Morris Abrams
Morris Newton Abrams (November 30, 1919 â December 11, 1975) was a Louisiana educator who specialized in the field of vocational education.
| Morris Newton Abrams
(American educator) | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 30, 1919 Winnfield, Louisiana, USA |
| Died | December 11, 1975 (aged 56) Clinton, East Feliciana Parish Resting place: |
| Spouse | Minnie Louise DeLee Abrams (married, 1941-1975, his death) Children: |
| Military Service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army Third Armored Division |
| Rank | Master sergeant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Background
Abrams was born in Winnfield, north of Alexandria, Louisiana, a son of William Charles Abrams (1889â1945) and the former Cora Bell Sowers (1892â1963). He was educated in the public schools in rural Sikes in Winn Parish. He thereafter received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.[1]
On February 1, 1941, Abrams married the former Minnie Louise DeLee (1919â2001)[2] of Clinton in East Feliciana Parish near Baton Rouge. Their children are Carolyn Sue Reece (born 1942), Marcia Diane Cox (born 1951), Doris Celeste Hay (born 1952), and Candice Louise Thibodeaux (born 1957).[1]
Career
Abrams' first teaching assignment was at Friendship High School in the Friendship community in Bienville Parish. He soon moved to Winnfield High School, since Winnfield Senior High School, at which he was a faculty member from 1940 to 1944. He left teaching temporarily to serve in the 3rd Armored Division of the United States Army in World War II.[1] He reached the rank of master sergeant.[2] The division had been activated in 1941 at Camp Beauregard near Pineville in Rapides Parish.
From 1950-1955, he was an associate professor of agricultural education at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. In 1955, Abrams returned to Winnfield to serve a year as the Winn Parish school superintendent. Then, from 1956 to 1960, he was professor of vocational agricultural education at his alma mater, LSU. He was from 1960 to 1962 the director of the LSU School of Vocational Education.[1]
In 1962, Abrams relocated to Alexandria to become the dean of the then two-year Louisiana State University at Alexandria.[3] his final position, which ended with his death. Much later, LSU-A in 2002 became a four-year institution. Abrams received various awards in his field of educational specialization. He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, Alpha Zeta, and Alpha Tau Alpha.[1]
Death and legacy
Abrams died at the age of fifty-six in Clinton and is interred beside his wife at Clear Creek Methodist Church Cemetery in Felixville in East Feliciana Parish.[2][4]
Morris Abrams Hall at LSU-A is named in his honor. There is also a Morris N. Abrams Scholarship available to full-time students who are dependents of LSU-A faculty or staff.[5]
References
- â 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Abrams, Morris Newton. Louisiana Historical Association, A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography (lahistory.org). Retrieved on April 6, 2020. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "lahist" defined multiple times with different content - â 2.0 2.1 2.2 Clear Creek Methodist Church Cemetery burials. findagrave.com. Retrieved on April 6, 2020.
- â Alexandria Town Talk, December 18, 1961.
- â Alexandria Daily Town Talk, December 11, 1975.
- â Scholarships: Endowed. sfa.lsua.edu. Retrieved on December 27, 2010; material no longer accessible on-line.