Originally published in The News-Star newspaper, July 2, 2006

In the summer of 1934, with thanks to the exciting efforts of state Sen. James A. Noe and work by Ouachita Parish Junior College President C.C. Colvert, OPJC became the Northeast Center of Louisiana State University.

Colvert was excited about the change, but did not like the name, saying openly that a “center” was more appropriate for a medical school or some such. He successfully lobbied for a name change, and in 1939 we became the Northeast Junior College of Louisiana State University - NJC - a name we would retain until 1950. By the way, that meant from 1931 to 1939 we had three different names. In reading the PowWow and Monroe Morning World of that time, none of the name changes seemed controversial - perhaps the value of a college education overshadowed any negative feelings anyone might have had.

Besides a new name, one of the other changes that arrived in 1934 was a new football coach, James L. “Jim” Malone. As you recall, Paul Kemerer was the first coach and had guided us through two seasons. We are not sure if Coach Malone was part of the “deal” with LSU or if Coach Kemerer wanted to make his mark in the classroom - our history here is mostly silent on that. If he were part of the “deal,’’ the arrival of Malone was one of the best bargains our college ever got. Over the next 20 years, he would lead us to a national championship, field outstanding teams and coach junior college players who would be All-Americans and go on to play professionally - and that was just in football.

In 1935, he also coached track and boxing … and in 1939 added basketball to his coaching duties. A singular significant event of those early years was his marriage to Marjorie Foster of Pollock. She holds the distinction of being elected a homecoming queen in 1935 without even being a student. She, and her daughter as well, can be seen sprinkled throughout the pages of the Chacahoula over those years.

Bob Anderson’s definitive work, “Indian Territory: The Story of ULM Athletics’’ describes Malone. He was an orphan, from Reform, Ala., and was reared by his grandparents. He played high school football and was offered a scholarship by the University of Alabama.

However, he ended up at LSU playing center. Anderson notes that he might have been “spirited away” from Alabama by none other than Huey Long.

From the time Malone came to our campus at the age of 26 until he retired, he was known to be a coach of individuals, bringing out the best in each player. Just imagine, if all the student-athletes, Malone’s boys, were assembled in Brown Auditorium, what stories could be heard. Coach Malone obviously had a recipe for coaching.

Possibly, however, he had another recipe. One of the former NJC students remembered that Malone “made the best barbeque in the country.” Now that would be a recipe to have.

Have a great day at ULM.

Dr. John Knesel, ULM Professor