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Row 1 (sitting- left to right)
Miss Isabell E. Carter (Secretary), Miss Veronica O. Brown, Miss Owinda D. Warren, Mrs. Alice M. Barnes, Miss Lillian B. Cazenave, Mr. Charles B. Rousseve, Miss Jeanne L. Bagneris, Mrs. Gladys Porter Williams (Ranking Teacher) Miss Fannie C. Williams (Principal), Miss Dorethea Earl, Miss Alvirda Gaspard, Mr. Milton J. Becnel, Miss Agnes E. Adams, Miss Beulah Thornton, Miss Annabel L.Nash.
Row 2 (standing- left to right)
Mrs.Lydia Victor Zeno, Miss Sedonia Monconduit, Miss Estelle V. Baranco, Miss Leah Metoyer, Mr. Clarence J. McGivens, Miss Corinne DeLay, Miss Irma L. Henry, Mr. Ralph J. Grubbs, Miss Marguerite Cottrell, Mr. Mack J. Spears, Mrs. Veronica Toca Medley, Miss Lucille L. Hutton, Miss Esther N. Augustine, Mr. Anatieve B. Wiggins, Miss Evelina C. Jean, Miss Thelma S. Fields, Miss Alberta Watson, Miss Irene Hannibal ( Nursery School Supervisor), Miss Sarah N. Vanquelin, Miss Alporta Dotson.
Row 3 (standing- left to right)
Mrs. Audrey Brazier Dorsey, Miss Gwendolyn Yvonne Hoffmann, Miss Corinne B. Garrett, Miss Marie L. Pierce, Miss Katherine T. Stateman, Miss Miriam C. Carter, Miss Gladys Victor, Miss Etheline Jones, Miss Grace E. Clark, Miss Haleemon Shaik, Miss Julia L. Ford, Miss Beulah McKay (Nursery School Teacher), Miss Louella G. Cavalier, Miss Selina Butler, Miss Ethel R. Carter, Miss Aurora Peters (not in picture).
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By the mid 1930s, Valena C. Jones School housed a total of 2,800 students and more than 50 teachers. During her years as principal (1921-1954), Fannie C. Williams fought hard to improve the quality of teaching at Jones and to enrich its curriculum. Many of her teachers (shown above) attended Saturday morning classes and summer school. They traveled and attended college long before a degree was required. Many went away to outstanding universities in the country to earn graduate and doctoral degrees. Nine of her teachers became principals, one a supervisor, two consultants, several became school librarians, and four became professors at Dillard University. All attributed their success to Miss Williams’ inspiration and encouragement.
Valena C. Jones built a reputation for not only its high educational achievements, but also the enriched activities the teaching staff provided to its students. Such activities as chorus, folk dancing, band, girls’ clubs, boys’ clubs, symphony concerts, travel excursions, and handicrafts are a few examples.
The Annual May Pageant and the Annual White Christmas enhanced the curriculum for more than 50 years. Jones had a very active PTA and a Parent Study Group. Distinguished visitors to our city were invited to visit Jones and among those who came were Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune, and Mrs. Joe Louis.
As the fine reputation of Jones School spread through the city of New Orleans, more and more parents sought to enroll their children. All of this was due to the cooperation of loyal parents, dedicated teachers, and pupils who came to school with a hunger and desire for learning.
Sources: photo taken from The Fannie C. Williams Collection “The Moving Finger” Vol.3 (1937) pages 22-23.; The Lucille Hutton Collection, Box 17-Folder 5 “A Biographical Sketch of Fannie C. Williams (1882-1980)” ….Both collections housed at Amistad Research Center; Crescent City Schools (Public Education in New Orleans-1841-1991), Donald Devore and Joseph Logsdon (1991) USL.
Lolita C. Cherrie
My brother attended this school years later. 1946- 1953
Oh, happy day! That faculty was there when I attended. Love it! Love it!
Thank you very much,
John Saucier (aka,John Fitch)
Some of these teachers were still at Jones school when I attended in the early 50’s. I remember the PTA meetings and May day at Hardin park where we platted the May pole. We also had Cub scouts thru the school. Miss Evelina Jean is my wife’s aunt. Thanks
Great memories! I remember many of those teachers. It is great to see them as younger people – they were older when I was at Jones School. Lucille Hutton was my first piano teacher. I couldn’t touch the piano until my fingers and hands were just perfect from practicing on the top of her cocktail table in her living room.
Dwight- are you related to Kendal Tenette?
Yes – Kendall is my brother.
MY MOTHER,BROTHER AND I ATTENDED JONES SCHOOL.MANY GREAT TEACHERS .MISS GASPAED WAS THE BEST.
I attended Valena C Jones from Kindergarten through Sixth Grade. They were very formative years filled with lots of great memories.
I attended Jones School w/my three brothers,Frank,Carlos and Gomez(Tuffy) My class was the first to twine the maypole w/girls at Dillard University.
Castro. Don’t know if you remember Raymond Watts my brother
What a historic photograph! My aunt , Mrs. Selena Butler Tinson, was my first grade teacher years later. Her sister, Mrs. Rhea Butler Lucien, wife of Dr. Harold W. Lucien, who also was a chemistry professor at Dillard University, now 91 years old, was delighted to see this wonderful photo. Mr. Ralph Grubbs, a cousin, Miss C Delay, Mrs. Zeno, Miss M. Cottrell, Mr. Becnel, and of course Miss Fannie C. Williams, were also friends of my family and teachers of both me and my sisters. I later became a teacher in 1972 and Valena C. Jones was my first teaching assignment. What a memorable place!
My husband attended Valena C Jones from kindergarten-6th grade and also his brothers and cousins.
Is Mrs. Audrey Brazier Dorsey (first on row 3) by chance the daughter of Dr. Aaron Walter Brazier, Former Chairman of the New Orleans NAACP?
Bonjour Mike! Thank you for reading CreoleGen! Mrs. Audrey Brazier Dorsey was the daughter of Dr. Brazier’s brother, J. S. Brazier, who was a druggist in Donaldsonville. You might be interested in knowing that Dr. Brazier is included in a picture in another post on CreoleGen entitled “National Medical Association – 1935 Convention.” Please visit CreoleGen often, thanks!
Mrs. Euphemie Fortune’ Brown taught here, in the 1940’s. Do you have a photo of later? Her spouse, Mr. Harold Brown, was principal in New Orleans, also.
Was Veronica
Brown, or Hill
One in the same person??
Did Veronica Hill
Teacher at Jones school??
She lived with my cousins James & Louise Aldridge later years until her death.
Ms Cherrie, keep up the great research. I lived above Canal St. and attended McDonogh#37 with Mr. O.C.W. Taylor as principal (the current Wicker site).My aunt Evelina Jean Gardner is on the 2nd row of the picture. She was already teaching at VC Jones and I was at St. Katherine elementary (across from big Charity) when she married my uncle in Corpus Christi Church. They continued to live in the 7th Ward until the early 80s.
The St. Cyrs also attended Valena C. Jones Elementary school. Alvin Jr. , Alva, Steven, Kenneth, Arlene and Lisa. I still say today, that school was the BEST. In 1965 I remember the May Pageant at the Municipal Auditorium.