Changes

As the new Tensas superintendent, Thompson gained a statewide reputation in educational circles and was in demand to address professional gatherings. In October 1970, he was the keynote speaker at the Louisiana School Administrators Conference in Baton Rouge, at which he lectured on "Educational Performance Contracting," an examination of a pilot summer reading program for disadvantaged pupils used that year in Tensas Parish. In 1974, Thompson was elected president of the Superintendents' Association for the then fifteen parishes of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, anchored at [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. In 1975, he became president of the then 66-member Louisiana Association of Schools.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 36-37.</ref>

As the new Tensas superintendent, Thompson gained a statewide reputation in educational circles and was in demand to address professional gatherings. In October 1970, he was the keynote speaker at the Louisiana School Administrators Conference in Baton Rouge, at which he lectured on "Educational Performance Contracting," an examination of a pilot summer reading program for disadvantaged pupils used that year in Tensas Parish. In 1974, Thompson was elected president of the Superintendents' Association for the then fifteen parishes of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, anchored at [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. In 1975, he became president of the then 66-member Louisiana Association of Schools.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 36-37.</ref>

Under Thompson, the school board budgets did not exceed $2.15 million. By 1997-1998, long after Thompson's tenure in the parish,  the budget topped $9.5 million, with $6,704 spent per pupil. Ninety-four percent of the pupils qualified for free or reduced lunches of the National School Lunch Act of 1946. In the fall of 1974, Tensas Parish enrolled 2,335 students in public education. Of these, 546 were at the former Newellton High School, which was 62 percent [[African American]]. Waterproof High School had 366 pupils, of whom 90 percent were black. And Joseph Moore Davidson High school in the parish seat of St. Joseph, since renamed Tensas High School, had 342 students, of whom 93 percent were black. The 1974 enrollment represented a decline of 358 pupils, or 13 percent, from the preceding year. From 1970 to 1980, the Tensas Parish population dropped 12.4 percent from 9,732 to 8,525.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 37-38.</ref>   

Under Thompson, the school board budgets did not exceed $2.15 million. By 1997-1998, long after Thompson's tenure in the parish,  the budget topped $9.5 million, with $6,704 spent per pupil. Ninety-four percent of the pupils qualified for free or reduced lunches of the National School Lunch Act of 1946. In the fall of 1974, Tensas Parish enrolled 2,335 students in public education. Of these, 546 were at the former [[Newellton High School]], which was 62 percent [[African American]]. Waterproof High School had 366 pupils, of whom 90 percent were black. And Joseph Moore Davidson High school in the parish seat of St. Joseph, since renamed Tensas High School, had 342 students, of whom 93 percent were black. The 1974 enrollment represented a decline of 358 pupils, or 13 percent, from the preceding year. From 1970 to 1980, the Tensas Parish population dropped 12.4 percent from 9,732 to 8,525.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 37-38.</ref>   

Public school enrollments declined in part because of the still functioning Tensas Academy, a private school in St. Joseph which opened in 1970 at the advent of desegregation. Located on land donated by the Panola Company of Fred Maher Miller (1915-1996). The company originated in the 20th century by [[William Mackenzie Davidson]], the founding mayor of St. Joseph and the father of the young man for whom the former Davidson High School was named. Fred Miller, who lived at Avondale Plantation in St. Joseph, was also the long-term president of the Tensas Parish School Board during the time of Thompson's service as superintendent. Tensas Academy had rapid success. Its [[football]] team, the Chiefs, won the state Class A championship in 1971 by defeating the Claiborne Parish Rebels from another academy north of Homer, Louisiana. Tensas Academy had 359 white students in the 1971-1972 academic year. In 2016, the academy website reported an approximate enrollment of two hundred. Only whites have applied to attend the academy, but non-whites would not be excluded where they to seek admission.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p.  39-40.</ref>

Public school enrollments declined in part because of the still functioning Tensas Academy, a private school in St. Joseph which opened in 1970 at the advent of desegregation. Located on land donated by the Panola Company of Fred Maher Miller (1915-1996). The company originated in the 20th century by [[William Mackenzie Davidson]], the founding mayor of St. Joseph and the father of the young man for whom the former Davidson High School was named. Fred Miller, who lived at Avondale Plantation in St. Joseph, was also the long-term president of the Tensas Parish School Board during the time of Thompson's service as superintendent. Tensas Academy had rapid success. Its [[football]] team, the Chiefs, won the state Class A championship in 1971 by defeating the Claiborne Parish Rebels from another academy north of Homer, Louisiana. Tensas Academy had 359 white students in the 1971-1972 academic year. In 2016, the academy website reported an approximate enrollment of two hundred. Only whites have applied to attend the academy, but non-whites would not be excluded where they to seek admission.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p.  39-40.</ref>