A STUDY OF KINDER, LOUISIANA by Emily Shorts

By the end of the Civil War, Louisiana was bankrupt. It had been the first Confederate state to be occupied, but the last to be readmitted to the union. When federal troops were withdrawn in 1877, a new era began in the state. (1) New roads, schools and churches were built. By 1883 railroads has expanded rapidly and many sections of Louisiana, which previously had no connections with the larger industrial cities, were no longer cut off from the rest of the world.

Allen Parish, which is located in southwest Louisiana, is one of the newest parishes in the state. It was originally a part of St. Landry Parish. Before 1895, it was taken into Calcasieu Parish, but in 1912 this parish grew so large that a division was affected. The northeast sector was given the name of Allen for Hinney (sic) [Henry] Watkins Allen, a Confederate governor of Louisiana during the Civil War. Oberlin, the parish seat, is located in the center of the parish. The parish covers 750 square miles and contains five wards and four principle towns - Oakdale, Oberlin, Elizabeth and Kinder. At one time Allen Parish was important as a great lumber producing region and it still derives a major portion of its revenue from timber.

Kinder, a small community located in the southernmost section of Allen Parish, did not come into existence until 1885. The part of southwest Louisiana in which it is located was a wilderness with an abundance of tall pine trees. A few miles to the west flowed the Calcasieu and Whiskey Chitto Rivers.

Although the area had been open to settlement for many years, it was not until plans were made to extend the railroad that any sings of inhabitation were noticed. It was the policy of the railroad company to establish stations along the route at regular intervals. Thus the designation of this particular site as the “next” station was responsible, at least in part, for establishing what is now known as Kinder.

In 1885 Mr. Jim Kinder, a native of Mississippi, moved into this area from Lake Charles where he had been operating a saloon. He opened up a small store to satisfy the wants of the scattered settlers in the vicinity. His store came to be known as “Kinder’s”, and the name of the town arose through constant usage.

The first family to settle in the town was Mr. M. B. McRill, his wife and three young daughters. Mr. McRill had been living in Kansas and was a contractor who built roadbeds for the railroad. His job took him to many parts of the country, and it was during the summer of 1890 while working in this area that he became so impressed by the large forests of pine trees that he decided to move his family to the new land which beckoned to him. His wife’s main objection to moving was that there was no school for their daughters to attend. However, Mr. McRill assured her that provision to solve that problem would be made after they were settled. And so it was that the first family settled in Kinder in 1890.

Shortly after the McRills settled, other families followed in rapid succession. Most of the early settlers were homesteaders from the north and east. They learned of the homesteading opportunities available in this section of the country from accounts published in their newspapers. As one newspaper of the time expressed it - “the Cajans (sic) did not know the value of the land so the industrious Yankees came down and settled it.”

The Frank Philbricks and their ten children arrived in the late 1800s. They left Kansas to come to this area to establish a new home where, according to Mr. Philbrick’s brother, the soil was fertile. They lived in a tent on their 160 acres until a house could be built.

Some of the settlers remember that a post office and trading post, operated by Mr. George W. Ford, was located about five or six miles from the present town site. It was called “Burissa” after Mr. Ford’s wife.

The hardships experienced by the early settlers were the same as those experienced by settlers of any new territory. In addition, heavy rains caused swollen rivers to inundate the low sections, and much damage was done to the makeshift homes. There were no roads and the only mode of transportation was by horseback, buggy or wagon. After the appearance of the railroad, some of the early settlers rode to Lake Charles in the caboose of the train when they had to shop for clothing.

The settlers lived in makeshift homes or tents until more substantial and permanent houses could be constructed. Most of the homes were made of wood and were two-story structures, several of which are still standing and in use.

The earliest industries were lumbering and turpentining. The climate and fertile soil were suitable for farming and rice was the staple crop. The settlers raised what they referred to as “Providence” rice. They tilled the land by ox-drawn plows, built levees, planted rice, and depended on providence for rain. There was no method or facilities for irrigation.

In 1891, the appearance of the K. C., Watkins and Gulf Railroad contributed greatly to the development of the new community. This railroad ran from Alexandria to Lake Charles. In 1908, the New Orleans, Texas and Mexico Railroad intersected the K. C., Watkins and Gulf. As a result, the fast developing little community of Kinder was made the shipping center for a railroad of fifteen or twenty miles.

By 1900, Kinder was definitely on the way to becoming a town. There were a few stores; namely, P. E. Moore’s, J. R. Lyles’, and Doucet’s. In 1901, Mr. J. T. Jordan came to Kinder as the first agent for the Watkins Railroad.

The year 1903 marked the beginning of many new and important developments. It was during this year that the town was incorporated and P. E. Moore became the first mayor. The establishment of a branch of the Calcasieu Marine National Bank made possible a rapid increase in business and in the financial advancement of the community. The Kinder Canal, built by the Moore brothers was a boon to the farming industry. It was this same year that the town marked the advent of it own newspaper, the Kinder Times, owned and operated by Joe and Milton Phillips. The paper changed hands many times within the next few years. The Hutchison Hotel, a large two-story wooden structure, accommodated those who had not established residence and also furnished lodging for “drummers,” as the salesmen of that period were called.

In 1906 a fire wiped out a large portion of the business district; however, it was rebuilt in a short time.

The financial success of Kinder was assured when the Peavy Burns Lumber Company chose it as the center of their lumber activities in 1908. A mill was built a few miles from town and the company constructed houses at the mill site for fifty families who were in their employ. The mill was followed by the establishment of a turpentine industry.

By 1910, the population of Kinder had reached 635. (2) Some of the names more frequently heard were: McRill, Philbrick, Davidson, Leeds, Mayes, Oden, Keys, Ratliff, Moore, Jordan and Reynolds.

In 1912, when Calcasieu Parish had been divided into four parts, Kinder was considered one of the most promising and successful little towns in the new parish of Allen. From this date is marked the real evidence of prosperity and progress - the introduction of electric lights, telephones, cement sidewalks, improved roads, water works and even a horse-drawn taxi. Several new buildings, some made of brick, were erected. The business district had enlarged and was spreading in several directions. The citizens formed a Chamber of Commerce and a Civic League, both of which were active for years and were largely responsible for the progress in community affairs. The Commercial Hotel, a large two-story wooden structure, was the place where the elite met. It boasted of a banquet room where political meetings and social affairs were held. Mr. Oscar Tate owned and operated a combination saloon, café, and livery stable. There were several general merchandise stores, some of which were: Pierre Nevils, Cole and Roza’s, and Jordan’s. The post office had been moved into town and was located in Nevil’s store, to be moved still later to the present location. There were shops and services available to supply practically all the needs of the town residents; however, the ladies who were more style conscious journeyed to Lake Charles to shop.

The first automobile made its appearance in Kinder in 1914 and was owned by Dr. J. W. Mayes, Sr. A year later, a taxi service consisting of a streamlined touring car and owned by Matt Buller, was one of the most thriving businesses in town. The first radio, made and owned by Mr. H. A. Keys, made its appearance in 1921.

Early in the settlement period, the need for education was recognized and this need was satisfied by the establishment of small private grade schools, each located in a central position from as many families as possible. There were four or five of these schools in the vicinity which were available to all upon payment of a small tuition fee. The school bearing the name of Kinder School and called “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was a two-room wooden structure. It was located about two miles north of Kinder and was established in 1890 by Frank Philbrick with an enrollment of about twenty pupils taken from not more than ten families. The school term was for three months, usually June, July, and August - the warmest and driest months of the year. There was good reason for this because families who had settled across the river were almost isolated during the rainy, cold season due to the lack of transportation facilities and roads. During the summer months it was much less a problem to cross the river to go back and forth to school.

The children progressed not by grades but by readers. Others subjects taught were writing, arithmetic, and geography.

In 1891, the site of Kinder becoming more thickly populated, it was decided that the school should be moved southward, closer to the main part of the community. A small one-story frame structure was erected near the present location of the Kinder Elementary School. This school was parish supported and all grades were taught by Mr. Joe Tingle. Each year the enrollment increased and by 1902, the small school was inadequate. A frame structure of seven rooms was erected, a grade system was established, and everything pointed toward the realization of a standard school in the community. The qualifications of the teachers were not high at this time. A certificate based either on an examination after completion of a high school course, or one based on a few weeks or months at a teacher training institution was all that was required.

By 1905, there were seven grades, ninety pupils and three teachers. By 1913, the enrollment had risen to two hundred pupils. There were nine grades and seven teachers, and the need for an even larger school was realized. Construction of the first brick school building on the grounds of the present Kinder Elementary School was started in 1913 and completed in 1914. The fall of 1914, Kinder could boast of a senior high school with eleven grades. In 1915, eight boys and girls comprised the first graduating class of Kinder High School. Also during this year the school was given state approval.

In 1918, the entire building was destroyed by fire, and classes were held in a frame structure on the school grounds for the next five years. In 1922, the construction of the present Kinder Elementary School was completed and this brick structure served as an elementary and high school until 1961, when the present high school was completed.

The first definite religious movement in the town was the establishment of a Congregational Church in 1902 by Rev. Paul Leeds, who came to Kinder from Kansas. Up until that time religious services were held in the homes about once a month by a Methodist or Baptist minister from a neighboring town. Methodist, Catholic and Baptist churches were established within the next few years.

Recreation and entertainment in the early days of the community were, for the most part, limited to church and school activities and socials. A trip into Lake Charles was considered a big event which, on most occasions, necessitated staying there overnight.

Dr. Oden, who moved to Kinder from Melville in the early 1900s, was the town's first doctor. A short time later, Dr. J. W. Mayes, Sr., arrived from Illinois. During the ensuing years several other doctors came; however, none stayed for any length of time. There was never a shortage of doctors in Kinder until World War II, when Dr. Gurdon Buck, Sr., who had been in Kinder since 1913, was the only practicing physician.

With each passing year the need for a hospital became greater, but it was not until 1947 that this need was satisfied. The Kinder Hospital, financed by five private citizens, was built by Mrs. Alma Cappel. It could accommodate ten patients and contained an operating room and x-ray equipment. It continued to operate until 1952. In meantime a larger, more modern hospital was built by Mr. W. S. Kingrey and is operated by his daughter who is a registered nurse.

In 1902, Mr. H. A. Keys, who migrated to Kinder from London, England, opened up the first drug store and soda fountain. He hired a pharmacist from New Orleans and operated the drug store until 1909, when he moved a short distance out of the town and opened up a “pop” factory. He made, bottled, and delivered soft drinks to Kinder and the surrounding area, and his factory was inspected periodically by health inspectors who came by train from the larger cities. Kinder was without a drug store for several years until the Genius brothers established their pharmacy in 1914.

Allen Parish, located in Southwest Louisiana, covers 750 square miles or a total land area of 496,000 acres. This area consists of the following: 95,000 acres of cropland; 10,000 acres of permanent pasture; 362,000 acres of wood and unimproved land; 6,000 acres of land in homesteads; and 1,000 acres of waste land on farms. The urban built up area and plants has 15,000 acres; water and streams 7,000 acres. (3) According to the 1960 U.S. Census, the parish has a population of 19,867. The population is composed of people primarily of French ancestry in the southern half or prairie portion of the parish, and of English descent in the northern or hill section of the parish.

The parish is bordered by Beauregard Parish on the west; Jefferson Davis Parish on the south; Evangeline Parish on the east; and Vernon and Rapides Parishes on the north.

Allen Parish is rich in natural resources, the chief one being timber. At one time the timber was almost depleted; however, by a system of reforestation that is being conducted, it has again become the major source of revenue. Eighty per cent of the economy of the parish comes from forestry and forestry products. There is one large sawmill that produces not only lumber, but also prefabricates furniture. Several smaller sawmills are scattered throughout the parish. There is one major paper mill and a major naval stores plant. By means of a newly developed process of extracting gum turpentine from pine trees, the naval stores will be greatly increased within the next few years.

The soils of Allen Parish are classified as coastal plain soils. The agriculture of the parish is divided into two groups of farming operations. One group is classified as full-time farmers and are located in the southern part of the parish. The other group is classified as part-time farmers and are located in the northern part of the parish. According to the 1960 Census, there are only 767 farms in the parish, averaging 195 acres per farm. The trend toward fewer and larger farms is apparent, since the 1940 Census showed 1,302 farms in the parish averaging 78.7 acres per farm. The average value of land and buildings per farm was $6,322.00 in 1950, and $29,959.00 in 1960 or an increase of $23,637.00. The trend has been toward highly mechanized farming. Rice is the major commercial cash farm crop in the parish. Cotton was once the major cash crop, but was forced out of production due to mechanization and the reduction in cotton acreage by the Government Control Program. Other crops raised in the parish are soybeans, corn, cotton, oats, sweet potatoes, and hay. Beef cattle is of major importance to the rice farmers, especially since beef cattle can be raised on idle rice land in rotation with rice.

Several oil fields have been established in the parish and there is much activity in exploration, drilling and production of oil, gas, and distillate. Several interstate pipelines cross the parish and draw natural resources from it.

The West Bay Game Refuge is located sixteen miles northwest of Kinder and includes 18,380 acres of upland hardwood and pine forest land which is on long lease to the state. Since 1949 this refuge has been stocked with deer, turkey, squirrel and quail.

The Bear Creek Watershed, the first of the drainage projects completed in the parish, is located in the Reeves community and consists of three water retention dams and seven miles of drainage ditches. It drains approximately 6,000 acres, a great portion of which is rice land. Besides providing drainage and protection from flooding, it offers recreational facilities such as fishing, boating and swimming. The Bayou Blue Gravity Drainage District is still in the planning stage and is to be located in the eastern sector of the parish. The purpose of these drainage projects is to protect crop lands, pasture and timber from excess flooding and erosion.

Kinder, the second largest community in Allen Parish, is situated at the crossroads of Southwest Louisiana. Located in the southernmost section of the parish, Kinder is within a fifty mile radius of the cities of Lake Charles, Jennings, Opelousas, Crowley, DeRidder and Oakdale.

Kinder is interested by two major U. S, Highways - U.S. 165 running north and south, and U.S. 190 running east and west; connecting New Orleans and Baton Rouge with Beaumont and Houston; and Alexandria with Lake Charles and other coastal cities. The Missouri Pacific Railroad also intersects at Kinder, running east and west, and north and south. Because of the intersection of these major transportation routes, Kinder is considered one of the best located communities in Southwest Louisiana, and is a natural hub for both freight and passenger transportation in all directions. Only three miles west of the town, flows the Calcasieu and Whiskey Chitto Rivers.

The town of Kinder is a rural farm community approximately one and one half square miles in area, encompassing nine hundred acres. The community extends beyond the corporate boundaries of the town to include surrounding farms - some as far as six miles outside the city limits. According to the 1960 Census, the town of Kinder has a population of 2, 299, composed primarily of people of French ancestry.

Natural resources are abundant in and around the community of Kinder. During the early settlement period, timber was the major source of revenue and occupation. After most of the timber had been cleared, farming became and still is the leading industry. Rice is the chief crop. The Kinder area rice crop was worth $1,400,000.00 for the year 1961. Six thousand acres were planted in rice at an average of seventeen barrels produced per acre. The Kinder Rice Dryer has storage for approximately 80,000 barrels in bulk and approximately 10,000 barrels in bags. They can dry rice at the rate of 350 barrels per hour per unit and there are three units. About 150,000 barrels of rice are dried each year. The Louisiana State Rice Milling Company of Kinder receives approximately 120,000 barrels of green rice each year to be shipped to the Lake Charles mill for processing. Other crops raised in the area are: corn, soybeans, hay, oats, sweet potatoes and cotton.

Each year more idle farm land is being seeded to improve pasture use to graze cattle and for hay production. Beef cattle production is a very important industry in this area: and if the improved pasture practice continues, as in all probability it will, cattle production will be greatly increased. The majority of the farmers in Kinder are full-time farmers. The trend is toward larger and fewer farms. The average farmer employs about four or five men. Mechanization enables the farmer to plant and harvest his crops more efficiently and economically. Before the advent of the combine and rice dryers, farmers hired large numbers of field hands to help harvest the crops; whereas now, only four or five employees are needed. The result is that some of these former farm workers have moved to larger cities to find employment. As it typical of most rural communities, mutual aid groups are found in this area. When a farmer is ready to harvest his crop, his friends from neighboring farms take their combines over and help him cut his rice.

The young people do not follow the occupation of their fathers to the extent that they did twenty years ago. There are several reasons for this, one of which is the present trend in agriculture toward larger and fewer farms. All the land which is suitable for farming is already in use. Government controls reducing acreage have discouraged some. Because of the trend toward highly mechanized farming, fewer hands are needed on the farm. The Future Farmers of America program which was instituted in the Kinder High School curriculum in 1939 was discontinued in May 1961. This program which had the support and encouragement of the area farmers provided the young boys of the community with an excellent background in farming practices and leadership. Since the discontinuance of the Future Farmers of America program, a four year course in Industrial Arts has been instituted. The wisdom of this course of action is yet to be realized and many of the area farmers have protested this change. They feel that since Kinder is a rural farm community, the advantages of the Future Farmers of America program are much greater and more beneficial to the community than any other that could be offered. The reason given for the discontinuance of the Future Farmer program was that there is more emphasis being placed on the sciences now, and if the Future Farmer program were discontinued, more science courses could be added to the curriculum. However, to date, the only addition made to the curriculum is the course in Industrial Arts. A fully-equipped shop for the Industrial Arts department has been instituted at the new Kinder High School and since the expense incurred in the lay-out has been sizable, it is doubtful that this program is on a trial basis as some of the farmers have been led to believe.

There are several industries related to agriculture in the Kinder area. One is a commercial irrigation system known as the Kinder Canal Company. This company employs about ten people. The Kinder Rice Dryer furnishes year round employment to five people, and during the harvest season 215. The Louisiana State Rice Milling Company of Kinder employs five people. There are three dairies in Kinder owned and operated by private citizens. The largest of the three sells approximately 180,000 pounds of milk to one of the large dairy companies in Lake Charles. There are several chicken farms in the area which are privately owned and operated. One of them sells approximately 22,000 dozen eggs a year to local and out of town stores.

There are several industries related to forestry and forestry products in the Kinder area. The Savant Lumber Company is located nine miles southwest of Kinder and employs ten men. The International Paper Company maintains a pulpwood receiving station four miles north of the town, handling millions of tons of pulpwood annually for the production of paper products. They employ six men. The Bel Estate and Quatre Parish Land Company has 75,000 acres of rice and timber land in the area. They sell wood products and lease the rice land to tenant farmers. They employ nine men.

There are several oil and gas companies in the Kinder area. The Tennessee Gas Transmission Company has a compressor station three and one half miles south of Kinder which employs twenty-two people. The company also maintains a pipeline maintenance district in Kinder with four employees. The annual payroll for these area employees is $230,000. The Hunt Oil Company has a gasoline cracking plant one mile north of Kinder which produces butane, propane, and natural gasoline. The plant capacity is twenty four million cubic feet of gas per day. They employ eight men at a yearly payroll of $40,000.00 Situated next to the Hunt Oil Company is the Sun Oil Company which has approximately fifty-five producing oil and gas wells located near the city limits. They employ about fifteen men.

The Gifford-Hill Company and the Witte Gravel Company are the two large gravel companies which are located southwest of Kinder. They have a yearly potential of 3,995,200 tons of sand and gravel. They employ 103 people at a yearly payroll of $575,000.00. Sand and gravel deposits are plentiful and it is likely that the pits will operate for many years.

Two small ready-mix concrete plants are located in Kinder, and two lumber and building supply companies are located within the city limits.

Businesses in Kinder include: 3 drugstores, 2 clothing stores, 1 dress shop, 10 groceries, 1 variety store, 3 automobile agencies, 2 insurance offices, 2 furniture stores, 1 hardware store, 2 jewelry stores, 1 farm equipment and supply company, 1 feed store, 3 auto and home supply shops, 4 gasoline bulk companies, 15 service stations, 6 restaurants, 3 motels, 2 meat markets, 1 flower shop, 1 fabric shop, 1 ice house, 1 fruit market, and 10 bars. Other businesses which deal in services are: 3 barber shops, 4 beauty salons, 2 plumbing and electrical contractors, 1 washeteria, 5 auto and machine repair shops, 2 television and radio repairs, 1 shoe repair shop, 1 laundry, 2 painters and decorators, 1 blacksmith shop, 2 drive-in short order places, a new, modern funeral home, a branch of the Calcasieu Marine National Bank, a Trailways bus station, a post office. A law office is maintained full-time by an attorney from Oakdale, Louisiana. As can be concluded from the list of businesses and services, the citizens of Kinder do not need to go out of town to shop.

The rate of unemployment in the Kinder area is about the same as that of the national average. Each Tuesday at a scheduled hour, a representative from the Lake Charles Unemployment Office comes to the VFW Hall in Kinder to facilitate the filing of claims for the unemployed in the area. During the 1962 October-November period, there were thirty claims filed for unemployment compensation. The majority of these were construction workers. There is more unemployment among construction workers and farm helpers than in any other groups. The period of heaviest unemployment is from January to April. During this period, construction work is limited due to the rainy, cold weather. It is during this period also that there is little or no need for farm helpers, because the crops have already been harvested and no planting is done until late spring. There is less unemployment among the Negro race than the white in Kinder. One possible explanation for this is that most of the Negro farm hands are employed on a year round basis, since their monthly wages are considerably lower than those of the white farm helper.

Allen Parish contains five wards and five incorporated towns - Oakdale, population 6,618; Kinder, population 2,299; Oberlin, population1,794; Elizabeth, population 1,030; and Reeves, population 151. The population of the entire parish in 1950 was 18,835, which was an increase of 7.4% over the 1940 census. During the ten year period from 1950 to 1960 the total population of the parish increased 1,032 or 5.5%. The 5.5% overall population increase was largely urban. In 1960 the total population of the parish was 19,867, of which 7,975 or 40.1 % was urban and 11,892 or 59.9 % was rural. (4)

On the next two pages are age-sex pyramids showing the composition of the population of Allen Parish and of the town of Kinder as to age and sex. According to the 1960 Census, there are 9,852 males and 10,015 females in the parish. The median age is 24.3 years.

The parish has six white and three Negro high schools, one separate white elementary school, and one separate Negro elementary school. The 1962 parish school enrollment was 961 white and 357 Negro high school students; and 2,845 white, and 1,066 Negro elementary school students. According to the 1950 Census, the median school year completed for all the population in the parish was 6.9. For the Negro population in 1960, it was 4.6. The percentage of persons between fourteen and seventeen years of age who are in school is 80.1 percent.

A breakdown of the 1960 parish population figure of 19,867, as to race composition shows that of this total, 4,938 or 25 percent are Negro.

The total population for the town of Kinder during 1960 was 2,299 of which 418 or 22.2 percent are Negro. Below are pie charts showing race composition in the parish and in Kinder.

The earliest census known for the community of Kinder was in 1910 when the population was 635. During the next fifty years the population had grown to 2,299. A bar chart showing the increase in population since 1910 is shown on the following page. Of the total population of the town, 1,881 are white and 418 are Negro. The sex ratio is 95.5.

There are three schools in Kinder - one high school for the white students which has an enrollment of 373; one elementary school for the white students with an enrollment of 517, and a combination elementary and high school for Negro students with an enrollment of 406.

The number of households in Kinder in 1960 was 574 white and 115 Negro. The average number of children per family is three. The largest number of children in a family is fifteen.

A large portion of the population are of French ancestry. Many of them speak the Cajan (sin) dialect, some almost entirely.

There are approximately 500 births in the area each year; however, this total includes people outside the community and even outside of Ward 2.

A chart showing the 1960 marital status of the male and female population on Kinder is shown on below.

The town of Kinder owns and operates its own water system. Natural gas is supplied by the United Gas Company, and electricity is supplied by Central Louisiana Electric Company. The telephone system is handled by Southwestern States Telephone Company.

The Kinder Volunteer Fire Department has two pumper trucks and one panel truck. Both pumper trucks are fully equipped with fire fighting equipment and with fireman’s helmets, coats, boots and gas masks. The panel truck carries a 115 volt generator with flood lamps, complete first aid kit, resuscitator, oxygen and additional fire fighting equipment. Each unit is equipped with two-way radio on the fireman’s frequency and on the sheriff’s frequency. The twenty-six volunteers are all trained in fire fighting and rescue work. They have a regular fire drill each Wednesday night at 7 P.M.

The Kinder Library is a branch of the Allen Parish Library. It is located in the Cappel Memorial Building and is open five days a week.

A $200,000.00 government low-rent housing project consisting of 16 units was completed in 1961. This is a federal project which will pay for itself in 40 years at which time ownership will revert to the town. These units are well constructed, brick buildings of modern design. An application has been made for 16 additional units and also for 12 low-rent units for the aged. Also completed in 1961, was the housing project in the Negro section of town which consists of four units.

During the past year almost all of the streets within the city limits have been blacktopped, and the main streets have been widened. New street lights have been installed.

The local government consists of a mayor council form with elections every four years. Activities of the government take place in a newly constructed $40,000 city hall and jail. Kinder elects a town marshal and appoints two deputies who are on duty 24 hours a day, working out of a radio equipped office in the city hall. The town council meets every Monday night at 7 o’clock.

The town officials are chiefly small business men of average intelligence. Most of them have had a high school education, but none have attended any higher institution of learning. There is not as much cooperation among the city officials as there should be in order to have a really effective government in the community. A study of the council voting records shows that two of the council members vote together on almost all issues, and in most cases it is to take the opposite position of that taken by the mayor. It is believed that this lack of cooperation is their way of showing their resentment toward the new mayor. In spite of this, the town has made quite a bit of progress during the past two years.

The town employs one man who works on an annual basis. His job is to keep the town property cleaned and mowed and do other maintenance work.

The town does not have a working budget. Finances are obtained from taxes, licenses and fines for traffic violations. The fines collected are sufficient to maintain the police department completely.

There is only one known registered Republican in Kinder. In national elections, the citizens tend to vote for the man rather than the party.

There is no sewer system in Kinder - a condition which many feel is responsible for the lack of growth of the town. Many efforts have been made in past years to institute a sewer system, but after a time, those who initiated the move became discouraged and dropped the project. Recently, a new effort has been made and progress toward this long hoped for goal is encouraging. The Regional Planning Commission has undertaken the sewer project as one of their goals. According to a report in the Crossroads Examiner, local weekly paper, on October 25, 1962, Kinder was awarded a federal grant for a detailed survey of a sewer system for the city. The survey, which is being mapped by the Planning Commission, is a preliminary step in the sewer project, which is estimated at $560,000.00.

The town of Kinder has no system for disposing of garbage. Most of the citizens burn their garbage in large metal barrels or trash burners which are emptied about twice a month by privately contracted junk haulers. All garbage and rubbish is taken to the city dump.

A law office is maintained full time by an attorney who commutes from his home in Oakdale, La. This attorney has taken an interest in community affairs and has been an asset to the community.

The new Kinder High School, a modern brick structure, was completed in 1961. It is located one mile southwest of the town on the Indian Village Road. It was built at a cost of $500,000.00 and can accommodate 500 students. The present enrollment is 373. Students in grades seven through twelve attend this school. Of the 373 enrolled, 212 are in high school and 161 are in junior high school. In addition to the basic courses of English, Mathematics, Social Studies and the Sciences, the curriculum now includes a course in Industrials Arts, Home Economics, French, Commerce, Driver’s Education, a full scale Physical Education course, and several Advanced Mathematics courses. There is also a large variety of extra curricular activities such as football, basketball, track, band, pep squad, chorus, annual staff, Future Homemakers of America, Future Business Leaders of America, National Beta Club, 4-H Club, Student Council, cheerleaders, Junior Library Club, Senior Library Club.

Each year an increasing number of graduates attend some higher institution of learning after leaving high school. Fourteen of the thirty five who graduated in 1959 enrolled in higher institutions of learning. In 1960, twenty of the forty-two who graduated enrolled in higher institutions of learning. In 1961, forty-six graduates, the largest class in the history of the school, received their diplomas. Of this number, twenty-five, or over half, enrolled in higher institutions of learning. All of the sixteen high school teachers are qualified and accredited teachers and most of them have had five years or more of teaching experience.

The Kinder Elementary School, formerly known as Kinder High School, was built in 1921 at a cost of $72,000.00. It can accommodate 800 students and until 1961 was used as both an elementary and high school. There have been several additions and many improvements to the school which is now valued at $450,000.00. The present enrollment is 517 and includes students in grades one through six. Of the eighteen teachers, all have certificates from the State Accreditation Board except four. These four teachers are working toward their degree by attending night or summer classes at McNeese State College. Of this group of four teachers, one has had sixteen years of teaching experience, one has had thirteen years, and one has had eleven years and the other has had four years.

Until 1961 there was a Special Education class in which retarded or very slow learners were enrolled. It was discontinued for several reasons. There were only seven in the class; there were not enough teachers, and the program was ineffective to a certain extent.

At least 50 percent of the parents in the community are very interested in their children’s education. About 20 percent are reasonably interested; 20 percent are fairly interested; 5 percent are not interested at all, and 5 send their children to school only to comply with the compulsory attendance law.

Of the cases of truancy reported to the Truant Officer, now know as the Visiting Teacher, no action was taken nor was any investigation made. The compulsory attendance law is not enforced in Allen Parish as it is in the neighboring parishes of Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu. While truancy does not present a great problem, it could be completely abolished with more cooperation. The average attendance for the elementary school is about 95 percent.

There are two sections of town in which the Negro population live. One, know as the “Frisco Quarters”, is beyond the railroad tracks on the north end of town. The other is known as the “New Quarters,” and is beyond the "Frisco Quarters" in the northeastern part of town. The Negro elementary and high school, known as Carver High School, is located in the New Quarters and is a modern well constructed building valued at $200,000.00. This school was completed in 1950, and prior to that time Negro high school students commuted by bus to Oakdale, La., where they attended the Negro high school there. Carver High School can accommodate 500 students and at the present time has an enrollment of 406. Of this number, 315 are in the elementary grades, and 91 are in high school. There are sixteen teachers, including the principal, who teaches one subject – chemistry. All have their BA degree except one who is presently working toward that goal. Most of the teachers are from neighboring towns and commute to work each day.

There is no truancy problem at Carver High School at the present time. The only school organizations are the New Homemakers of America and the School Band. There is no Parent Teachers organization because of a lack of interest on the part of the parents. Of the 30 students who graduated in 1962, 15 enrolled in higher institutions of learning. Most of the Negro graduate attend Grambling College which is a Negro college located about six miles north of Ruston, La. A few go to McNeese State College. There is no employment in Kinder for Negro college graduates. The majority of the graduates in past years have taken teaching position in larger cities.

The total capital outlay for maintaining the three Kinder schools for 1961-1962 was $52,000.00. The total 1961-1962 payroll for the 50 teachers and 3 principals was $320,000.00.

The first definite religious move in Kinder was the building of a Congregational Church in 1902 by Rev. Paul Leeds. The following year the Congregational parsonage was erected next to the church building. Rev. Leeds served as pastor of this church until his death in 1958. The Congregational Church has 165 members at the present time. Church organizations include: Senior Ladies Aid, Junior Ladies Aid, Men for Christ Club, Senior Christ Endeavor Group, Junior Christ Endeavor Group, and Choir. All groups are active.

The St. Phillip Neri Catholic Church was built in 1913. In 1960, it was moved from its original location to another section of the church property to make room for the newly constructed church. The new St. Phillip Neri Church is a large, brick structure which is completely air-conditioned. It is the newest and most attractive church building in Kinder. The Roman Catholic Church has a membership of 1,500 including those who live in the fringe areas of the community. There is no separate Catholic Church for the Negroes. They attend the white church and comprise approximately 100 of the total membership. The two church services each Sunday are attended by an average of 950 people. The pastor, who has served in this capacity here, for the past 23 years, also has a mission church in Fenton which is nine mile south of Kinder. Organizations of the Roman Catholic Church are: Knights of Columbus, Ladies Altar Society, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Bible History Group, Study Club Groups, Discussion Groups and two choirs. All groups are active.

The Baptist Church has a membership of 305. The pastor is a newcomer to Kinder. Organizations of the church include: Women’s Missionary Society, Young Women’s Association, Girls Auxiliary, Royal Ambassadors, The Sunbeams, Choir and Sunday School Groups.

The Methodist Church has a membership of 174. The pastor is a newcomer to the community. Church organizations include: Sunday, Women’s Society for Christian Service, Methodist Youth Foundation, Official Board, and Choir.

There was only one Pentecostal Church in Kinder until about two years ago when a part of the congregation of the First Pentecostal Church broke away and formed another church known as Faith Tabernacle. Some attribute the break to a dispute which arose during a local election; however, whether or not this is the real cause is not known. The First Pentecostal Church has a membership of 187 and almost 100 percent participation in all services and church activities. Church organizations include: Ladies Auxiliary, Foreign and Home Missions, Young People’s Organization, and Bible Schools. The newly formed Faith Tabernacle has a membership of 82 and holds services in an unoccupied grocery store. No church organizations or groups have been formed as yet.

The Church of Christ has a membership of 50. There is no resident pastor. A minister from Dequincy conducts services weekly. There are no organizations other than the Board of Deacons and the Sunday School Groups.

Most of the churches hold socials throughout the year. Many of these socials are attended by members of other churches; however, this is not true of the Pentecostal Church whose members usually do not participate in or attend the function of any other church.

Of the three separate Negro churches, the largest is the First Baptist with a membership of 83. Church organizations are: Deacons and Deaconesses, Sunday School Groups, Choir, Mission, Pulpit Committee and the Board of Ushers. The second largest group is the Mount Zion Baptist Church with a membership of 54. The church organizations in this group are: Sunday School Groups, Board of Ushers, Mission, Choir, and Deacons and Deaconesses. The third church is Hannah’s Chapel which is a Methodist church with a membership of 40. At the present time there is no resident pastor. Church organizations are: Sunday School Groups, Board of Ushers, Stewardess Boards (2), Pastor’s Aid Club, Class Leaders (2), A.C.E. League, Steward Board, Junior Church Club, and Trustee Board.

The relationship between members of the various churches in the community is good. About the only time that relations between the different groups are the least bit strained is when the question of religion in injected into a political campaign. No religious group influences the policy of any of the other institutions in the community.

There are several organizations and clubs in Kinder. Of the civic organizations, the Rotary Club is the most active and long lasting. The members include business and professional men. There is almost 100 percent attendance at all meetings. They have several worthwhile projects.

The Junior Chamber of Commerce was organized about two years ago and is composed of business and professional men under 35 years of age. This group is active and has sponsored several worthwhile projects, the more recent one being the polio oral vaccine drive.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars organization is not as active as it once was. The Spade and Hope Garden Club has been very active and has sponsored several projects which have benefited the community, one of which is the Cleanest City Contest. Members of the Garden Club landscaped the lawn of the new City Hall, and are enthusiastically endorsing a city beautification program which is in the planning stage. Other organizations in the community are: Woodmen of the World, Boy Scouts of America, and the Parent Teachers Association, all of which are active.

Fraternal organizations are Knights of Columbus and the Masonic Lodge, both of which are active. There is also an Eastern Star organization.

The Negro population has its own clubs and organizations, among which are the Masonic, Knights of Pythians and Courts of Calanthe. They also have the Order of the Eastern Star.

By making use of certain objective indices such as type of house, dwelling area, occupations, source of income, and education, the class structure of the community of Kinder can be divided into four groups

Class I is composed of the families whose heads are leaders in business and professional pursuits in the community, and the large land owners. This group includes individuals who belong to more organizations, who live in the better residential areas, and who are well-to-do. Many in this group have a college education. This class can be equated to the upper middle class. This class comprises approximately 15 percent of the white population.

Class II is composed of the smaller business men, white collar workers, the smaller farmers, and some skilled workers. The adults in this group are predominantly high school graduates. They live comfortably in good residential sections. This class can be equated to the lower middle class and comprises 30 percent of the white population.

Class III consists of semi-skilled workers. Its adult members have finished elementary school but have not completed high school. Its members comprise about 45 percent of the white population and about 15 percent of the Negro population. Their residences can be found in many parts of town, but one entire section, known locally as “Te Mamou,” is inhabited by them. Social life is more or less centered in the family. There is little or no participation in local affairs. None of the adults are members of civic organizations. This class can be equated to the upper lower class.

Class IV consists of unskilled workers and farm laborers. Educationally most of the members of this class have not completed elementary grades and some have had no formal education at all. Their residences are poorly constructed frame buildings. Included in this class is approximately 85 percent of the Negro population and 10 percent of the white population, many of whom are on public welfare.

Dating back to the early settling period, Kinder has never been without a resident physician. During World War II, when the shortage of doctors was felt in many sections throughout the nation, Dr. Gurdon Buck was the only practicing physician in the Kinder area. Shortly after the end of the war two other physicians, both general practitioners, established residence in Kinder. In 1957, still another general practitioner moved to Kinder. For several years before his death in 1961, Dr. Buck had limited his practice considerably.

At the present time there are three resident physicians in Kinder, two of whom are associated in general practice, the other practicing on an individual basis. All three of the doctors are under 45 years of age. They serve an area approximately 25 miles in diameter. At least one of the doctors is on call at all times. They have modern and adequate office facilities. The three physicians combined see an average of 130 patients a day.

The Kinder Hospital is a twenty-bed, privately owned hospital with modern x-ray and laboratory facilities, diagnostic devises, operating room, and obstetrical delivery room. There is an average of 750 medical and surgical admissions, and 500 babies delivered annually in this hospital. Very little major surgery is done here. The owner of the hospital is a very capable registered nurse. Her living quarters are attached to the hospital. She acts in the following capacities: administrator, supervisor, head nurse and anesthetist. The hospital staff consists of one registered nurse and ten practical nurses. Also employed at the hospital is a bookkeeper, a cook, a janitor, and a laundry woman. A registered laboratory technician is on call at all times both at the hospital and at the doctor’s offices. All three of the doctors live within one block of the hospital.

The two dentists that live in Kinder have modern brick offices and are equipped to handle all dental procedures. Both are under 45 years of age.

An optometrist, who resides in Jennings, holds office hours in Kinder four days a week in an office with complete diagnostic equipment.

The Allen Parish Public Health Department does not have a physician director at the present time. There are two public health nurses to carry out the health program throughout the entire parish. One nurse covers the Oakdale area and the northern part of the parish; the other takes care of Oberlin, Reeves and Kinder and the southern portion of the parish. The nurse for the southern part of the parish holds a clinic in Kinder each Tuesday morning in a special office in the City Hall. Her services include conducting the well-baby clinic, administering inoculations for prevention of communicable diseases, and counseling - especially the aged citizens. She makes home visits and holds clinic for tuberculosis patients and crippled children. She does follow-up work on all communicable disease cases reported to her by the doctors She visits each school in her territory at least once a month. Her visits may include eye examinations, patch tests, and immunizations. No maternity clinic is held because it is unnecessary since there are adequate medical facilities available to all and there is no shortage of doctors. Examination of pre-school children is done before the school term begins each year. The public health nurse sees an average of 16 families each week when she holds clinic in Kinder.

The general health of the community of Kinder is considered only fairly good - a rather poor rating which can be partially attributed to the large number of indigents, the low median income and ignorance. When these factors are present, disease is usually prevalent. Those more common are impetigo and related skin conditions, and conditions related to poor oral and personal oral and personal hygiene. The heavy or starchy type of diet that is common among these groups leads to obesity, which in many cases, predisposes to poor health.

A full time Sanitation Engineer inspects food handling establishments each month. Inspections also include dairies and sources of public water supply.

The number of Welfare cases in Allen Parish is 1,516, which is 7.6 percent of the total population. The Parish Welfare Department office is a new modern brick building located in Oberlin, the parish seat. It serves the entire parish and is staffed by a director, seven welfare visitors, and one case supervisor, all of whom have college degrees in social work. Also employed in the Welfare Office are four clerical workers and one commodity department worker who helps handle surplus foods. These surplus foods come under the jurisdiction of the Police Jury, but the Welfare Department employs one person to handle this phase of assistance.

The Welfare Department operates under three budgets - Old Age Assistance, Aid to Needy Blind, and the third includes all other cases. The type of assistance administered by the State Welfare Department are: Old Age Assistance of which there are 178 cases in Allen Parish; Aid to Needy Blind - 17 cases; Aid to Dependant Children - 183 cases; Disability Assistance (permanent total) - 143 cases; General Assistance - 95 cases; and a relatively new type of aid which is known as Medical Assistance to the Aged. The people who receive welfare aid are visited periodically by a case worker. There has been very little change noted in the number of cases receiving welfare aid over the past few years. The trend is static. In the community of Kinder, approximately 170 people receive welfare aid.

Kinder has a city park with picnic tables, barbeque pits, and playground equipment. The town also maintains a Little League baseball park, and it’s lighted for night games. The summer baseball program has four Little League teams, four pony league teams, four girl softball teams, and four adult softball teams. The program is administered by a board of directors and volunteer coaches.

The school athletic program furnishes much of the recreation and has quite a large, enthusiastic following. Many school functions throughout the year furnish entertainment and recreation for the adults as well as the students. All school functions are well attended.

There is one moving picture theater in Kinder and it features some of the more recent movies.

A dance is held each Saturday night at the Knights of Columbus Hall for the young people in the area. A small band is sometimes featured. This social is well chaperoned.

Socials sponsored by the different fraternal, civic, religious, and school organizations provide year round entertainment.

Hunting and fishing in the area are excellent. Some of the music lovers in the community attend concerts and Little Theater productions in neighboring cities occasionally.

A need for additional recreational facilities is felt by the citizens of Kinder. The nearest swimming pool is in Welsh which is 23 miles away. A project of the Regional Planning Commission to aid in establishing a Recreational District for Ward 2 in which Kinder is located, has recently been approved by the Allen Parish Police Jury. A Recreation Commission, consisting of five prominent citizens of Kinder, has been appointed by the Police Jury.

The Kinder Planning Commission was created in December 1961. In July 1962, it was recognized by the Allen Parish Police Jury and was renamed the Regional Planning Commission. The commission is composed of five members, two of whom are appointed by the Police Jury and three by the town council and mayor of Kinder. Prior to the creation of the commission there were no building codes, zoning regulations, electrical or plumbing codes. Soon after its creation, the commission adopted the National Building Code along with the National Plumbing and Electrical Codes. An inner-fire zone was created which includes all the business district and the main approaches into town, thereby governing the type of material used in any new construction within this area. The Commission is working along with a group of city planning engineers to establish a master plan for the future development of Kinder and the surrounding area. The projects which are being planned are: (1) to aid in establishing a working budget for the town; (2) to make a schedule of capital improvements; (3) to institute a sewer system; (4) to improve recreation facilities; and (5) to aid in the beautification of the town. Much work and planning has been done toward the realization of each of these projects; however, since the lack of a sewer system presents the greatest problem to the community, it has taken precedence over the others.