"Connections . . ."

Recently I have had a number of emails to and from Randy DeCuir. Randy is from Marksville but is familiar with New Roads and Pointe Coupee. He shares my mother's penchant for genealogy.

We also have a commom friend, Glen Morgan. Glen and I go back to literally grade school. His home and current home was a couple of house over from mine. And we share the common river. His uncle Louis lived a house over the other way.

Growing up in a little town meant we knew each other and played with each other. We were boys and enjoyed boy things. I recall Glen had an awesome set of Lionel train stuff, mostly track and such. Later he had pup tent. And his father like his uncle had a power boat, boat house and pier. Did a ton of fishing off Glen's dad's pier. And I caught my first fish, a big old Catfish, off Louis' pier.

We swam in the river and later learned to water ski. We were literally river rats for a while. Not so sure Glen was as wild as I was.

New Roads was like a big family. I ranged from one end of town to the other on my bicycle. I once peddled the entire length of town hands free. Friends were friends regardless of where they lived. Some of those friends continue on today.

It was distressing to learn that Glen needs oxygen to breath. He his trapped in his home by the needs of his body. Good to hear people like Randy DeCuir pays him visits.

New Roads is not the same. Times have changed. Still a small town, more progressive and some things have changed. But old St. Josephs Academy operated by the Sisters of St Joseph has morphed into Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee. The grade school is Catholic Elementary. CHPC attracts students from across Pointe Coupee and into West Baton Rouge and Iberville Parishes.

False River Academy, a non-sectarian private school, has a similar attraction for attendance. Both schools boast staffs that had at one time been in the public school system. Both schools have enviable academic credentials.

The sad irony is that there is no public high school in New Roads city limits. Pointe Coupee Central High School is located more or less halfway between New Roads and Morganza. It sits literally in the midst of sugar cane fields, part of old Brunswich Plantation.

Poydras High School, the one of the two public high schools once found in New Roads, has been turned into a museum, business office and public auditorium. It has become an attraction for New Roads. Rosenwald High School, the other high school, is today a grade school inside the city of New Roads.

There is always a strong attraction to New Roads. There is False River, slow southern living, closeness to Baton Rouge. Lots of things. With the new Audubon Bridge I expect it to explode with discovery.

Mean while I will keep up my connections.