ENROLLED
2017 First Extraordinary Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 18
BY REPRESENTATIVES HOFFMANN, HUNTER, JACKSON, AND JAY MORRIS
Commends Crosley Elementary School in West Monroe upon the celebration of its
centennial anniversary
A RESOLUTION
To commend Crosley Elementary School in West Monroe upon its centennial anniversary
celebration.
WHEREAS, it is appropriate to commend Crosley Elementary School in West
Monroe, Louisiana, upon the joyful, memorable, and historic occasion of its centennial
anniversary; and
WHEREAS, Crosley Elementary School holds a special place in the history of
Ouachita Parish as the parish's first school that stood as a permanent structure on the west
side of the Ouachita River; and
WHEREAS, prior to the establishment of Crosley Elementary School, the only public
school in West Monroe was a two-room wooden structure, known as Haynes School, in Old
Trenton, and most West Monroe children attended school across the river in Monroe; and
WHEREAS, a bond issue was approved in 1913 to build the first brick school
building in the western part of Ouachita Parish, and the school site was donated in 1914 by
E.S. and Stella Crosley Eby and J.T. and Clayton Crosley Austin; and
WHEREAS, the school was constructed in the middle of a cotton field, just west of
the original town of Trenton; it was named West Monroe Grammar School and offered first
through sixth grades; and its students came to class by wagon; and
WHEREAS, in 1929, a new wing with twelve additional classrooms, an auditorium,
and a cafeteria was dedicated, and the name of the school was changed to Crosley Grammar
School; during the Great Depression, this cafeteria played an important role in supplying
meals to students in a time of great need; and
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WHEREAS, the school remained West Monroe's flagship school well into the 1950s,
and the school became more competitive in extracurricular activities, including a winning
football team, basketball for boys and girls, chorus, band, and numerous clubs; and
WHEREAS, in 1971, fire destroyed most of the school, and in 1974, a new wing
containing four classrooms and a library was completed; by the end of the 1970s, the school
had transformed into a prekindergarten and kindergarten center, and today it serves schools
in the western half of Ouachita Parish that do not offer such programs; and
WHEREAS, these grades lay a vital foundation for students, and Crosley helps them
to develop into lifelong learners and sets them on a path to success in the classroom and in
life; and
WHEREAS, the Crosley Elementary School family, past and present, are gathering
on Sunday, February 26, 2017, in the school auditorium to celebrate the school's special
legacy over the course of a century; and
WHEREAS, as it celebrates one hundred years as a true Ouachita Parish institution,
Crosley Elementary School merits a sincere and heartfelt measure of commendation for its
enduring commitment to excellence in education.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Crosley Elementary School upon its
centennial anniversary celebration and does hereby recognize and record for posterity the
tremendous pride and honor that this exemplary school brings to the city of West Monroe,
Ouachita Parish, the state of Louisiana, and all who have walked its halls over the past one
hundred years.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to Tracey Flaherty, principal of Crosley Elementary School, and Dr. Don Coker,
superintendent of the Ouachita Parish School System.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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