March 1, 2002
For Immediate Release
To: News Directors and News Editors
From: Veronika Brown, Coordinator of Media Relations, 342-5444

The University of Louisiana System Board has approved the establishment of 4 new Endowed Chairs and Professorships at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

The names of the 4 are: The Francis Davis Hammond Endowed Professorship in Education, the Linda Noe Laine Professorship in Agriculture, L.M. McKnely Professorship in English Literature, and the L.M. McKneely Professorship in Humanities.

"ULM continues to benefit from the generosity of donors such as these. The funding generated through this endowment program can provide ULM a competitive advantage in retaining and attracting superior faculty," said Dr. Richard Baxter, Vice President of University Advancement and External Affairs at ULM.

Dr. McKneely was one of the longest-term faculty members in the English Department at ULM. Dr. McKneely got his Ph.D. from Emery College in Atlanta. While at ULM he taught courses in American Literature and linguistics.

"He was considered a senior professor at ULM for a number of years. He was a fine gentleman, very courtly, very caring for his students, and as a matter of fact he liked to cook a lot and liked to take cookies to his classes. He lived at Mrs. Monk's house, right by the alumni center; he had an apartment there and took care of the house for her, did cooking, and took care of her. He traveled a lot and was widely read," says Dr. Jim Potts, retired ULM Professor of English.

Francis Hammond was the wife of former Dean Hammond at ULM. She is a fifty plus year member of Alpha Omicron Pi. Mrs. Hammond She graduated from Randolph Macon College in Virginia. taught in local elementary schools.

"She was a very gracious and charming lady, very lady like," says Dr. Jim Potts.

"She was very dignified, quiet, but very intellectual and interested in everything that was good for the community. She was active in her church and book clubs. She was born in Monroe and lived here most of her life; loved the city and the people. She has taught many a child in this town and has wonderful friends because of it, and the children loved her for it, the parents held her in high regards, and she was wonderful." said Mrs. Frances Guthrie, member of Alpha Omicron Pi.

Linda Noe Laine is the daughter of former LA Governor James A. Noe, Senior. She is a noted philanthropist whose gifts have included the Louisiana Windows in Westminster Abbey and support of numerous projects in Northeast Louisiana and University Louisiana at Monroe.