Pearl River High School (Louisiana)

Pearl River High School is a high school in Pearl River, Louisiana, United States, operated by the St. Tammany Parish School Board.HistoryBeginningsMilton Craddock's first campaign for the St. Tammany Parish School Board, Ward 8, included his dream for a high school in this area. Students from as far away as Talisheek were dropping out of school because it was a hardship in time and resources to attend Slidell High. Craddock was elected, and within his first six-year term a one wing Pearl River High School was erected on Taylor Drive. The street was so named because in April 1966, Mr. Albert Taylor (1908 - 1982) and his wife, Mildred (1909 - 1989) sold 30.06acre of land to the School Board for $60,120.00 as a site for the new school. Craddock was helped by Sixth Ward Board Member "Siggy" Halverson, and in 1968 the school was completed. The school began with tenth grade, and added a grade each year until the first class graduated in 1971. There were about 42 graduates. Sherry Fischer, now a retired 5th grade teacher at Riverside Elementary, was the first valedictorian. She retired after 33 years of teaching.In addition to building a high school Craddock wanted more music in the schools. He was successful in getting band funded in the parish junior high schools, and the program grew to include elementary and high school bands. Another contribution he made was getting the School Board sponsored bus transportation to Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. Many students were able to continue their education after high school because of this service. A few who rode the bus were Karen Walsh, who eventually taught special education at Pearl River High, Angel Mayfield, who teaches at Riverside, and John Rosche, who is an executive with Martin Marietta.Taylor's and Craddock's legacies continue on at Pearl River High. Taylor's great granddaughter, Mindy Todd, and Craddock's granddaughter, Laura Rosche, both graduated in 1997.