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→Legislative highlights
Early in 1955, a dispute broke out at the 1,150-patient Louisiana Colony and Training School at nearby Kingsville north of Pineville. [[Willie Kees]], a Pineville businessman had resigned as mayor in 1952 to head the school. When Kees was named superintendent in December 1954, a dispute broke out with William P. Hurder, the clinical director who was both a [[psychologist]] and a [[physician]]. The two had previously shared authority. Kees' promotion touched off charges of "politics" in his selection. Blair defended the Kees selection, but because of the controversy, Kees resigned from the school to return to the private sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm/ref/collection/LSUHSC_NCC/id/2319|title=Hurder takes post as colony superintendent|publisher=louisdl.louislibraries.org|date=January 19, 1955|accessdate=July 24, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/24584268/|title=State Colony Resignation Brings Rift|date=January 19, 1955|publisher=''Lake Charles American-Press''|page=2|accessdate=July 24, 2015}}</ref> Kees Park in Pineville is named for the late mayor.
Early in 1955, a dispute broke out at the 1,150-patient Louisiana Colony and Training School at nearby Kingsville north of Pineville. [[Willie Kees]], a Pineville businessman had resigned as mayor in 1952 to head the school. When Kees was named superintendent in December 1954, a dispute broke out with William P. Hurder, the clinical director who was both a [[psychologist]] and a [[physician]]. The two had previously shared authority. Kees' promotion touched off charges of "politics" in his selection. Blair defended the Kees selection, but because of the controversy, Kees resigned from the school to return to the private sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm/ref/collection/LSUHSC_NCC/id/2319|title=Hurder takes post as colony superintendent|publisher=louisdl.louislibraries.org|date=January 19, 1955|accessdate=July 24, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/24584268/|title=State Colony Resignation Brings Rift|date=January 19, 1955|publisher=''Lake Charles American-Press''|page=2|accessdate=July 24, 2015}}</ref> Kees Park in Pineville is named for the late mayor.
Blair worked for the establishment of the original two-year LSUA, located near his Lecompte farm in south Rapides Parish. Years later, the school was given four-year status, a breakthrough which came only a few weeks before Blair's death.
Blair worked for the establishment of the original two-year LSUA, located near his Lecompte farm in south Rapides Parish. Years later, the school was given four-year status, a breakthrough which came only a few weeks before Blair's death.
Blair was known for his constituent services and his efforts to improve old Louisiana Highway 1 between [[Shreveport]] and Baton Rouge. He also supported highway beautification and personally planted flowers along U.S. Highway 71 near his farm. He opposed having the office of state superintendent of education be made appointive because he preferred the judgment of more than a million voters, rather than a small group, now the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which decides who holds the top post in education.
Blair was known for his constituent services and his efforts to improve old Louisiana Highway 1 between [[Shreveport]] and Baton Rouge. He also supported highway beautification and personally planted flowers along U.S. Highway 71 near his farm. He opposed having the office of state superintendent of education be made appointive because he preferred the judgment of more than a million voters, rather than a small group, now the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which decides who holds the top post in education.
In his last Senate term, Blair was also elected on a nonpartisan ballot as a delegate to the 1973 Louisiana Constitutional Convention, which drafted the state's current framework of government, as approved by voters in the spring of 1974.
In his last Senate term, Blair was also elected on a nonpartisan ballot as a delegate to the 1973 Louisiana Constitutional Convention, which drafted the state's current framework of government, as approved by voters in the spring of 1974.
==The election of 1971==
==The election of 1971==
In the 1971 closed [[primary]], the last held for Louisiana legislative races, Blair was forced into a second primary by [[Floyd Smith]], a Pineville City Councilman and former mayor. The third-placed candidate, [[Arnold Jack Rosenthal]], elected in 1973 as the last of Alexandria's finance and utilities commissioners, backed Smith in the runoff election, but Blair, defeated Smith by some two thousand votes. It was something of a Long v. anti-Long battle in that Smith was a native of Winnfield and his mother was a Long. There was no [[Republican Party|Republican]] opposition in the [[general election]] held on February 1, 1972; so Blair secured his fourth and final term in the new single-member Senate District 29.
In the 1971 closed [[primary]], the last held for Louisiana legislative races, Blair was forced into a second primary by [[Floyd Smith]], a Pineville City Councilman and former mayor. The third-placed candidate, [[Arnold Jack Rosenthal]], elected in 1973 as the last of Alexandria's finance and utilities commissioners, backed Smith in the runoff election, but Blair, defeated Smith by some two thousand votes. It was something of a Long v. anti-Long battle in that Smith was a native of Winnfield and his mother was a Long. There was no [[Republican Party|Republican]] opposition in the [[general election]] held on February 1, 1972; so Blair secured his fourth and final term in the new single-member Senate District 29.