Notable People, Lost Tales, and Forgotten Facts of Oil City, Louisiana: School Days - Bus Drivers, Cafeteria Workers, and Custodians

Dedicated to those other folks who made each school day successful.

BUS DRIVERS

Allen, William Calvin "Pat" (1885-1964)

From Mrs. Maggie Warren's school history:

Pat Allen worked for the Gulf Oil Co. on the graveyard shift, therefore he had time to drive the school bus. After taking the children to school, he never failed to park the bus across the street from Warren Drug Store and come in to see my husband. My husband was also very busy filling prescriptions, but he'd stop to hear a joke or two from Allen.

My husband, Heard Warren, was fat and laughed silently, shaking as he said like jelly on a plate. Mr. Allen had a shrill laugh, sort of a squeal all his own. I can hear it now even though both have passed on to their rewards.

My husband was devoted to helping heal the sick and Pat Allen to helping children get an education. The children on Pat's bus had great respect for him and knew they had to behave.

Source: History of Oil City, La School 1910-1955, by Maggie Smith Warren and Willa McCord, 1977

W. C. "Pat" Allen
(undated photo)

Ruby Woodell, Jim Creighton. Virginia Thacker, Eura Lee
"Shug" Woodell (1955)

Eura Lee Woodell, Virginia Thacker, Vernie Allen (1959)

Standing: ybil Herring, Vernie Allen;
Seated: Eura Lee Woodell (1964)

Vernie Allen, Patricia Elmore, Eula Lee Woodell (1966)

CAFETERIA STAFF

Arledge, Myrtle G. (1910-2003)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=43332508

Batts, Hattie Leona (1918-1979)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21765092

Blizzard, Gladys Pauline Hayes (1915-1997)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=64699935

Burton, Marie (1914-1992)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=48929606

Cooper, Lovie Lee

Daniels, Elizabeth

Gullatt, Maggie L. (1911-1991)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21703446

Hardy, Neoma Ada Humphries (1896-1990)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58778166

Hensley, Bobbie Bucklew (1934-2012)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=98133015

Herring, Syble

Lessenger, Dora Caroline Wood (1910-1965)

McKenzie, Ruby Dee Mabry (1888-1981)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=99703807

Richardson, Werta Bell

Sirmons, Jessie Ledbetter (1903-1997)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5558725

Ruby McKenzie (front, white dress), Marguerite Bozeman
(principal's wife and substitute teacher); Student worker
Nancy Patrick is in the back, between Mrs. Bozeman and
Mrs. McKenzie. Dora Lessenger (right of Mrs. McKenzie),
Neoma Hardy (far right), others unknown (1951)

Marie Burton, Pauline Blizzard, Myrtle Arledge
(manager and dietician), Jessie Sirmons (1952)

Myrtle Arledge, Jessie Sirmons, Maggie Gullatt,
Sybil Herring, Minnie Richey (1955)

Myrtle Arledge, Maggie Gullatt, Hattie Batts,
Minnie Richey (1959)

Brenda Dodson (student, left); student workers Rosemarie
Marroquin and Joan Shafer, Myrtle Arledge (1964)

Elizabeth Daniels, Lovie Cooper, Myrtle Arledge (1965)

Lovie Cooper, Myrtle Arledge, Werta Bell Richardson (1970)

Bobbie Hensley (center) and other unidentified workers at
Oil City Elementary School (undated photo)

Bobbie Bucklew Hensley

CUSTODIANS/CLEANING STAFF

Finally, lest they be forgotten, these were the folks who kept things cleaned up, the school grounds mowed, the lights burning, the door hinges oiled, and things secured at the end of the day.

Cassel, Norman (1900-1982)

Mr. Cassel was custodian for most of the 1960s. He's shown here during the 1964-65 school year.

Norman Cassel (1965)

Chavers, James S. "Jim" (1885-1972)

Jim Chavers was custodian in the mid-to-late 1950s. He was a World War I veteran and had lived in Oil City many years. The 1920 census shows "rig builder" as his occupation. He and wife Dolly are buried in Vivian, LA.