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Whetstone was elected to the state board in the Fifth District in 1962. He defeated the [[Republican Party |Republican]] George Snellings, of Monroe, 17,988 (55.6 percent) to 14,352 (44.4 percent). Whetstone lost two parishes in the district, his own Ouachita and Tensas Parish, where Snellings polled 51.5 and 58.2 percent, respectively. Snellings' showing was the best tabulation for a Republican candidate in Louisiana in 1962.<ref>Billy Hathorn, ''The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980'', ([[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]]: [[Northwestern State University]], 1980), p. 118.</ref> Snellings would later become the father-in-law of Democratic former [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]].

Whetstone was elected to the state board in the Fifth District in 1962. He defeated the [[Republican Party |Republican]] George Snellings, of Monroe, 17,988 (55.6 percent) to 14,352 (44.4 percent). Whetstone lost two parishes in the district, his own Ouachita and Tensas Parish, where Snellings polled 51.5 and 58.2 percent, respectively. Snellings' showing was the best tabulation for a Republican candidate in Louisiana in 1962.<ref>Billy Hathorn, ''The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980'', ([[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]]: [[Northwestern State University]], 1980), p. 118.</ref> Snellings would later become the father-in-law of Democratic former [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]].

In 1970, Whetstone in his primary election turned back his fellow Democrat Orville Earnest Elkin (1924-1982) of Winnsboro, an educator and coach, whose widow, Faye Tarver Elkin (1926-2007), was from 1984 to 2000the clerk of court for Franklin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17770918|title=Faye Tarver Elkin|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=December 23, 2016}}</ref><ref name=tg>W. E. Whetstone advertisement,''Tensas Gazette'', St. Joseph, Louisiana, July 30, 1970, p. 4.</ref> Whetstone then defeated the Republican Neil R. McDonald, 26,463 votes (72 percent) to 10,307 (28 percent). In his brief campaign, McDonald spoke of "bridging the gap between politicians and parents" and declared his opposition to policies of the former United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, which he called "false social doctrines". He urged the state to shun participation in federal programs with "price tags" not readily observed.<ref>"Neil McDonald Announces for Education Post", ''Tensas Gazette'', October 8, 1970, p. 1.</ref> McDonald's strongest support came in Ouachita Parish, where he finished with 35.3 percent of the ballots. In most ofthe precincts in northeast Louisiana, the Whetstone-McDonald race was the only contest on the ballot in the [[general election]] that year, as U.S. Representative Otto Ernest Passman (1900-1988) ran without opposition.<ref>Hathorn,''The Republican Party in Louisiana'', p. 185.</ref>  

In 1970, Whetstone in his primary election turned back his fellow Democrat Orville Earnest Elkin (1924-1982) of Winnsboro, an educator and coach, whose widow, Faye Tarver Elkin (1926-2007), was from 1984 to 2000 the clerk of court for Franklin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17770918|title=Faye Tarver Elkin|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=December 23, 2016}}</ref><ref name=tg>W. E. Whetstone advertisement,''Tensas Gazette'', St. Joseph, Louisiana, July 30, 1970, p. 4.</ref> Whetstone then defeated the Republican Neil R. McDonald, 26,463 votes (72 percent) to 10,307 (28 percent). In his brief campaign, McDonald spoke of "bridging the gap between politicians and parents" and declared his opposition to policies of the former United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, which he called "false social doctrines". He urged the state to shun participation in federal programs with "price tags" not readily observed.<ref>"Neil McDonald Announces for Education Post", ''Tensas Gazette'', October 8, 1970, p. 1.</ref> McDonald's strongest support came in Ouachita Parish, where he finished with 35.3 percent of the ballots. In most ofthe precincts in northeast Louisiana, the Whetstone-McDonald race was the only contest on the ballot in the [[general election]] that year, as U.S. Representative Otto Ernest Passman (1900-1988) ran without opposition.<ref>Hathorn,''The Republican Party in Louisiana'', p. 185.</ref>  

Whetstone also held other positions impacting education. He was a 16-year member of the trustees for State Colleges and Universities. He was president of the Scholarship Foundation for the University of Louisiana at Monroe (then Northeast Louisiana University). He served two appointed terms on the Louisiana Educational Television Authority and two elected terms on the Monroe City School Board.<ref name=bio/><ref name=tg/>His activities were endless: baseball umpire and coach, president of the Monroe [[Chamber of Commerce]], the Chamber's "Man of the Year" in 1978, member of the West Monroe Chamber of Commerce, director of the [[YMCA]] and the American Red Cross,chairman of [[United Way of America]], Rotary International, [[American Farm Bureau Federation]], Ouachita Valley River Association, and the Louisiana Forestry Association. He was cited for "Outstanding Citizen Recognition" by the ''Louisiana Municipal Review''. In 1986, Northeast Louisiana University granted him an honorary LL.D.<ref name=bio/>

Whetstone also held other positions impacting education. He was a 16-year member of the trustees for State Colleges and Universities. He was president of the Scholarship Foundation for the University of Louisiana at Monroe (then Northeast Louisiana University). He served two appointed terms on the Louisiana Educational Television Authority and two elected terms on the Monroe City School Board.<ref name=bio/><ref name=tg/>His activities were endless: baseball umpire and coach, president of the Monroe [[Chamber of Commerce]], the Chamber's "Man of the Year" in 1978, member of the West Monroe Chamber of Commerce, director of the [[YMCA]] and the American Red Cross,chairman of [[United Way of America]], Rotary International, [[American Farm Bureau Federation]], Ouachita Valley River Association, and the Louisiana Forestry Association. He was cited for "Outstanding Citizen Recognition" by the ''Louisiana Municipal Review''. In 1986, Northeast Louisiana University granted him an honorary LL.D.<ref name=bio/>