North Caddo High's First Football Season

The North Caddo Rebels had a successful inaugural season, compiling a 7-3 record. Home games were played at the old Vivian High stadium as the new concrete stadium located on campus was incomplete. (a)

Click on the photo below to see a larger version.

Shreveport Times 11-Dec-1955, Page 2-D

Here's a preseason preview of the team that appeared in the Shreveport Times.

Shreveport Times 28-Aug-1955, Page 4-D

Below is the team roster, as published in the Jefferson, TX newspaper before the game with that school.

Source: Jefferson (TX) Jimplecute Sep-1955, Page 7

NORTH CADDO 1955 FOOTBALL RESULTS:

02-Sep-1955 (H) NC 20 Natchitoches 0

Shreveport Times 03-Sep-1955 Page 10-A


Pictures from that first game.

Fred Parker's recollection of the school's first contest: I saw that game. Played at the old Vivian High School stadium as the current stadium wasn't finished at that time. Sammy Bruce scored the first touchdown, Roy Bridges scored the second and Sammy scored the third touchdown. We've always kidded Sammy about the first one. A run of maybe two feet.

Years ago, there was an old deflated football with faded lettering commemorating the event in the NC trophy case.

09-Sep-1955 (A) NC 6 Leesville 0

Shreveport Times 10-Sep-1955 Page 2-B

16-Sep-1955 (A) NC 13 Jefferson (TX) 0

Shreveport Times 17-Sep-1955, Page 7-A

23-Sep (H) - Carthage (TX) 13 NC 7

Shreveport Times 24-Sep-1955, Page 2-B

30-Sep-1955 (A) NC 13 Springhill 6 (b)

Shreveport Times 01-Oct-1955, Page 3-B

07-Oct-1955 (H) Minden 12 NC 7

Shreveport Times 08-Oct-1955 Page 1-B

14-Oct-1955 NC 35 Mansfield 7

Shreveport Times 15-Oct-1955, Page 1-B

28-Oct-1955 (A) NC 21 St. John's 6 (c)

Shreveport Times 28-Oct-1955, Page 5-B (NC over St Johns)

04-Nov-1955 NC 20 Bossier 6

Shreveport Times Nov-1955 Page 2-B (NC over Bossier)

11-Nov-1955 (A) Ferriday 43, NC 18

Monroe (LA) Morning World 12-Nov-1955, Page 10

Season Record: 7 wins, 3 losses

(H) Home, (A) Away

(a) Per Fred Parker, 1956 NCHS graduate

(b) Springhill has since been consolidated into North Webster High School.

(c) St. John's later was renamed Jesuit, and is now Loyola College Prep. Score is per Loyola-Jesuit-St. Johns football game by game results.

Despite a 3-1 District 1-AA record, tying them for first place with Bossier, the Rebels were ineligible in their first year. The Bearkats, a 20-6 loser to the Rebels, were awarded the district crown.

While no Rebels were named to the 1st or 2nd All-State teams, three players received honorable mention: backs Roy Bridges and Sammy Bruce, as well as center Buster Rushing.

Source: Monroe (LA) News Star (21-Dec-1955 Page 16

Team Members:

Managers:

1956 North Caddo Rebel (yearbook), courtesy of Ellen Stevens; some photos from 1957 Rebel provided by Noah Blizzard

Leading students and fans in support of the team were NC's first cheerleaders.

1956 North Caddo Rebel (yearbook), courtesy of Clarence Reece

First-year Louisiana State University head football coach Paul Dietzel spoke at the inaugural  football banquet.

LSU Head Football Coach Paul Dietzel

1956 LSU Gumbo (yearbook), Page 317

Shreveport Times 13-Dec-1955, Page 5-C


Return to North Caddo High School.

Vivian - A View Into The Year 1965

The Feb-1965 issue of the Louisiana Municipal Review featured separate articles about the towns of Mooringsport, Oil City, and Vivian. Here are highlights from the Vivian article.

The local Industrial Development Committee's brochure touts "there are many pretty girls named Vivian, but there is only one Vivian, La.; at the heart of the business life of four states." The town provides everything needed by industry including labor, land, water, buildings, utilities, and industrial tracts. It's 1960 population was 2,860 and it has a "metropolitan area" of over 5,000. The town leadership is identified as follows:

Mayor:

Earl G. Williamson - elected in 1962 and had previously served from 1938-46. He had been on the town council for 12 years, and on the Caddo Parish Police Jury for 32 years, including eight as jury president. He'd also been chairman of the state highway board.

Aldermen/Occupations:

Owen P. Clawson - Insurance and is also the Caddo Parish School Board President

H. T. Kendrick - Oil & Gas

Charles W. Spikes - Oil & Gas

Harvey D. Walton - Retired

James W. Williamson - Auto dealer

Town officials and other civic  leaders witnessing an unidentified signing ceremony (establishing the Redbud Festival, perhaps? - see below) also attended by former Shreveport mayor, James C. Gardner.

Seated (i-r): Walton, E. Williamson, Spikes, J. Williamson
Standing: Unknown, Clawson , Gardner, Kendrick, Bamburg 

Note the unidentified man to the far left is not part of the original photograph.

Vivian is a member of the Lovely Louisiana Tourist Association. and the initial Redbud Festival, set for March 25-27, represents years of planning, and is designed to attract visitors to Vivian. It's being organized by Redbud Festival, Inc., which is headed by I. B. Bamburg (President) and Gordon Smith (Vice President).

Highlights are to include:

• Regional bridge tournament
• Men's and Women's golf tournament
• Fishing derby
• Regional flower show
• Miss North Caddo and Miss Redbud pageant associated with Miss America pageant
• Tours of homes
• Riders trail and rodeo
• Historical tours

An advertisement accompanying the article.

Community attributes cited include:

• Police department has three officers and two marshals, who work with Caddo Parish Sheriff's Department
• A paid chief and firemen are supplemented by 13 volunteers
• Town owns its own water and sewage systems
• A new 100,000 gallon water tower is being constructed
• 40 unit federal housing project is in the works
• North Caddo Memorial Hospital, with 32 rooms will open in mat
• Heritage Manner Nursing Home plans to double in size from current 30 rooms
• A comprehensive youth program that includes Little League
• North Caddo High School is one of the largest consolidated schools in the state; and its band has been rated one of the best in state and in the country

Article obtained courtesy of the Louisiana Room, Edith Garland Dupré Library, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.