Originally published in The News-Star newspaper, March 12, 2006

Faithful Molly ... a single snapshot in the 1939 Chacahoula of an African-American worker on the campus. Little does that photograph tell us about the role that Molly Lewis played as one of the "giants" in the history of our university.

Lewis was married to Jacob Lewis and lived on Wood Street in Monroe. He was a teacher in the Ouachita Parish School system but had suffered a stroke, and so Molly sought a good, reliable job, finding one at Ouachita Parish Junior College. Molly Lewis was hired by the Ouachita Parish School Board in the fall of 1931 as a "janitress" at the rate of $10 per week. Her work in what is now T.O. Brown Hall would extend from that singular fall well into the years of Northeast Louisiana State College. We know some of her story from the April 13, 1951, PowWow. In that issue, a tribute was given to Dorothy Younse, who in the college's 20th year was the only one of the original faculty members remaining. A few pages later a column titled "Molly's Been Here Twenty Years, Too" explained that "the maid in Brown Hall ties with Mrs. Younse for the longest record of service.''

This article by Francis Whittelsey described Molly Lewis as "vivacious and warm-hearted" and describes her 20-year (then) tenure with the college as being entirely in Brown Hall, and that "her heart will always belong there.'' The article goes on to say that through Molly Lewis' efforts, all of her four children attended college. Her two daughters became teachers, and her two sons were employed by the U.S. Postal Service. Her memory in 1951 extended back to those first days when the main entrance was a few "rickety boards" and everything was in one building except for the football stadium. She appeared to be then truly a living historian of our campus.

Recently I spoke with her granddaughter, Willie Marie Williams, who now lives in Memphis, Tenn. She remembered that her grandmother neither smoked nor drank, not even coffee or tea, and urged all of them to follow her example. She enjoyed and was proud to work at the college and particularly enjoyed chatting with the students. She was especially fond of President Lewis Slater. Also, she became very close friends with Kathryn Wolfe, who taught biology and chemistry. When Wolfe left the college in 1941, Molly Lewis continued to correspond with her and had the opportunity to visit her in Colorado.

So as you look at T.O. Brown Hall, think about Molly Lewis, dusting and mopping ... talking to literally generations of students and faculty and watching as C.C. Colvert, Stephen Caldwell, William Cline, Slater and George T. Walker led the college. Today we can only view Lewis through a snapshot and a PowWow article but think about the generations of students who actually talked with her. We invite you to join us in celebrating her life and amazing contribution to our university.

Have a great day at ULM.

Dr. John Knesel, ULM Professor

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