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THE ST. LANDRY CLARION "HNre Shalt The Press The People's Rights Maintain, Unawed by Influence and Unbribed by Cain." VOLUME XXIV--NO. 26. OPELOUSAS, LA., SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1914. $1.00 PER YEAR BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL BUILDING COMPLETED Modern and Up-to-date St. Landry School House Will Be Ready For Occupancy Next Ses sion--Committee Inspects. The Opelousas school building is practically completed-in fact, it is completed, with the excep tion of a few minor works re maining. A committee of prominent citi zens, accompanied by the parish superintendent of education. C. J. Thompson, through whose ef fort Opelousas is able to boast of one of the finest school build ings in the state, and architect W. L. Stevens, inspected the en tire building from basement to roof. Whilst the committee has not made any report, on account of a few members being absent, those who viewed the modern school house, were very deeply impressed with it, and all recom mendations made by them will be immediately taken up by Mr. Stevens. The building is designed to ac commodate over 800 children; about 650 pupils can have plenty space in the grade department and the remainder in the high school department. Fourteen standard class rooms are provi ded for the grade, while the high school department contains an assembly or study room, four re citation rooms, a science lecture and demonstration room, labora tory span for chemistry, physics and physiography, and thorough ly equipped department of man ual training and domestic science and art. A large assembly hall or audi torium of 1100 seating capacity, together with offices, teachers and rest rooms, cloak or locker rooms, toilet and heater rooms and other accessories form the remainder of the handsome school building. The construction is thoroughly fireproof, the exterior walls and interior bearing walls being of brick, and interior framing, floor and roof slab are of con ceete. The exterior is forced SCHOOL RALLY TO BE ON NEXT SATURDAY High Schools of St. Landry Will Battle Here for Athletic Supremacy. The 5th Annual Parish High Scho-l Literary and Athletic Meet will be held at the Opel ousas High School, on Saturday April 18th, and will consist of the following literary and athletic contests: Literary contests: Geometry, arithmetic,, algebra, english composition, spelling, debate, declaration for boys, recitation for girls, and vocal quartette. Athletic contests: 50 yard dash, 100 yard dash, 220 yard dash, 440 yard dash, half mile run, mile run, relay race, 120 yard high hurdles, 220 yard low hur dles, running broad jump, running high jump, pole vault, shot put, youth's discus, tennis, and basketball for girls. The faculty and pupils of the local high schools have been striving to make this parish athletic meet one of the greatest successes in the history of the St. Landrv High School. How ever in order to make the meet a success, it is thd opinion of the friends and admirers of the Ope lousas school, that the citizens of this city should co-operate with the students and teachers. Opelousas had the unenviable reputation, last year, of having the smallest representation of rooters, among the several track with pressed bricks and trimmed with cement. Besides the up-to-date furni ture which is to be placed in the immense school house, the inte rior mechanical equipment con sists of a large modern steam heating plant, thoroughly mod ern plumbing with lavatory and toilet accommodations, both in basement and upper floors, drink ing fountains throughout the building, sewerage and water, gas and electric connections for laboratory, electric lighting, vacuum cleaning and telephone and clock and bell system. The over on dimensions are about 157 feet front by 85 feet deep and the contract price of the present work as above de scribed being $68,000, or about a per cubic foot cost of 12 cents. This is about 40 per cent below the average cost of similiar buildings according to figures obtained. The exterior appearance of the building is pleasing, its construc tion permanent and plan con venient, thoroughly modern and economical. Standard require ments for lighting, ventilation and communication have been rigidly adhered to, and all space most economically utilized. The Opelousas school building is one of the prettiest and most up-to-date in the state; it stands on one of the hand somest pieces of ground in the entire city and it will be a credit to the entire city for many years to come. Through the indefati gable efforts of Mr. C. J. Thomp son and his friends a tax was voted for the purpose of erect ing the building and the citizens of Opelousas who voted for the tax will never have any cause to regret their action. This city can now boast of more improvements during the last twelve months than any other city its size in Louisiana. teams, which meet here. Eu nice, thirty miles from here, brought a crowd of spectators large enough almost to double the number from this city. The higher a school ranks in the athletic world the better the school itself will be; unless the people of Opelousas show some sign of interest in the sports in dulged in by the local school children it is doubtless whether this city will be able to keep the annual parish rally here any longer. It is to be hoped that there will be a large representation of rooters at the annual parish school rally, which will take place at the St. Landry High School, in this city, on next Sat urday, April 18th. Missourian Locates In St. Landry. Dr. Y. A. Bond, formerly of St. Louis, Mo., but recently of Barbreck, La., was in Opelousas on Friday morning. W h i is t in the city Dr. Bond, who was accompanied by his wife, visited the Clarion office and being a native of one of the upstates it did not require very much talk for the editor to con clude that Dr. Bond and his wife were of the opinion that St. Lan dry is the Garden spot of the United States. Dr. Bond purchased the fa mous Barbreck plantation with over twelve hundred acres of well improved land. He will make St. Landry his home and it is to be hoped that he will never have any cause of think ing that he made an error in coming to this country. COLIIBIAN WOODMEN. CELEAIATE BIRTHDAY Officers Elected-Enthusias tic Meeting Held In Honor of Anniversary. Opelousas Household No. 109, Columbian Woodmen, held a stirring meeting on last Thurs day night, April 2 at which the officers for the ensuing year were elected, according to the pro visions of the Constitution of the order. A special feature of the meeting was the initiation of a class of seven new members into the pro tective fold of the Fraternity. The election of officers, the ad dition of this class, and the cele bration of the first anniversary of the Order's organization were epochal events in the history of this already fast growing and popular Fraternity. The House hold was organized by District Manager Hoffpauir one year ago with a charter membership of 36 which has been more than.doubl ed since then, the present mem bership numbering 80, and being composed of representative peo ple of the city and parish, who are all enthusiastic and are planning to make this the best year in the history of the House hold. At the next regular meet ing, which will occur on Thurs day May 7th, the newly elected officers will be installed by Dis tricL Manager Hoffpauir, and another class of 10 or more new members, whose applications have been passed upon, will be admitted. With the present outlook, coupled with the active work of Deputy T. G. Brown, it is ex pected that the 100 mark will be reached in a very short time. The installation of the officers will be followed by the serving of suitable refreshments-such as the guests have already been introduced to, and which they know so well how to enjoy, and a grand time is expected. Following is a list of the of ficers elected; L. L. DaneL, Wortthy Consul; David F. Hol lier, Worthy Viceroy, Josie D. Chachere, Worthy Cardinal; H. Bodemuller, Worthy Secretary; M. Richard, Worthy Pilot; Jas. S. Tatman, Worthy Counselor; Dr. W. R. Lastrapes, Worthy Physician; Ed. Mornhinveg, Wor thy Banker' A. D. St. Cyr, Wor thy Herald; R. D. Lea, Worthy Guardsman; Chester S. Winfield, Worthy Pickett. The Columbian Woodmen ad mits ladies as well as gentlemen to membership, and is one of the most attractive and popular fra ternal insurance orders doing business in this city. DOINl BALL'S STUNT. Mayor Loeb Is Busy Sign ing City Bonds--Will Sign 6000 Times. Mayor Loeb has found out that it is more of work than play signing city bonds. During the last few days he has been kept continually busy adding his sig nature to the street paving bonds. Although Mr. Loeb has not to sign as often as Governor Hall did on the Louisiana State bonds, he will have to affix his name over six thousand times to the city improvement bonds. He is mighty glad that his name con sists of only four letters, there by being able to finish this ardu ous task. in a shorter term than I other men would with names familiar in this section of the country. When Mayor Loeb will have finished signing the bonds he will pass them over to City Clerk J. B. A. Stagg who will then ihave the pleasant task of sign ing six thousand times, also. OPENING GAME WILL. BRING LARNE SROWD First Game of the Season to Be Played at Comeau's Park To-Morrow. Everything is ready for the opening of the baseball season in Opelousas, when the local aggre gation will tackle the strong American Can Company's team of New Orleans, at Comeau park, to-morrow afternoon. There will be several new faces on the Opelousas team this year, and it is predicted that the new players are all whirlwinds and will make a valuable addi tion. to the local club. The home boys have been practicing every evening for the last two weeks and all are in good shape. The two pitchers, Veltin and Borde Ion, are expected to be back in their old form of two years ago, within the next few weeks, when it is expected that these two will do the majority of thd hurling for Opelousas. Ivens and Vaccero, twos colle gians will do the battery work; from present reports it is ex pected that to-morrow's game will be very hard fought and interesting, but it is thought by the local fans that Opelousas will come out victorious in its first battle of the season. It is reported that there are several teams in Southwest Lou isiana working hard to defeat Opelousas whenever they will cross bats with the local aggre gation. On account of the en viable reputation acquired by the Opelousas team many rivals will be satisfied to win only one game during the entire season and that one against Opelousas. All indications, however, point to a more successful team than the strong bunch of players, who resresented Opelousas last year. The home boys will play better ball, whilst the new players are thought to be very strong. It is thought that if the weath er is favorable a record break ing crowd will witness Opelou sas tackle the New Orleans ag gregation. An excursion will be run from New Orleans and all intervening points to this city and it is reported that from the Crescent City a large bunch of rooters will be on hand to root their team to victory or console the American Company's play ers in defeat. The ball park is being repaired and within the next few days -every possible comfort to the fans will be provided. The Sgrounds have been leveled and the diamond is in excellent con Sdition ST. LANDIIY IN THE DALLAS TEIRITORY New Orleans Receives An other Knock from Wil son Administration. After three months of consid eration the reserve bank organi zation committee on Thursday night of last week, announced that it had divided the continen tal United States into twelve Ibanking districts and selected I twelve cities for Federal reserve banks under the new currency law. New Orleans the logical point in the South, again suffered a severe blow at the hands of the Wilson administration, as its claim was completely ignored and the reserve - banks were passed over to Dallas, Tex., Atlanta, Ga., and Richmond, Va. As soon as the news reached the Crescent City a mass meet ing was held by the citizens of New Orleans to protest against the outrage committed by the reserve bank organization com SCHOOBLS UNABLE TO OPERATE ANY LONGER Country Public Schools Are Closed on Account Of Insufficient Funds. All of the public schools in the parish, excepting the five High Schools, closed their doors on last Thursday for the summer vacation, having run only seven months. The Opelousas, Euince, Mel ville, Washington, apd Grand Prairie High Schools will remain open until the latter part of next month. The Sunsetgraded school was appropriated money by the town council for the purpose of operating that school a few weeks longer. On account of the large de mand for better schools and better teachers the perish board of school, directors was unable to operate country public schools any longer than seven months. Last year a tax was voted down by the taxpayers of this parish, which proposed.to raise enough money to assure a nine months session to every school in St. Landry. Taking everything in consid eration the St. Landry High School Board and Parish Super intendent Thompson have ac quitted themselves most admir ably. The schools in the parish are now in better condition than ever before; the pupils are daily becoming better educated and it will not be long before every child in the country will have a fairly good education, a thing, which was very rare a few years back. If the schools in the country were run nine months each year St. Landry would soon eliminate its illiteracy among its white population and it is to be hoped that the parish board of school ,directors will have a sufficient amount of money next season to run the school the requisite num ber of months-but the only way for this body to get the money is for the people of St. Landry to devise ways and means for ob 1ltaining it. Miss M. Carrier Wins i Medal. The Gordon Chapter extends ( thanks to the Principal and teachers of the Washington and < St. Landry High SchooL. The same is extended to Miss Barq ' for the pleasiig manner in which t she entertained the meeting. The following are those who I entered the contest for writing the best essay: Misses J. Carrier and Aline Brown, Messrs. Willie Moreau and Lionel Castille. Miss M. Carrier writing the best es say was awarded the medal. nmttee against the Southern me tropolis. Several thousand peo . ple met and some of the leading public and banking men of New Orleans severely criticized the committee; a delegation wse ap pointed to appear before the € committee and attempt to have - the decision reversed, thereby r giving New Orleans one of the } twelve regional banks. The people of New 1)deans [were resting solely on their I claims for the bank-being as Ssured that that city would be r given one of the regional banks, since it was the gateway to the Panama Canal, the largest city u in the South and the second sea ; port in the United States. But SAtlanta, full of progressive andi I energetic people, made a decis ive fight, the consequence of which New Orleans is now un der the Georgia capital in the I Federal financial world. St. Landry parish and all that E territory west of it will transact t its banking business with Dallas, 3 whilst the New Orleans ter - ritory is under Atlanta, .ebrgia. WALTERS IS CERTAIN OF PROVING INNOCENCE Alleged Kidnaper of Opelousas Boy Is Satisfied With Treatment of People of This City---Many Coming For Trial. William C. Walters, who will be conducted to the court room, on next Monday morning to face charges of kidnapping little foei year old Bobbie. Dunbar of this city, on August 83, 1912, is con fldent that he will be vindicated. The alleged kidnaper, who was brought from Columbia, Miss., and lodged in the local parish jail, several months ago, is satisfied with the manner the officials and people of St. Landry have treated him since his arri val here. Hie claims that he has been treated like a real gen tleman. Walters is not afraid to face the twelve stern jurymen in whose hands his fate will rest, on the contrary, he is glad that he-will be given an opportunity to prove his innoee.e. If found guilty he will hang forhis ri and if vindicated, he claims that he will take Bruce away with him and expects to make a large for tune in after life. The Dunbars and their attor neys claim that they have sulf eient evidence to prove that Wal ters did kidnap their child from the Swayze Lake fishing camp in the summer of 1912. There will be scores of witnesses to testify that the child now in the posses sion of the Dunbars is Bobbie, whilst several witnesses from Mississippi, Georgia and North Carolina will be .here to testify that the little fellow, over whom so much attention has bee given for the last year and "a half is Bruce Anderson, the son ;LEANINM UP THE I COURITIlOUSE SQuAIE 'olice Jury Orders Pretty Grounds Surrounding Courthouse Cleaned. The police jury on last Mon lay immediately set men to work nder the supervision of Deputy Sheriff Ewell Swords, cleaning ip the courthouse square, for hie approaching trial of William J Walters, who is alleged to sarve kidnapped little BobbieI Dunbar. Sheriff M. L. Swords estimates the crowd at about one thousand visitors, during the next week, sa all indications point to a. ree )rd attendance when the famous Walters-Danbar case comes up for hewing before District Judge B. IL envy, on next Mon day. Naturaly the police jury deemed it wise to make the square attractive looking, and as advised by the Clarion last week, work is being done in earnest and within the next few days the spot wil really look like the courthouse square of the once Empire Parish of Louisiana. The square has been in bad shape for several weeks and it was high time that it be attend ed to; it must be gratifying to the citizens of this city to see the work being done just before a large number of visitors will be guests in this city during the next week or tea days. If only the pollee jurors had thought of having the eourthouse repaired and painted, it would certainly make a more favorable impres sion on the minds of the many who will attend the Walters trial. Misses Elia Moreas and May Brown, teachers of the Prairie Ronde Graded school, will spend their vacation with their parents in this city. of Julia Anderson, of North Carolina. Since his arrival in this e.iy. Walters claims to have many friends, and he inteuid to make many more by the tit. the outcome of the famiii trial will be made know He says that some of his friL s from Mississippi will eao t. Qpelousas volu tarily to g* him all the asqitance possible t save him from the allows. The alleged idnp wrays calling for his boy &ute whom he claims the 1)di:b stole away from him at Cmol`e ; ia. He takes delight in po. i ing out the pietures of algl t parties interested in the at.as widely known ease and aslcig the bystanders if there is Sar esemeblance between the ;in. ture of the boy wh is thoug to be Robert Dunbar, 'Jr., iid the photograph of little i a shout while before his myst riousdisappearance. The Walteirs trial will" riti several hundred visitors to thims city and it is expected that ti Dunbars will bring forth startling evidence, which he`. ~ tofore has never been kn.ow. The accused also claims that 1e will give some light on the .r ject, by which he will be prv',e innocent. The people of St. Lead' Louisiana and Missippi are a ing anxiously the outnemof the famous case and they are sured thatLjustice will be d out to the aeeused, as we as et.i the Dunbar family. NSTALLIFFIIEIS BAD AliEAT _fter Installation Ce ies Elks Given Fine B..a quet By Ofies. e 'rs'. . The annual installatfion monies were held at the Z. Eome on last Tuesday eVn when the following of.icert wet iworn in: Lawrence Lar.caden e alted Ruler; Fred Hollier, V . ing Knight; Dudley L Gu Loyal Knight; Louis White L turing Kdight L. H. Mt. b ... veg, Secretary H. D. L Jr., Treasurer; A. S. J. ( bell, Tiler; and Lionel Beuve~, three year Trustee. After the installation of oe the fifty members present had general good time witneslia . L. Adrus, popular deput. e and Grand Knight of the l. Co.acil of Knights of . ride the Elk goat. The oficers ban4queted . felow members to a spread of over fifty covers. All the a bers present enjoyed the after noon as a whole and when . erowd disbanded was a hsppy bunch of Billies. Dr. James .A Shaw the e ing Exaulted Ruler willhave.ih title ofP. E., I Mr. Lsr~ the young cashier of the PeopnE ; State Bank and is extremely popular in fraternal, as well as business circles of this city. Hi friends predict that he will imak an excellent leader of the lo~s~ Billies. 1 Mr. R. M. Trezevant, fCermre ly of Crowley, but lately of Net . Orleans passed the bar eamin tion in this city on last afternoon. Mr. Trezevant b.a several friends in Opelousas and it was gratifying to those that he was successfully adiitted t the bar. He returned to Nw: Orleans on Wednesday whereh~ will practice his profession.;