent, the children walked to school, meaning only the children living within a two, or three-mile radius, would attend a certain family school, however, was also dependent on the terrain. One of the first known schools in the area was a tiny one-room school called the Brunett School, named after the Brunett family on whose farm it was held. At the same time, the Bell School existed on the northern end of Husser in an area then known as “Epney”. Around 1918 the Brunett School was dismantled and moved about a quarter of a mile up the road to the intersection of Highway 445 and Brunett Road where it was rebuilt and became known as the Osceola School. Terms were relatively short, being three months in duration, except the last one which was six months. These terms were typically during the winter months, chosen as the time when children were least needed to work on the family farm. School would usually start after Labor Day and would end in March just before strawberry season.7 Several miles to the west stood the Chambers School, organized and taught by Bill Chambers. This one-room school also closed at the time the Husser School was constructed. Details surrounding the history of the Chambers school are few and far between since all the descendants of this particular Chambers family has been deceased for many years, according to local historian Morris Husser.8 What we have been able to gather

4 Personal Interview: Jeanette Brunett Dunn, February 1, 2020 5 “The History of New Sharon Baptist Church”, Ella B Hughes, 1984 6 Personal Interview: Harvey Melvin Husser, Jr, February 4, 2020 7 “Husser Happenings of Long Ago”, Ella B Hughes, 1990 8 Personal Interview: Morris Husser, December 12, 2019



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based on school board records was there were two Chambers schools. The first, started in 1908, was created at request of local parents, one of which being immigrant Laurence Husser. In 1913, a school board discussion took place regarding a new Chambers schoolhouse, but reasons about why a new school was needed were not noted. In 1914, one acre of land was purchased for the purpose of the Chambers School tract, and “H.L. Husser” was paid $85 as the contractor and builder of the Chambers School. When the Husser School was built in 1921, the Chamber’s School was closed, according to School Board Minutes from July 5, 1921. Virginia Carrier Mosher was a lifelong educator and co-author of “Footsteps in Loranger”, recalls taking a horse and buggy from her childhood home in Loranger to see her grandmother on Highway 16. Virginia remembers passing the location of the old Chambers School while on the way to her grandmother’s home and said the school was far into the woods. She also mentioned the school was already demolished at this time, but its location was pointed out to her in passing by her father.9 In 1921 the Husser School was constructed along with an identical twin, the Hillcrest School. The Hillcrest School sits approximately 2.12 miles east of the Husser School on present day Hillcrest School Road. It served an area with a shallow population, yet survived consolidation and continued to operate well into the 1960s. The area around the Hillcrest School has always been very wooded, with few homes nearby. The surprising fact it did not consolidate earlier was more than likely because of how far away it was from any other school. The few families who attended here were so far off the beaten path, it would have taken them the better part of a day to travel through the rocky terrain, even the short distance to Husser. Elaine Tryon (Brunett) recalls the one year she attended Hillcrest as a fun time. Each day, two teachers named Miss Clara and Miss Alford would drive to Husser in a Jeep and pick her up. In those days a Jeep was required to travel the backroads, especially if it was winter and it rained.10 Upon the closure of Hillcrest, the students enrolled there were transferred to Loranger with everyone else. After it closed the school and land was sold at highest bid in 1969, and still stands in its original place to this day. Although still standing, the Hillcrest School has since been repurposed as a private dwelling and furthermore remodeled, so the interior no longer appears as it originally did. The Union Training Academy was also built around the same time and was designated for the Black community of “Uneedus”, an unincorporated area southeast of Husser. The Union Training Academy was said to have been built for two purposes, as both a school and a church for the Black community of the area. The name “Union Training Academy” was more than likely derived from the name of the local railroad, the “Union line” which ran through the area. The name “Uneedus” was derived from “You need us”, the slogan of Uneedus Farms as a message to local farmer’s that they “needed” the services the farm had to offer. The story of William “W.L.” Houlton and his brother Charles are important to the history of the Union Training Academy in several ways. The Houlton brothers came to Louisiana from Minnesota in 1906 to cash in on the promising wood market in the south. After nearly 75,000 acres of timber were harvested, the question of what to do with the vacant land came next. The brothers then founded a prototype of the modern-day agricultural research stations in the area today known to be the home of Global Wildlife Center. “Uneedus Farms” provided jobs for many locals, primarily Black residents, which is why William is believed to have been a key player in seeing the Union Training Academy come into fruition. The earliest mention of the school is from the “Patriot” newspaper out of Glenmora, LA on August 9, 1918. The article states, “A new schoolhouse will be constructed at an early date at Uneedus by W.L. Houlton, proprietor of Uneedus Farms.”11 Some indications of the of the Union Training School being a Rosenwald School were deduced from both newspaper articles and school board minutes. Rosenwald schools were built primarily for the education of Black children in the South during the early 20th century. The project was the product of the partnership of Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington. Rosenwald founded the Rosenwald Fund where he contributed money for schools of other causes. He required the local communities to raise matching funds to encourage their commitment to the projects. To promote collaboration between black and white people, Rosenwald 9 Personal Interview: Virginia Mosher, November 26, 2019 10 Personal Interview: Elaine Tryon Brunett, February 4, 2020 11 Article, The Patriot, Glenmora, LA, Volume 22 Pg. 3, August 9, 1918, Accessed February 19, 2020



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required communities to commit public funds and/or labor to the schools, as well as contributing additional cash donations once construction was complete.12 A newspaoer article from the St. Mary Banner in Franklin, LA on April 5, 1919 speaks of “industrial training schools” being organized in Kentwood and at “Union” near Uneedus. The article reads, “The second school at Union, near Uneedus” has procured donations of $450.” 13 School board minutes just a few months later dated September 2, 1919 mention “W.L. Houlton” appearing before the board claiming the funds donated by the colored people of the vicinity towards the construction of a Rosenwald School have been awarded, and the building construction was ordered by the board.14 The Rosenwald School database at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee makes no mention of the Union Training Academy in Uneedus, so it is unclear whether it was a Rosenwald school or whether it was funded by the Houltons. Kimberly Houlton, a second cousin to William said, “I would not be surprised if Will donated to a school. He was a kind and generous man. My parents knew him well.”15 The Union Training Academy is believed to have opened in the Fall of 1921, considering there is no prior mention of teachers being assigned to the school before that of Joshua Penn in the school board minutes of August 2, 1921. Other teachers included Miss Elva Vining and Miss Ina Shaw based on the school board minutes from September 5, 1922. The Uneedus area also saw several other schools such as the Uneedus Grammar School and the Willie School which were for white children only. Few details exist surrounding the post-construction life and closing exact date of the Union Training Academy, but according to local historian Morris Husser, it was demolished very shortly after closing. When the Husser School opened it brought in students from the Osceola and Chambers schools. The two-room school was a first for Husser, and with it came two new teachers. Miss Epha Force (Brunett) from Roseland, Louisiana taught the first, second and third grades, while Miss Maud Rogers (Ward) hailed from Indiana and taught the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. Maud also served as the school’s first principal, having been selected for the post at the young age of 17. An indication of the Husser School being managed by the School Board from the very beginning, comes from Ella Hughes’ book “Husser Happenings of Long Ago”, where a letter from Maud Rogers mentions being visited by the school board the afternoon before the start of school. Maud further wrote she was visited a second time by the school board after school had been in session for about a month and was commended on her “different” disciplinary patterns, having not whipped any children.16 In these days it was a common practice was for the teachers to live with a family in the community, and on occasion, stay at the home of their different pupils to better acquaint themselves with the parents. When Epha and Maude first came to Husser, they lived together with Fred and Laura Baham. Some years later, the Bell School was closed, and those students also moved to the Husser School. The Bell school operated for quite a number of years in the area north of Husser known as “Epney”. Some of the teachers here included Leila and Ara Bell, as well as Jack Lanier. This school is also no longer standing, and detailed information regarding its history is unable to be obtained. Another school in the same vicinity was the Shiloh School, which was about three miles west of the Bell School. The Shiloh Church was the main stage of the Shiloh School and was constructed around 1926. The Lanier Family, many of which still live in the neighborhood, were the pioneers of this school. Although the school building no longer exists, memories of the times there are very well known throughout the community. In those days many students attending the Husser School, or one of the schools prior never attended beyond the sixth or eighth grade. Present day schools such as Amite and Loranger existed at the time, but like Loranger, did not go past the 10th grade. Some students were fortunate to attend high school, while many of

12 “Rosenwald School”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenwald_School 13 Article, “For Hurried Readers”, St. Mary Banner, Franklin, LA, April 5, 1919, Accessed February 19, 2020 14 Tangipahoa Parish School Board Minutes, September 2, 1919, Tangipahoa Parish School Board Archives 15 Personal Interview: Kimberly Houlton, March 11, 2020 16 “Personal Memories of Husser School”, Maude Rogers Ward, Pg. 63-64 of “Husser Happenings of Long Ago” by Ella B Hughes, 1990



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the others simply did not. Jeanette Brunett Dunn was one of the lucky who were able to transfer to Loranger and graduated in 10th grade. Her mother Mable Husser Brunett, however, never saw past the 6th grade. The Tangipahoa Parish School Board was created on October 3, 1896,17 and within several years of its beginning began to consolidate the rural schools to provide better education and more opportunities for students in a more controlled environment. By the 1920s public transportation and consolidation were making it possible for more children to attend better quality schools. The board continued its consolidation efforts to by closing more and more schools almost annually. Some communities even begged the school board not to close, some of which were granted their plea, while others were not. Eventually, most of those granted an extension, such as Bell and Epney were closed. According to official board minutes, the Bell and Epney schools were almost closed as early as 1913. It wasn’t until 1927 the Bell School saw its closure, and those students were sent to Husser. No record was found as to the closure date of the Epney school. At the close of term in 1942, the Husser School closed, and its students were consolidated to Loranger. The school building continued to serve as a community meeting place, but education was no longer its main purpose. To take a broader look at the consolidation specifically in Tangipahoa Parish, in 1899 there were 82 schools at the time the individual districts were created. By 1916 that number had reduced to 44 schools. However, by 1939 there were only 23 schools in Tangipahoa Parish. Some schools did not see consolidation until as late as the 1960s. Criterion A: Social History With little connection to the outside world and the depression imminent, the Husser Community Organization was formed in 1929 as part of a “community organization movement” founded by Mary Mims of the Louisiana State University Extension Service. Mary viewed communities as the “seedbeds of democracy… the hope of the world…a vital part of the mighty machine we call government.” She immediately started a rigorous itinerary – travelling regularly to parishes across the state. Her task was to use extension principles to develop and spread a program promoting the “economic, intellectual, civic, health and recreational life of the community.” Mary also travelled to Denmark to study that nation’s successful plan of community work. Denmark had the lowest levels of illiteracy, poverty and crime of any country in the world at the time. Mary learned how to develop what the Danish called “folk schools” and brought the concept back to America. These informal gatherings encouraged culture, civility, character and principles of good citizenship. The events included group songs, literacy exercises and recreational activities for all ages. “Folk schools” became part of Mary’s overall program and were set up in many parishes. Mary designed monthly meetings for each community. People began setting definite annual goals, and leaders and committees designed an appropriate course of action for their respective communities. Mary’s efforts brought together farmers, home demonstration clubs, 4-H clubs, government agencies and private organizations in a cooperative relationship. People were encouraged to refurbish their homes, grow gardens and “beautify” public and private properties. Schools, libraries, churches and parks were built. Parades, fairs, orchestras and festivals were established.18 The Husser Community was privileged to be one of the many selected areas for Mary’s efforts, and was even more fortunate to have utilized the Husser School as their meeting place for these community meetings, even before the school closed. In fact, the Husser School was used for just about every community function, regardless of the purpose. It was the one place in the area spacious enough for large groups of people, besides the fellowship hall at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church. In a time where there was no television, people found other ways to entertain themselves. Most could play an instrument of sorts, while others would sing. Many times a year plays would be held in the Husser School, especially during Christmas time. There was even a “Miss Husser Pageant” which Oralee Brunett Bailey Vead recalls one particular year when her older sister Jeanette Brunett Dunn was crowed “Miss Husser”. Oralee also recalled playing the piano during one of the plays, a time she laughingly remembered as “a disaster”.19

17 Tangipahoa Parish School Board Minutes, October 3, 1896, Tangipahoa Parish School Board Archives 18 “The Extraordinary Mary Mims”, Linda Benedict and Randy LaBauve, Louisiana Agriculture, Spring 2014 19 Personal Interview: Oralee Brunett Bailey Vead, February 1, 2020



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On July 2, 1946, the Tangipahoa Parish School Board decided to advertise the sale of the Husser School building and grounds which, according to official board minutes, were “no longer used for school purposes.”20 Worried they would no longer have a place to use as a community center, several highly motivated members of the community set out to purchase the school and property from the school board. Those tasked with acquiring the schoolhouse included Bennie Husser, Rose Husser, and Althes Husser, with help from others such as Ella Bahm Hughes. This group set out to collect signatures of community members showing support in buying the school.21 On August 23, 1946 at approximately 10:00 AM, Bennie Husser, President of the Husser Community Organization, made his way to the Tangipahoa Parish School Board office to place his bid. For the school and two acres, Bennie had the last and highest bid, but did not have the money on hand to pay the note.22 Being such a small community, everyone involved in the community organization were also parishioners at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, which was essentially the only church in the vicinity of Husser. There were a few protestant churches in neighboring communities, including the New Sharon Baptist Church which was started in 1944 and one African-American church at the Union Training School, but even well into the 1940s and 1950s many residents of Husser did not own vehicles, so resorted to places of worship close to home. Father Odilo Alt came to Husser in 1943 as the resident pastor of St. Dominic’s. During his years in Husser, Father Odilo became a very well-respected citizen and to some was considered the unofficial mayor of Husser. Progress was important to Father Odilo, which was shown as he was very involved in most aspects of the community, where he lived for more than twenty years. Since Father Odilo was such a community man, he set out to help the community organization purchase the schoolhouse to be used as a community center. Since nobody in the community could afford the asking price, Father Odilo held a special second collection during one Sunday Mass with the sole purpose of buying the school. In just one day, the entire cost – a mere $75.00 – was collected. From 1946 on, the former Husser School was called the Husser Community Center. Being in the literal center of the community, the old school was the hub of social life in Husser. Even before it closed as a school, community-wide dances, parties, reunions, and showers were held here, as well as Christmas programs and plays. Its first function as the Husser Community Center was a dance welcoming “the boys” home from World War II.23 In a news article from 1986, Hilda (Husser) Freiwald, recalls dancing into the night as a teenager, at one of the many dances held there.24 In the early 1960s, Sunday Mass at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church was relocated to the Husser Community Center for a few months while Highway 445 was being paved. Roger Husser, Sr. recalled this time having heavy rainfall, and since Highway 445 ran directly in front of the church, many people were getting stuck on the muddy road just trying to get to church.25 Conclusion As demonstrated above, the Husser School and Community Center is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places at the local level under Criterion A for its education history and significance as a place of entertainment and recreation. For 99 years this beautiful building has been a symbol of progress and determination for the citizens it has served. Its historical significance embodies its role in the history and culture of the Husser Community. This building was not only significant to the education of youths for 21 years, but also served as a place for fellowship and leisure since its construction in 1921, signifying its importance in Husser’s local history. Developmental History/Additional historic context information 20 Tangipahoa Parish School Board Minutes, July 2, 1946, Tangipahoa Parish School Board Archives 21 “Husser Happenings of Long Ago”, Ella B Hughes, 1990 22 Proces Verbal, Tangipahoa Parish School Board Minutes, August 23, 2020 23 Husser Community Organization Meeting Minutes, September (?), 1946 24 “Community keeps pulling people back”, Arlene Lenz, Gumbo Magazine, Pg. 18, April 21, 1986 25 Personal Interview: Roger Husser, Sr., February 8, 2020



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For several years in the mid-1980s, the Husser Community Day was held which provided a day for the community to come together to play games, bid at a silent auction, play bingo, and participate in a “fun run” down the highway.

A popular event still in existence today is the 15 Mile Yard Sale, which combined the Husser and Wilmer communities into a one-day yard sale originally spanning about seven miles. Wilmer, which is the community immediately north of present day Husser, includes the area of Highway 10 and Highway 1061, and down through Friendship Church Road which comes out at Highway 16. From there, crossing Highway 16 onto Highway 445 you will find house after house selling their “junk” hoping someone will come along and find a “treasure”, all the way to the Husser Community Center. This event has incorporated the Community Center as well as local churches and the Husser Fire Department in the nearly 20 years it has been held, and has grown to be a much larger even across the region, spanning into Washington Parish and then west into the Town of Amite.

With two acres of land, most of it wooded, board member Leon Husser, Jr. made it a personal project to create a nature walk through the woods. Azalea bushes lined the property, with beautiful pine trees setting the landscape and providing a lot of shade for picnics and activities. Unfortunately, when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, most of the pine trees were lost.

In August 2019 the Husser Community Organization was revitalized and has made efforts to involve the community in restoring the Husser School to its former glory. Husser remains a relatively small community today, where most everyone knows each other. With a new generation at the helm and a strong desire to keep our history alive, the board of directors is currently preparing for different events to take place at the community center.

9. Major Bibliographical Resources

Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.)

Article. 1918. Article. The Patriot. 1918. Bahm, Justin. 2020. Personal Interview. Husser, LA, 2020. Brunett, Elaine Tryon. 2020. Personal Interview. February 4, 2020. Dunn, Jeanette Brunett, et al. 2020. Personal Interview. Metairie, LA, February 1, 2020. 1919. For Hurried Readers. St. Mary Banner. 1919. Houlton, Kimberly. 2020. Personal Interview. 2020. Hughes, Ella Bahm. 1990. Husser Happenings of Long Ago. 1990. —. 1984. The History of New Sharon Baptist Church. 1984. Husser, Jr., Harvey Melvin. 1981. An Assessment of Husser Community Residents and Their Attitudes Regarding the Husser Community Organization. 1981. A Baby Thesis.



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Husser, Jr., Harvey Melvin. 2020. Personal Interview. Husser, LA, 2020. Husser, Morris. 2019-2020. Personal Interview. 2019-2020. Husser, Roger, Sr. 2020. Personal Interview. 2020. Lenz, Arlene. 1986. Community Keeps Pulling People Back. Gumbo Magazine. April 27, 1986, pp. 16-18. —. 1986. Everybody Remembers Uncle Polite. Gumbo Magazine. April 27, 1986, pp. 17-18. Mosher, James G and Mosher, Virginia Carrier. 1996. Footsteps in Loranger. s.l. : Moran Printing, Inc., 1996. Mosher, Virginia. 2019. Personal Interview. November 26, 2019. Rosenwald School. Wikipedia. [Online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenwald_School. Benedict, Linda and LaBauve, Randy. “The Extraordinary Mary Mims.” Louisiana Agriculture, 2014. Ward, Maude Rogers. Personal Memories of Husser School. Husser Happenings of Long Ago, 1990.

___________________________________________________________________________

Previous documentation on file (NPS):

____ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested ____ previously listed in the National Register ____ previously determined eligible by the National Register ____ designated a National Historic Landmark ____ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey #____________ ____ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # __________ ____ recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey # ___________ Primary location of additional data:

_X__ State Historic Preservation Office ____ Other State agency ____ Federal agency ____ Local government ____ University ____ Other Name of repository: _____________________________________ Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned): ________________ 10. Geographical Data



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Acreage of Property: 2 acres

Latitude/Longitude Coordinates Datum if other than WGS84:__________ (enter coordinates to 6 decimal places) 1. Latitude: 30.672234 Longitude: -90.330336 2. Latitude: Longitude: 3. Latitude: Longitude: 4. Latitude: Longitude:

Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.) The boundary for the Husser School is comprised of both Highway frontage, fields and residential lots. To the south is Highway 445 which passes through the community. To the west is the property of the Husser Fire Department. To the north is a horse pasture owned by the residents in the lot to the east. The legal description of the property is as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 30, T 4 S R 9 E, Parish of Tangipahoa thence run west six chains and 32 links thence north three chains and 16 links, thence east six chains and 32 links thence south three chains and 16 links to point of beginning, containing two acres of ground. Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.) The boundaries chosen are the historic boundaries associated with the development of the Husser School campus. 11. Form Prepared By name/title: Ethan Dunn, President, Husser Community Organization and Emily Ardoin, National Register Coordinator organization: Husser Community Organization street & number: 56299 N Cooper Road city or town: Loranger state: Louisiana zip code: 70446 e-mail: [email protected] telephone: 985-974-0395 date:6/20/2020 ___________________________________________________________________________ Additional Documentation

Submit the following items with the completed form:

Maps: A USGS map or equivalent (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.

Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Key all photographs to this map.

Additional items: (Check with the SHPO, TPO, or FPO for any additional items.)

Photographs



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Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each image must be 3000x2000 at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn’t need to be labeled on every photograph.

Photo Log Name of Property: Husser School City or Vicinity: Husser County: Tangipahoa State: Louisiana Name of Photographer: Emily Ardoin Date of Photographs: January 16, 2020 1 of 18: Exterior of school, adjacent fire station, and Hwy 445; camera facing east 2 of 18: Exterior front of school, camera facing southeast 3 of 18: Exterior northwest corner of school, camera facing southeast 4 of 18: Exterior north elevation, camera facing south 5 of 18: Exterior northwest corner of school, camera facing southwest 6 of 18: Exterior rear elevation of front ell, camera facing west 7 of 18: Exterior side elevation of rear ell, camera facing north 8 of 18: Exterior southwest corner, camera facing northeast 9 of 18: Interior entry hall from south classroom, camera facing north 10 of 18: Interior closet from entry hall, camera facing east 11 of 18: Interior south classroom, camera facing southeast 12 of 18: Interior south classroom, camera facing northwest 13 of 18: Interior south classroom looking toward entry hall and multipurpose room, camera facing north 14 of 18: Interior multipurpose room looking toward entry hall, camera facing southwest 15 of 18: Interior multipurpose room, camera facing east 16 of 18: Interior multipurpose room, camera facing west



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17 of 18: Interior restroom addition, camera facing east 18 of 18: Interior restroom addition, camera facing southeast

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.). Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 100 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

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Husser School and Community Center

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