WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |New Roads remembers longtime principal
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By Tyana Williams - bio | email
NEW ROADS, LA (WAFB) - A man known as one of the best educators around New Roads will be laid to rest on Thursday. For 29 years, Edward Nelson made an impression on hundreds of kids in Pointe Coupee. One of the schools where he taught will close so several teachers can attend his funeral.
Rosenwald Elementary, formerly Rosenwald High, is where many in New Roads came to know Nelson. Some credit him with changing their lives.
"When you saw him coming, you dotted your 'I's and crossed your 'T's," said Joseph Gosserand, who graduated under Nelson in 1964. "He taught me, my wife, my kids."
Gosserand said Nelson always had a word of advice for his students, especially about education. He said if Nelson caught you behaving "out of line," he didn't send you home. He took care of the problem there.
"Send you home for what? So you could roam the streets? He showed you why you needed to be there," Gosserand explained.
Another student, Gail Hurst, said Nelson always talked about telling children how important education is.
"And he was always so very satisfied to hear our children had gone on to college," added Hurst.
When they heard their principal had passed away, the whole community was shocked. Another former student, who is now a teacher, said Nelson became a hero in 1963. After a train derailment leaked hazardous gas, Nelson called in buses to evacuate more than 400 students.
As many people put it, this community has lost a leader. If that's what his former students think, imagine how his family feels.
"Oh, that was my good friend. He was everything to me," said Rosemary Johnson, Nelson's younger sister.
She said she and her brother visited everyday.
"He'd go get a cold drink and say, I just came to look in your face."
Johnson said the two of them were very close. She was also a teacher. She said the one time she thought about leaving the school system, it was her brother who stopped her.
Family or student, everyone says New Roads was better because of Principal Nelson.
Nelson's funeral will be at St. Augustine Catholic Church in New Roads. Viewing is from 8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. A funeral mass will follow.
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