|
Surrounded by live oaks and azaleas, McNeese State University has served
Southwest Louisiana for over sixty years. Founded in 1939 by area
businessmen and cattlemen, the university has grown and thrived side by
side with the city of Lake Charles. Alumni, faculty, staff, and students
alike take pride in the heritage of their evolving university, and the
city embraces the school as a treasured landmark of the community.
McNeese State University began as Lake Charles Junior College, a
division of Louisiana State University. Just one year after its
inception, the name was changed to John McNeese Junior College in honor
of one of the area's foremost pioneer educators. In 1950 the name was
changed to McNeese State College when four-year status was obtained, and
university status was achieved in 1970. The campus has enjoyed
phenomenal expansion, from its initial three buildings constructed on
the site of the town's Poor Farm to the vibrant and sprawling 68
buildings and over 500 acres it consists of today. Scenes of student
life -- in classrooms, dormitories, club meetings, and at athletic
events -- as well as memorable events throughout the course of the
school's history are the focus of this visual journey. Students are
pictured during lighter moments, enjoying the camaraderie of their
classmates, but their serious side is also displayed during such trials
as the disastrous hurricane that forced over 1,000 refugees to shelter
on campus and the period during World War II when the campus became the
headquarters of the Louisiana Maneuvers. Notable alumni of McNeese State
University include Dr. Cecil Cyrus Vaughn, a pioneer in cardiovascular
medicine and artificial transplant surgery; Sheryl L. Absire, one of the
first five inductees into the National Teacher Hall of Fame and a
Christa McAuliffe Fellow; and Andre Dubus, a critically acclaimed
writer.
Author Kathie Bordelon serves as the university archivist at the Frazar
Memorial Library. In this engaging volume of photographs, she has culled
the very best images of the school's collections to illustrate its
lively, colorful history and the story that continues to unfold. McNeese
State University will find a special place in the hearts of all those
whose lives have been enhanced by this distinguished Louisiana
institution.
To order a copy of McNeese
State University, please contact:
Kathie
Bordelon
Archives and Special Collections
Department
Frazar Memorial Library
Box 91445
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA 70609
(337) 475-5734
|
