New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1905-12-30

Society, December 18TH, l9oo.
| will begin by saying that our
great Institute Is one OF the hneSt
schools in the State of Louisiana.
1t is proving itself so by the great
work it is doing. Every student
ought 70 be interested III the his
tory of his school-to know how
this great Institute came to him
and for him, and she should be
proud of having the honor of call
ing himself one Of its students.
He should also take notice Of not
disfguring the grounds and build
ings or saying anything that would
cast the slightest REFLECTION on the
good name of his school.
The best way to tell Il story is to
begin at the beginning. So | will
say that in the year 1898 a bill was
passed by the legislature providing
for another industrial institute like
the one at Ruston, but this one to
be placed in Southwestern Louis
iana-in what town no one then
knew. Almost every town in
Southwestern Louisiana wanted
this school, but Lafayette was the
one to have it. Whyg This | will
describe further on, how Lafayette
won it. We should all know the
name Of the man 70 whom we
should all feel grateful for having
founded this great Institute. His
name is Mr.. Robert Martin, of st.
Martinsville, whose portrait now
hangs on the walls of the stage of
our big auditorium, and he is the
man who presented this bill to the
legislature for a school in South
west Louisiana. The first meeting
to see whether New Iberia or Lafa
yette would get it, was held in Laf-
ayette, and the second in New
Iberia, and the competition between
these two places resulted in favor
of Lafayette which offered the most
donations. Mrs. M. A. Girard
donat, i % acres of land just out
side Oh the town, which is a very
good and beautiful tract cf land.
The people of Lafayette Parish
also voted to tax themselves two
mills for ten years and further
more the town of Lafayette voted
the same amount Of taxes and
raised $4,000 in cash for the
school This is, of course, more
than New Iberia could do. In
Jane, 1900 the corner stone was
laid with an impressive ceremony
and then the workmen kept mp
their working, fast and splendid,
and in June, 1901 the building was
completed. In September, 1901,
the school opened with about 80
students and eight teachers who
took the greatest interest in teach
ing the students aud in making
them understand the good purpose
of the State i'll building SO nice a
school for the young men ana wo-
men in this section OF the country.
Before the end of the session the
number of students increased to
145 The first year the highest
class was the Third Year Class.
There were no graduates. But IN
June, 1903, the Institute sent out
her first graduates into the world,
who have been very successful ever
since, and who now can boast and
have the honor to say that they
get their education at this Institute.
Since that time many new things
have been added to the courses,
such as agriculture study and tele-
graphy, aud a very fine business
course is given by Mr.. Lillibridge.
The Institute has five buildings.
The first one to mention is the
main building. 1t is handsome
two story brick structure one hun
ired and sixty-three feet long and
sixty five feet in width. The dor
mitory for boys is also a two story
brick building one hundred and
fifty-eight feet in length by fifty
i've feet wide, and has capacity
sufficient to accommodate eighty
persons.
The girls dormitory is built on
the same plan. The workshop is a
single. story building aud is one
hundred feet long and twenty-five
feet wide. The Presidents resi-
1eDce is a two story frame house
situated near the girls dormitory
All the boys and girls are study
pg very hard and trying to get an
education at the Institute, which
will some day give them their di-
which will be great honor
% them.
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