"Night At The Museum" with Butch Williams April 14, 2014

“Night At The Museum” Like Father, Like Son

Family and Education In Webster Parish

 with Mr. Butch Williams

The 42nd “Night at the Museum” will take place Monday April 14th, 2014.  This event will feature long time Minden resident Mr. Butch Williams.  Butch Williams was born in 1947, to Wayne and Irene Williams in Haynesville, Louisiana.  Wayne Williams had just returned from WWII and was serving as principal at Shongaloo High School, when Butch was born.  

In 1950 the family moved to Minden, where Wayne Williams continued his career moving throughout the Webster Parish School system, starting at East Side Elementary and ending up as Superintendent of Webster Parish Schools.   “Like father, like son,” a phrase that could easily be used when describing the two Williams men in the Webster Parish education system.  Butch Williams would start as Assistant Principle at Minden High School and also ended up as the superintendent of Webster Parish Schools.

Wayne Williams spent 44 years in Webster Parish school system: He taught Social Studies and Coached football, basketball, baseball at Shongaloo High, became Principal of Shongaloo, Eastside Elementary, Minden High, Supervisor, ESEA, Title I, High School, and then became the parish school Superintendent.  Butch Williams followed in his father’s footsteps, teaching Biology-Chemistry while coaching football, basketball, baseball at Minden High, at Sibley High he taught Biology-Chemistry, Adv. Phys.Sci. and coached track.  He was Principal for 25 years at Sibley / Lakeside before moving on to Superintendent of Webster Parish School system.

Williams will talk about his long time family involvement in the school system and the changes that have taken place in Washington and Baton Rouge that have completely altered educations as we recognize it.  He will reflect of the 82 combined years between he and his father and their experiences in the area.  He will also reflect on his family, wife Ki and the couple’s three sons.  Ki and Butch Williams have six grandchildren now to keep them very busy now in their retirement years.           

 Don't miss your chance to hear about some of our area history. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden, La.  Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve seating.  Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks welcome. 

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Standing Room Only Crowd At Dorcheat Historical Museum Monday Night

Standing Room Only Crowd At Dorcheat Historical Museum

The 41^st “Night at the Museum” was held to a packed house, Monday March 10^th, 2014.  Over 100 people turned out to hear four different speakers.  Webster Parish Historian Mr. John Agan began the evening with a brief history of the German Town Colony and its importance to our area.  Agan was followed by Susie Lester, Otto Krouse and LeVerne Kidd.  These last three speakers are of German heritage with ties to the original colony settlers.   They all spoke of their early childhood days and what it was like growing up in Minden.  Much was learned about Minden’s German heritage and influences that are still here today.

The 42^nd speaker at the museum will be Mr. Butch Williams, on April 14^th, 2014.  Don't miss your chance to hear about some of Minden's earliest families. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden, La.  Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve seating.  Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks welcome. 

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Webster Parish Historian John Agan began the program for the evening

Susie Lester told of her early childhood

Otto Krouse a direct descendant of the Colony

LeVerne Kidd tells of her early childhood and her German Heritage

Over 100 people attended the event, many sharing Minden's German Heritage as direct descendants of the Colony