Changes

Ultimately, financial considerations compelled the consolidation of Newellton and Davidson schools into the rearranged Tensas High School at the Davidson campus in St. Joseph. It is located across the highway from the St. Joseph Baptist Church and near the central office of the school board. Violence broke out at the consolidated school on November 2, 2006, and fourteen male students were arrested by the office of Sheriff Rickey Jones.<ref>''The Monroe News Star,'' November 3, 2006: [http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS01/611030317]</ref>

Ultimately, financial considerations compelled the consolidation of Newellton and Davidson schools into the rearranged Tensas High School at the Davidson campus in St. Joseph. It is located across the highway from the St. Joseph Baptist Church and near the central office of the school board. Violence broke out at the consolidated school on November 2, 2006, and fourteen male students were arrested by the office of Sheriff Rickey Jones.<ref>''The Monroe News Star,'' November 3, 2006: [http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/NEWS01/611030317]</ref>

Newellton High School had a relatively new facility and the board was reluctant to abandon a structure still in good condition, even though enrollment numbers were too low. The athletic teams known as "The Bears" drew enthusiastic support from the community for many years. The football teams usually played rivals at Davidson High School or other schools in Tallulah, Mangham, or Delhi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/_oOSShw0DUill3TBSJeHtA/newellton-bears/football-fall-05/home.htm|title=Newellton Bears Football|publisher=maxpreps.com|accessdate=December 31, 2010}}</ref> For years, Edgar Allan "Jack" Poe (1916-1994) of Newellton wrote the "Our Bears" column in the parish weekly newspaper, ''The Tensas Gazette.''

Newellton High School had a relatively new facility and the board was reluctant to abandon a structure still in good condition, even though enrollment numbers were too low. The athletic teams known as "The Bears" drew enthusiastic support from the community for many years. The football teams usually played rivals at Davidson High School or other schools in Tallulah in Madison Parish and Mangham, or Delhi in Richland Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/_oOSShw0DUill3TBSJeHtA/newellton-bears/football-fall-05/home.htm|title=Newellton Bears Football|publisher=maxpreps.com|accessdate=December 31, 2010; information no longer accessible on-line}}</ref> For years, Edgar Allan "Jack" Poe (1916-1994) of Newellton wrote the "Our Bears" column in the parish weekly newspaper, ''The Tensas Gazette.''

Citing low enrollments, the school board had already closed Waterproof High School, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/la/Tensas/state.html|title=National Register of Historic Places: Louisiana, Tensas Parish|publisher=nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com|accessdate=January 10, 2011}}</ref> and Lisbon Elementary School, both in the economically depressed town of Waterproof in the southern part of Tensas Parish.

Citing low enrollments, the school board had already closed Waterproof High School, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/la/Tensas/state.html|title=National Register of Historic Places: Louisiana, Tensas Parish|publisher=nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com|accessdate=January 10, 2011}}</ref> and Lisbon Elementary School, both in the economically depressed town of Waterproof in the southern part of Tensas Parish.