Retired educator and Tullos resident, Barbarean ‘Barbara’ Elmore still has a big place in her heart for children and education. She dedicated an impressive forty-seven years to teaching, reaching and helping the children of LaSalle Parish through her work in the LaSalle Parish School System. Although retired in 2015, most conversations with her lead right back to her first love and lifetime commitment as a teacher.
“I always wanted to be a teacher and I can’t remember wanting to be anything else,” she said, explaining her choice to pursue teaching. “My parents said we WOULD go to college – we did not have a choice!”
College attendance was a priority for her and her brother, and their parents worked two jobs each to provide the means so they could attend. “My parents put the ‘P’ in ‘poor’ but when they said something they meant it,” Mrs. Barbara shared earnestly.
At eighty-six years of age, she doesn’t regret her decision to be a lifetime teacher and she taught in the school system before and after schools were integrated in the early nineteen sixties. Reflecting on her early days of attending school as a student and later as an educator, she remembers the old wooden building that was the original Goodpine School. The black student population averaged 200 students who started and finished their education through the 11th grade there.
“Honestly, back then (as an educator) we had a better rapport with students and parents, it was more of a community feel,” she reflected. “Teachers could call or go by a student’s house to talk to parents. I saw more cooperation from students, and they helped each other.”
She also recalled the principal, Mr. Britten, whose administration she initially taught under. The times and requirements for teachers were different in that era, and the strict principal would sit in his truck at the school entrance each morning and turn away any staff member who arrived late for the school day.
“Some of the kids were happy to see some of the teachers to have to go back home!” she laughed and said, indicating most employees made sure they were on time.
After teaching at Goodpine School, Mrs. Barbara moved to Trout Goodpine Kindergarten loving and instructing five-year-olds. She quickly gained the reputation of being somewhat protective of her students, overhearing fellow educators issue the warning not to “mess with Elmore’s kids, she’ll get mad at you” – the sign of a teacher who genuinely loves her ‘kids’. “I loved every minute of it,” she said warmly. “I truly love children.” From Kindergarten teacher, she moved into a K Resource classroom and found her niche. Her dedication to the job of educating all children with excellence soon caught the attention of the staff at the LaSalle Parish Media Center who implored her to seek the vacant position of the Titles Program/Federal Projects Director. Having never been an administrator, she felt unqualified to apply. However, at their urging and words of confidence, she soon found herself chosen and filling that very position.
“I was scared to death and nervous as a cat!” she said. “I did not know a lot about administration, but they had confidence in me.”
Twenty-seven years of filling those supervisory shoes verified that the right person was chosen for the job. Mrs. Barbara would rise every morning at 4:00 am, drive to Jena to the LPSB Media Center, and work many days until 7:00 pm making sure she got everything completed and done correctly. Again, LaSalle students reaped the benefits.
“My greatest accomplishment was the Homeless Program,” she said. “I wrote the first Homeless Program for LaSalle Parish and I feel it helped more children and families than anything else. I did a lot of jobs, but that was my greatest achievement.” Today the Homeless Program continues to grow, addressing educational and other needs of homeless students.
During her tenure as Program Director, she had the opportunity and privilege to introduce students to places and experiences they would otherwise not have enjoyed. Educational trips to sites such as Washington, DC, to see the U.S. Government firsthand, were among the places traveled. Many of the students who went had never traveled outside of the parish.
The days of teaching, managing budgets, and educational efforts have transitioned into a more leisurely lifestyle for this educator. What is she up to?
“Being lazy,” she said with a big laugh. “I cook, sew, go to church and the doctor and visit the grocery store. I didn’t retire until I was 77 and if I hadn’t been so old, I would have stayed there!
Spoken like a true teacher.
“I always wanted to be a teacher and I can’t remember wanting to be anything else.”
