There has long been a need for the factual story of the old City of
Lafayette and its fine residential area, the Garden District. What
better opportunity to attempt to fill this need than to benefit the
Louise S. McGehee School! This venerable institution now approaches its
fiftieth year, a memorable half century of leadership in education.
Therefore, the Parents' League of McGehee's, as the school is
affectionately known to three generations of students, considered it
fitting to put its members to work on this project with a three-fold
purpose: to memorialize the half century of growth of McGehee's as it
continues to expand its facilities to serve the community; to develop an
extra source of income for the League's contributions to the school; and
to satisfy the continuous requests made by the hundreds of visitors who
take the League-sponsored Garden District home tours.
The authors, who were asked to undertake the research and writing
project, are gratefully indebted to many for their kind advice and
consent. Old maps, documents, rare books and family records have been
generously offered for examination. Illustrations have been lent from
private and other collections. Patient understanding and careful
correction of the manuscript were invaluable. We would like to thank
particularly the following: Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wilson, Jr., Mr. Cecil
J. Murphy, Mr. Leonard V. Huber, The Waldo-Burton Memorial Home, Miss
Margaret Ruckert, Mrs. Sue Bauman, Mr. Richard Koch, Mrs. William J.
Griffith, Mrs. Dorothy Whittemore and others in the archives department
of the Howard-Tilton Library of Tulane University, the Louisiana State
Museum Library, the Notarial Archives, Mrs. Benjamin Cromwell Gore, Mrs.
Robert Lee Emery, Jr., Miss Barbara Gessner, Miss Lily Gauche, Mr. Frank
Boatner, Mrs. Keith Temple, Dr. Bernard Lemann, Mr. Albert Lieutaud, Mr.
Harold Leisure, Mr. Carleton King, Mr. Errol E. Kelly, Mrs. John Prados,
and Dr. Virgil L. Bedsole.
From the McGehee faculty and the Parents' League inestimable assistance
was received. Mrs. Edmund McIlhenny, Parents' League President, and Miss
Elise McGehee, Headmistress, were extremely generous with their time and
counsel. Our thanks to Mrs. Andrew W. Dykers for reading the manuscript;
Mrs. Leslie Bowling, who designed and executed the cover picture; Leon
Trice, Jr., who took the majority of the interior photographs; Mrs.
Bernard Wolfe, capable business manager of the project; and very special
gratitude to Mrs. Dallam O'Brien, who designed the book, and to Mr.
O'Brien for his help.
Particular appreciation is given, of course, to the present owners of
the great houses selected for inclusion in this work, for their gracious
permission and cooperation.
MARTHA ANN BRETT SAMUEL
RAY SAMUEL