By Garry Blanson
“It’s astonishing how history keeps on repeating itself in Ouachita Parish!” – Garry Blanson.
Today, Black citizens in Monroe, Louisiana, who live in the community around Swayze Elementary School are reflecting on the Ouachita Parish School Board’s decision to close the school. As we ponder it all, we can’t help but notice that once again, another school located in a Black community is about to disappear.
As we think back to 1987, we remember when the OPSB decided to close another school located in a Black community. In case anyone has forgotten, the name of the school was Richwood High School. One can only imagine how that single decision by the OPSB altered the lives of hundreds of Black students who were to attend Richwood, as well as the parents and alumni who had graduated from Richwood High School.
Now, the OPSB is about to close Swayze Elementary School, another school located in a Black community. By the way, the OPSB has failed to inform the Black community around Swayze Elementary about what will become of the school and the land it sits on.
Personally, I feel and strongly believe that the OPSB is secretly negotiating a deal to sell the property and land that Swayze Elementary School occupies to the Monroe Housing Authority and White partner contractors, so that new housing can be added to the subdivision behind the school.
Shortly after I made a post indicating my belief that the OPSB was going to sell Swayze Elementary School, OPSB member Harold McCoy commented on my post and left his number for me to call him. When we finally spoke, Harold said that he didn’t really know what the OPSB plans to do with Swayze Elementary School. I countered by repeating that I feel the OPSB intends to sell the school to White partner contractors. We talked some more, but Harold McCoy would not let me ask my final question: what if, in the next 12 to 16 months, the property and land that Swayze Elementary School currently occupies are sold to White partner contractors and the Monroe Housing Authority?
In closing, I hope this will encourage Black parents in Ouachita Parish to pay closer attention to what OPSB members are planning for the schools in our Black communities.
Now that I have expressed my concerns, on to this week’s Black pioneer: Ben Allen. While little is known about his early childhood, it was recorded that Ben Allen and his mother migrated to Ouachita Parish from Alabama soon after the American Civil War. They eventually settled in what is now known as the City of West Monroe, Louisiana. On another note, in 1883, local government officials had attempted to name the town Cottonport, Louisiana. However, another town in Louisiana had already claimed the name with the U.S. Post Office and the state.
Returning to Ben Allen, after arriving in West Monroe, he and his mother settled in an area known as College Point. One day, while looking for employment, Ben learned about a position as an attendant on a riverboat for the Union Oil Mill. He applied and got the position, going on to work for the Union Oil Mill for more than 60 years, never receiving a promotion despite his hard work.
Although Ben had other financial obligations, he always made sure to save a little money to buy land of his own. After a few years, he was finally able to purchase property in the College Point area of West Monroe. Later, Ben met Susan Booker, who would become his wife. The couple had two children, Leslye and Gertrude, both of whom grew up in West Monroe and contributed significantly to the growth of the College Point neighborhood and Ouachita Parish.
In addition to helping develop the College Point community, Ben was one of the founders of St. Joseph Baptist Church of West Monroe. He also worked tirelessly to establish the first school for Colored children in West Monroe. In appreciation of his efforts and sacrifices to ensure that Colored children had a school in their own community, the citizens of College Point honored him by naming the school the Ben Allen School.
