Block, Upload, Automoderated users, edit, move, protect, rollback
57,799
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Created page with "{{Infobox officeholder | name=Neal Lane "Lanny" Johnson, Sr. | image= | |image_size= |caption= |office=Louisiana State Representative for District 20 (Franklin and Tensa..."
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Neal Lane "Lanny" Johnson, Sr.
| image= |
|image_size=
|caption=
|office=[[Louisiana]] State Representative for District 20 (Franklin and Tensas parishes)
|term_start=1976
|term_end=1980
|preceded=Lantz Womack
|succeeded=Glen L. Williams
| birth_date=December 7, 1940
| birth_place=Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
| alma_mater=Ouachita Parish High School<br>
[[University of Louisiana at Monroe]]
| death_date=
| death_place=
| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]
| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]
| occupation=[[Educator]]
| spouse=Carol Virginia Shipp Johnson
| children=Neal Johnson, Jr.<br>
Taylor Lance Johnson
|footnotes=
}}
'''Neal Lane Johnson, Sr.''', known as '''Lanny Johnson''' (born December 7, 1940), is an [[United States|American]] school superintendent in Winnsboro in Franklin Parish in northeastern [[Louisiana]], who served a single term as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1976 to 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembers1812_2008.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812–2008|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> Previously, he was the superintendent in two other school districts, Tensas and Ouachita parishes.
==Background==
A native of Ouachita Parish, Johnson graduated from Ouachita Parish High School in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. At eighteen, he began playing [[basketball]] at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, then Northeast Louisiana State College, under coach Leonard O'Neil "Lenny" Fant (1923-1998), who became a close friend and often supplied Johnson with humorous references for use in political speeches.<ref name=fant>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayou.com/~suelynn/obituaries/lofobit.html|title=Fant's legacy lives on 'in his boys'|work=Monroe News-Star|date= October 13, 1998|publisher=bayou.com|accessdate=January 1, 2009}}</ref> Johnson was ULM's first All-American.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayou.com/~suelynn/obituaries/lofobit.html|author=Mark S. Rainwate|title="Fant's legacy lives on in 'his boys'", October 13, 1998|publisher=''Monroe News Star''|accessdate=January 3, 2010}}</ref> He led the Warhawks, formerly the Indians, to a 17–8 record in 1961–1962 and to their first Gulf South Conference championship. In 1962, Johnson made both the [[Associated Press]] and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics listings. Johnson led the GSC in scoring for his last two seasons at ULM. He produced eight 30-point games and concluded his career with ULM's all-time scoring record with 1,366 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulmwarhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=19000&ATCLID=3758997|title=Lanny Johnson|publisher=ulmwarhawks.com|accessdate=January 7, 2010}}</ref> In 1982, Johnson was inducted into the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame for his 1958–1962 seasons at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.<ref name="name">{{cite web |year= 2010 |url = http://members.cox.net/tigerdsl/labc/hoffmemberschrono.htm|title = Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame Members|publisher=Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame| accessdate = January 9, 2010 | last= |quote=}}</ref>
==Political years==
Johnson filled the District 20 state House seat vacated by Lantz Womack, a [[banker]] and [[farmer]] from Winnsboro, who ran unsuccessfully for Louisiana state agriculture commissioner in the first-ever nonpartisan blanket primary held in Louisiana on November 1, 1975.<ref>State of Louisiana, Secretary of State, Election returns, November 1, 1975.</ref> In the legislative race, Johnson defeated a fellow Democrat, Joe Morse "Bobo" Gravelle (1931-2007) of Winnsboro, a petroleum marketer and banking director, the former director of the North Delta Regional Planning Commission. and at the time of the election a member of the Franklin Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body. Johnson received 5,362 votes (55.2 percent);o Gravelle, 4,380 (44.8 percent).<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish, Louisiana: Desegregation, Re-Segregation, and the Continuing Decline in School Enrolments, 1970-2017", ''North Louisiana History'', Vol. 49 (Winter and Spring 2018, p. 49.</ref>
Four years later, Johnson ran unsuccessfully in the primary for the state Senate. The victor in the 1979 senatorial [[general election]] was his state House colleague, Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey, Sr. (born October 31, 1948), then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish, a Democrat<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.la.us/members/s1880-2004.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana State Senate, 1880–2004|publisher=legis.state.la.us|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> who years later switched to [[Republican Party|Republican]] affiliation. Richey defeated Mary Lou Trawick Winters (1935-2914) of Columbia in Caldwell Parish, then the [[Democratic National Committee]]woman and political associate of former [[Governor]] [[John J. McKeithen]]. A former House member, David Ivy Patten (1923-1998), a contractor from Harrisonburg in Catahoula Parish, also ran unsuccessfully in the senatorial primary.<ref>State of Louisiana, Election returns, 1979 primary and general election.</ref>
==Education career==
Johnson holds a [[Ph.D.]] in professional education.<ref name=list/> From the 1970s until 1984, he was a teacher, administrator, or superintendent for the Tensas Parish School Board in St. Joseph. In 1970, he was named principal of the former Joseph Moore Davidson High School (since Tensas High School) in St. Joseph at the beginning of court-ordered desegregation. The school was and remains more than 90 percent [[African American]]. On taking the principalship, Johnson was named among the "Outstanding Young Men of America." While a state representative, Johnson was employed full-time by the Tensas Parish School Board as the supervisor of career education. Then he became the superintendent, upon the resignation of William Edward Vosburg, Sr. (born October 13, 1940), the superintendent from 1977 to 1981. Vosburg had succeeded [[Charles E. Thompson]], who held the position from 1970 to 1977.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 48.</ref>
Johnson left the Tensas superintendent's position for the same job in his native Ouachita Parish, at which he presided over a widespread school expansion program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coachesaid.com/Article/2009/8/30/Franklin-Parish-Football|title=2009 August 30 Franklin Parish Football|publisher=coachesaid.com|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> In 2004, he relocated from Ouachita to Franklin Parish, a post he took at a time of financial stress for the school district.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 50.</ref> After the failure of several tax propositions, Johnson procured funding for construction and renovation of certain Franklin Parish schools.<ref>"Tax renewals pass in two area parish elections", ''Monroe News Star'', November 15, 2009.</ref> Johnson, like his superintendent-wife, the former Carol Virginia Shipp (born November 11, 1941) in Tensas Parish, has Johnson struggled with weak pupil performance on end-of-course examinations. Thirty-five percent of Franklin Parish public school pupils scored "good" or "excellent” on the 2012–2013 examinations; in 2008–2009, that number had been 37 percent. Johnson worked on professional development and assistance from the central office in an effort to boost achievement at Franklin Parish High School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20130713/NEWS01/307130026/Proficiency-slips-in-Tensas-Franklin-Parish-schools|title=Barbara Leader, "Proficiency slips in Tensas, Franklin Parish schools", July 13, 2013|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=July 14, 2013}}</ref>
Mrs. Johnson is originally from Bosco, also in Ouachita Parish.<ref name=list>{{cite web|url=http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/1920.pdf|title=Louisiana Public School Districts Superintendents|publisher=doe.state.la.us|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> As superintendent, she worked to close Newellton High School in 2006 and to designate a single high school for all Tensas Parish public school pupils, Tensas High School, the former Davidson school. Mrs. Johnson was superintendent until 2016, when Paul E. Nelson, the former superintendent in Concordia Parish, succeeded her.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp, 53-54.</ref>
Lanny and Carol Johnson reside on Lake Bruin, an oxbow lake of the [[Mississippi River]] east of St. Joseph, some forty miles from his office in Winnsboro. There are two Johnson sons, Neal Johnson, Jr. (born August 10, 1969), a Monroe [[attorney]] married to Chantay Johnson, and Taylor Lance Johnson (born January 6, 1978), a [[business]]man in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], Texas, who is married to Staci Johnson.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 50.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Lanny}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Educators]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Democrats]]
[[Category:Basketball]]
[[Category:Baptists]]
| name=Neal Lane "Lanny" Johnson, Sr.
| image= |
|image_size=
|caption=
|office=[[Louisiana]] State Representative for District 20 (Franklin and Tensas parishes)
|term_start=1976
|term_end=1980
|preceded=Lantz Womack
|succeeded=Glen L. Williams
| birth_date=December 7, 1940
| birth_place=Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
| alma_mater=Ouachita Parish High School<br>
[[University of Louisiana at Monroe]]
| death_date=
| death_place=
| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]
| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]
| occupation=[[Educator]]
| spouse=Carol Virginia Shipp Johnson
| children=Neal Johnson, Jr.<br>
Taylor Lance Johnson
|footnotes=
}}
'''Neal Lane Johnson, Sr.''', known as '''Lanny Johnson''' (born December 7, 1940), is an [[United States|American]] school superintendent in Winnsboro in Franklin Parish in northeastern [[Louisiana]], who served a single term as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1976 to 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembers1812_2008.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812–2008|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> Previously, he was the superintendent in two other school districts, Tensas and Ouachita parishes.
==Background==
A native of Ouachita Parish, Johnson graduated from Ouachita Parish High School in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. At eighteen, he began playing [[basketball]] at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, then Northeast Louisiana State College, under coach Leonard O'Neil "Lenny" Fant (1923-1998), who became a close friend and often supplied Johnson with humorous references for use in political speeches.<ref name=fant>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayou.com/~suelynn/obituaries/lofobit.html|title=Fant's legacy lives on 'in his boys'|work=Monroe News-Star|date= October 13, 1998|publisher=bayou.com|accessdate=January 1, 2009}}</ref> Johnson was ULM's first All-American.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayou.com/~suelynn/obituaries/lofobit.html|author=Mark S. Rainwate|title="Fant's legacy lives on in 'his boys'", October 13, 1998|publisher=''Monroe News Star''|accessdate=January 3, 2010}}</ref> He led the Warhawks, formerly the Indians, to a 17–8 record in 1961–1962 and to their first Gulf South Conference championship. In 1962, Johnson made both the [[Associated Press]] and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics listings. Johnson led the GSC in scoring for his last two seasons at ULM. He produced eight 30-point games and concluded his career with ULM's all-time scoring record with 1,366 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulmwarhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=19000&ATCLID=3758997|title=Lanny Johnson|publisher=ulmwarhawks.com|accessdate=January 7, 2010}}</ref> In 1982, Johnson was inducted into the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame for his 1958–1962 seasons at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.<ref name="name">{{cite web |year= 2010 |url = http://members.cox.net/tigerdsl/labc/hoffmemberschrono.htm|title = Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame Members|publisher=Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame| accessdate = January 9, 2010 | last= |quote=}}</ref>
==Political years==
Johnson filled the District 20 state House seat vacated by Lantz Womack, a [[banker]] and [[farmer]] from Winnsboro, who ran unsuccessfully for Louisiana state agriculture commissioner in the first-ever nonpartisan blanket primary held in Louisiana on November 1, 1975.<ref>State of Louisiana, Secretary of State, Election returns, November 1, 1975.</ref> In the legislative race, Johnson defeated a fellow Democrat, Joe Morse "Bobo" Gravelle (1931-2007) of Winnsboro, a petroleum marketer and banking director, the former director of the North Delta Regional Planning Commission. and at the time of the election a member of the Franklin Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body. Johnson received 5,362 votes (55.2 percent);o Gravelle, 4,380 (44.8 percent).<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish, Louisiana: Desegregation, Re-Segregation, and the Continuing Decline in School Enrolments, 1970-2017", ''North Louisiana History'', Vol. 49 (Winter and Spring 2018, p. 49.</ref>
Four years later, Johnson ran unsuccessfully in the primary for the state Senate. The victor in the 1979 senatorial [[general election]] was his state House colleague, Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey, Sr. (born October 31, 1948), then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish, a Democrat<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.la.us/members/s1880-2004.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana State Senate, 1880–2004|publisher=legis.state.la.us|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> who years later switched to [[Republican Party|Republican]] affiliation. Richey defeated Mary Lou Trawick Winters (1935-2914) of Columbia in Caldwell Parish, then the [[Democratic National Committee]]woman and political associate of former [[Governor]] [[John J. McKeithen]]. A former House member, David Ivy Patten (1923-1998), a contractor from Harrisonburg in Catahoula Parish, also ran unsuccessfully in the senatorial primary.<ref>State of Louisiana, Election returns, 1979 primary and general election.</ref>
==Education career==
Johnson holds a [[Ph.D.]] in professional education.<ref name=list/> From the 1970s until 1984, he was a teacher, administrator, or superintendent for the Tensas Parish School Board in St. Joseph. In 1970, he was named principal of the former Joseph Moore Davidson High School (since Tensas High School) in St. Joseph at the beginning of court-ordered desegregation. The school was and remains more than 90 percent [[African American]]. On taking the principalship, Johnson was named among the "Outstanding Young Men of America." While a state representative, Johnson was employed full-time by the Tensas Parish School Board as the supervisor of career education. Then he became the superintendent, upon the resignation of William Edward Vosburg, Sr. (born October 13, 1940), the superintendent from 1977 to 1981. Vosburg had succeeded [[Charles E. Thompson]], who held the position from 1970 to 1977.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 48.</ref>
Johnson left the Tensas superintendent's position for the same job in his native Ouachita Parish, at which he presided over a widespread school expansion program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coachesaid.com/Article/2009/8/30/Franklin-Parish-Football|title=2009 August 30 Franklin Parish Football|publisher=coachesaid.com|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> In 2004, he relocated from Ouachita to Franklin Parish, a post he took at a time of financial stress for the school district.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 50.</ref> After the failure of several tax propositions, Johnson procured funding for construction and renovation of certain Franklin Parish schools.<ref>"Tax renewals pass in two area parish elections", ''Monroe News Star'', November 15, 2009.</ref> Johnson, like his superintendent-wife, the former Carol Virginia Shipp (born November 11, 1941) in Tensas Parish, has Johnson struggled with weak pupil performance on end-of-course examinations. Thirty-five percent of Franklin Parish public school pupils scored "good" or "excellent” on the 2012–2013 examinations; in 2008–2009, that number had been 37 percent. Johnson worked on professional development and assistance from the central office in an effort to boost achievement at Franklin Parish High School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20130713/NEWS01/307130026/Proficiency-slips-in-Tensas-Franklin-Parish-schools|title=Barbara Leader, "Proficiency slips in Tensas, Franklin Parish schools", July 13, 2013|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=July 14, 2013}}</ref>
Mrs. Johnson is originally from Bosco, also in Ouachita Parish.<ref name=list>{{cite web|url=http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/1920.pdf|title=Louisiana Public School Districts Superintendents|publisher=doe.state.la.us|accessdate=December 30, 2009}}</ref> As superintendent, she worked to close Newellton High School in 2006 and to designate a single high school for all Tensas Parish public school pupils, Tensas High School, the former Davidson school. Mrs. Johnson was superintendent until 2016, when Paul E. Nelson, the former superintendent in Concordia Parish, succeeded her.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp, 53-54.</ref>
Lanny and Carol Johnson reside on Lake Bruin, an oxbow lake of the [[Mississippi River]] east of St. Joseph, some forty miles from his office in Winnsboro. There are two Johnson sons, Neal Johnson, Jr. (born August 10, 1969), a Monroe [[attorney]] married to Chantay Johnson, and Taylor Lance Johnson (born January 6, 1978), a [[business]]man in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], Texas, who is married to Staci Johnson.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 50.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Lanny}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Educators]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Democrats]]
[[Category:Basketball]]
[[Category:Baptists]]