1970-1971: A Year of Change For Students at Central High

40 Years Ago • 1971 to 2011

by Elva Jo Crawford

CENTRAL — The school year 1970-1971 was one of many changes both for the Central community and the world.  Charles T. Kinsley was principal of Central High and had worked very hard to bring about compliance with the desegregation court order for East Baton Rouge Parish, racially integrating the faculty and student bodies of all public schools, including Central High.

The local newspaper back then was The Beacon and was edited by Mrs. Betty Steven, selling for 10 cents a copy and printed by Milldale Baptist Church.  Kornmeyer’s was the premiere furniture store in Baton Rouge and presented all the female graduates each year with a miniature cedar chest, hoping, of course, that they would return later to purchase one of the full sized ones.  In Central, there was no Wal-Mart, CVS, or Walgreen’s.

The Central High Marching Maroons Band and newly-formed Girls Flag Corps made a trip to Monterrey, Mexico with no worry then of drug cartels.  Central’s school mascot was both an actual caged wildcat as well as a student body member dressed as a wildcat.

On the national scene, the draft for the Vietnam War was winding down.  The 26th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was sailing through Congress, giving 18 year olds the right to vote.  The mantra for the right to vote campaign being “If you can be drafted to go to war and die for your country, then you should be able to vote!”  Members of the Class of 1971 were among the first 18 year olds to vote.

Even though the school year was one of many changes, Mr. Kinsley said in his address for the Central High yearbook: “Regardless of the changes I think this is one of the best school years I have seen at Central.  The atmosphere at school is great.  Most of the people I find extremely nice.  I think that everyone connected with Central can be extremely proud of their school and community.”

In the above photo standing immediately in front of the Wildcat insignia is Chuck Snider, the only reunion attendee from the Central Private School Class of 1971.  Chuck had attended Central High through the 11th grade.  He transferred to Central Private where his sister had been enrolled since 1967.  That first year Central Private was grades 1 through 6 and Mr. J.A. Smith was the first principal.  In the spring of 1971, the school graduated its first class of 13 students.  Today Chuck and his family live in North Carolina.