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A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Whetstone was chosen by his colleagues as vice president and, then, president of the 11-member State Board of Education, which had one member for each of the eight congressional districts (now six) and three Louisiana Public Service Commission districts (now five). His colleagues included the later state Education Superintendent [[Louis J. Michot]] of  [[Lafayette]]. During part of Whetstone's tenure on the board, [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], a former lieutenant governor from Sabine Parish and later [[Baton Rouge]], was the state superintendent until Michot unseated Dodd in the 1971 [[primary]]. Other board of education members who served during Whetstone's tenure included [[Enoch T. Nix]] of [[Bossier City]], J. Marshall Brown of New Orleans, Harvey Peltier, Sr., of Thibodaux, Robert H. "Bob" Curry of Shreveport (son of a 19th-century state representative, Robert Houston Curry), and Fred L. Tannehill, a [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] businessman.<ref>''The Lagniappe'', [[Louisiana Tech University]] yearbook, 1970, p. 33</ref>

A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Whetstone was chosen by his colleagues as vice president and, then, president of the 11-member State Board of Education, which had one member for each of the eight congressional districts (now six) and three Louisiana Public Service Commission districts (now five). His colleagues included the later state Education Superintendent [[Louis J. Michot]] of  [[Lafayette]]. During part of Whetstone's tenure on the board, [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], a former lieutenant governor from Sabine Parish and later [[Baton Rouge]], was the state superintendent until Michot unseated Dodd in the 1971 [[primary]]. Other board of education members who served during Whetstone's tenure included [[Enoch T. Nix]] of [[Bossier City]], J. Marshall Brown of New Orleans, Harvey Peltier, Sr., of Thibodaux, Robert H. "Bob" Curry of Shreveport (son of a 19th-century state representative, Robert Houston Curry), and Fred L. Tannehill, a [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] businessman.<ref>''The Lagniappe'', [[Louisiana Tech University]] yearbook, 1970, p. 33</ref>

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 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 of the 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 Passman]] 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 of the 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 Passman]] 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/>

Whetstone was a [[Methodism|United Methodist]] and active in the Northeast University [[John Wesley|Wesley]] Foundation. After retirement, he farmed in Morehouse Parish near Monroe.<ref name=bio/> Other prominent Morehouse Parish planters include the Barhams, brothers Edwards Barham (1937-2014) and Robert J. Barham, who also served in the Louisiana State Senate. The Whetstones' son and only child, Eddie Craig Whetstone (July 22, 1932 &ndash; April 12, 2014), served in the [[Korean War]] from 1951 to 1953, played minor league baseball, and graduated in 1965 from Northeast Louisiana University. He retired as district engineer after thirty-two years with Bell South. He and his wife, Helen, resided in West Monroe and had five children. A [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]], he is interred at the Oak Ridge Baptist Cemetery<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Whetstone&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=127915462&df=all&|title=Eddie Craig Whetstone|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=July 27, 2015}}</ref> in Oak Ridge, along with his parents.<ref name=bio/>

Whetstone was a [[Methodism|United Methodist]] and active in the Northeast University [[John Wesley|Wesley]] Foundation. After retirement, he farmed in Morehouse Parish near Monroe.<ref name=bio/> Other prominent Morehouse Parish planters include the Barhams, brothers [[Edwards Barha]] and Robert J. Barham, who also served in the Louisiana State Senate. The Whetstones' son and only child, Eddie Craig Whetstone (July 22, 1932 &ndash; April 12, 2014), served in the [[Korean War]] from 1951 to 1953, played minor league baseball, and graduated in 1965 from Northeast Louisiana University. He retired as district engineer after thirty-two years with Bell South. He and his wife, Helen, resided in West Monroe and had five children. A [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]], he is interred at the Oak Ridge Baptist Cemetery<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Whetstone&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=127915462&df=all&|title=Eddie Craig Whetstone|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=July 27, 2015}}</ref> in Oak Ridge, along with his parents.<ref name=bio/>

==References==

==References==