Changes

==Political life==

==Political life==

From 1932 to 1934, Caldwell served on the Caddo Parish Commission, then known as the police jury, the parish governing body akin to [[county commission]]s in other states.<ref name=polgr/> He was elected to four-year terms as mayor in 1934, 1938, and 1942. In this capacity, he worked to merge the municipal and parish boards of health into one entity and oversaw the stocking of Cross Lake, the city's water supply.<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-c/|title=Caldwell, Samuel S.|publisher=[ouisiana Historical Association: ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' (lahistory.com)|accessdate=January 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>Lilla McLure and J. Ed Howe, ''History of Shreveport and Shreveport Builders'' (1937).</ref>​

From 1932 to 1934, Caldwell served on the Caddo Parish Commission, then known as the police jury, the parish governing body akin to county commissions in other states.<ref name=polgr/> He was elected to four-year terms as mayor in 1934, 1938, and 1942. In this capacity, he worked to merge the municipal and parish boards of health into one entity and oversaw the stocking of Cross Lake, the city's water supply.<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-c/|title=Caldwell, Samuel S.|publisher=[ouisiana Historical Association: ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' (lahistory.com)|accessdate=January 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>Lilla McLure and J. Ed Howe, ''History of Shreveport and Shreveport Builders'' (1937).</ref>​

 

In the Caldwell administration, the city obtained the former United Service Organization]center in Princess Park, which later housed the Shreveport Regional Arts Council until it was destroyed by [[arson]]. Caldwell set the eight-hour day for city fire and police personnel and lobbied for frequent pay increases for these employees. He worked to obtain $2 million in funding for the city's first low-income housing and established public dental, prenatal, and maternity clinics without increasing taxes to do so. Caldwell was responsible for the municipal acquisition of Querbes Park and established Ford Park, named for former mayor and commissioner [[John McWilliams Ford]].<ref name=caldwelladm/>​

In the Caldwell administration, the city obtained the former United Service Organization]center in Princess Park, which later housed the Shreveport Regional Arts Council until it was destroyed by [[arson]]. Caldwell set the eight-hour day for city fire and police personnel and lobbied for frequent pay increases for these employees. He worked to obtain $2 million in funding for the city's first low-income housing and established public dental, prenatal, and maternity clinics without increasing taxes to do so. Caldwell was responsible for the municipal acquisition of Querbes Park and established Ford Park, named for former mayor and commissioner [[John McWilliams Ford]].<ref name=caldwelladm/>​

 

When he declined to seek a fourth term in office, Caldwell said that he had "tried sincerely to be a good mayor. I will be just as interested and solicitous of the welfare of the city ... as a private citizen as I have been as mayor."<ref name=caldwelladm/>​

When he declined to seek a fourth term in office, Caldwell said that he had "tried sincerely to be a good mayor. I will be just as interested and solicitous of the welfare of the city ... as a private citizen as I have been as mayor."<ref name=caldwelladm/>​

 

===Gubernatorial race===​

===Gubernatorial race===

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In 1944, Caldwell campaigned unsuccessfully for [[governor]] against former Shreveport Public Safety Commissioner (a position since abolished) [[Jimmie Davis]]. Caldwell's choice for lieutenant governor  was state Senator  [[Frank B. Ellis]] of St. Tammany Parish,<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 14, 1944, p. 5.</ref> who a decade later waged an unsuccessful challenge to [[U.S. Senator]] [[Allen J. Ellender]]. Caldwell received just under thirty thousand votes in the gubernatorial primary. [[Leander Perez]], boss of the Louisiana Delta from Plaquemines Parish, endorsed for governor "either" Caldwell or Lewis Lovering Morgan (1876-1950) of Covington in St. Tammany Parish. At the time, Perez had a personal dislike for Davis and outgoing Governor [[Sam H. Jones]] of [[Lake Charles]], who covertly favored Davis. Morgan was the gubernatorial running mate of former Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], who was seeking the office of lieutenant governor that year. Others who sought the governorship in 1944 were colorful state Senator [[Dudley J. LeBlanc]] of Abbeville in Vermillion Parish and [[U.S. Representative]] [[James H. Morrison]] of Louisiana's 6th congressional district, a resident of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, names widely known across the state at that time. Davis led the balloting and then defeated Morgan in the runoff election.<ref name=perez>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=FZgEl830BEcC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=sam+caldwell+and+jimmie+davis&source=bl&ots=OTz6kp2Jd1&sig=YBH6Ix9C_ZHCsCB8iU0rm9HkO2o&hl=en&ei=_y0QTYS3JMOB8gaZi735DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=sam%20caldwell%20and%20jimmie%20davis&f=false|author=Glen Jeansonne|title=Leander Perez: Boss of the Delta|publisher=[[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]:[[Louisiana State University Press]], 1975; [[Lafayette]]:University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, 1997|ISBN=1-57806-917-3|accessdate=December 20, 2010}}</ref>​

In 1944, Caldwell campaigned unsuccessfully for [[governor]] against former Shreveport Public Safety Commissioner (a position since abolished) [[Jimmie Davis]]. Caldwell's choice for lieutenant governor  was state Senator  [[Frank B. Ellis]] of St. Tammany Parish,<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 14, 1944, p. 5.</ref> who a decade later waged an unsuccessful challenge to [[U.S. Senator]] [[Allen J. Ellender]]. Caldwell received just under thirty thousand votes in the gubernatorial primary. [[Leander Perez]], boss of the Louisiana Delta from Plaquemines Parish, endorsed for governor "either" Caldwell or Lewis Lovering Morgan (1876-1950) of Covington in St. Tammany Parish. At the time, Perez had a personal dislike for Davis and outgoing Governor [[Sam H. Jones]] of [[Lake Charles]], who covertly favored Davis. Morgan was the gubernatorial running mate of former Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], who was seeking the office of lieutenant governor that year. Others who sought the governorship in 1944 were colorful state Senator [[Dudley J. LeBlanc]] of Abbeville in Vermillion Parish and [[U.S. Representative]] [[James H. Morrison]] of Louisiana's 6th congressional district, a resident of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, names widely known across the state at that time. Davis led the balloting and then defeated Morgan in the runoff election.<ref name=perez>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=FZgEl830BEcC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=sam+caldwell+and+jimmie+davis&source=bl&ots=OTz6kp2Jd1&sig=YBH6Ix9C_ZHCsCB8iU0rm9HkO2o&hl=en&ei=_y0QTYS3JMOB8gaZi735DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=sam%20caldwell%20and%20jimmie%20davis&f=false|author=Glen Jeansonne|title=Leander Perez: Boss of the Delta|publisher=[[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]:[[Louisiana State University Press]], 1975; [[Lafayette]]:University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, 1997|ISBN=1-57806-917-3|accessdate=December 20, 2010}}</ref>​