History | Districts | Directors | College Affiliates

History

In 1950, at the invitation of the Nashville Council for the education of Children Under Six, one hundred-fifty people from eight states attended a two-day conference. The conference provided an opportunity for an exchange of ideas between persons concerned with the well-being of young children. The 1951 conference was again held in Nashville. In 1952, the conference was held in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Southern Association on Children Under Six (SACUS) was organized.

The Association was a non profit, self supporting organization drawing its membership from the ranks of individuals in thirteen states who were working with or who were interested in the welfare of young children. This original membership was mainly Home Economics teachers, who were the original kindergarten certified teachers. They saw the need for better child care as the number of mothers who worked outside the homes increased.

During the 1965 SACUS Conference at Little Rock, Arkansas, members for Louisiana assembled and made plans for a state organization. This organization was to be called Louisiana Association on Children Under Six (LACUS). A committee was formed and with the leadership of Marlene Wright Comeaux and a fall conference was planned. Attendance for the first LACUS meeting in Alexandria, Louisiana reached the three hundred mark.

During the Fourth annual conference, the Executive Board evaluated the membership and realized the LACUS membership was concentrated in South Louisiana. The Executive Board members recommended that the annual conference of LACUS be held in various locations around the state each year to encourage membership throughout the state. Additionally in 1971 LACUS was divided into six districts which helped the organization to further meet the needs of its membership.

In 1974 the Lil and Roy Murphy Scholarship was established. This scholarship was established to award an outstanding undergraduate student in Child Development or Early Childhood Education, or a related field.

In honor of a former Executive Board member and a SACUS past president, the LACUS Mildred Souther Award was established in 1975. Ms. Souther was a professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and was a true advocate for young children. She expected anyone who was to have any impact on children should be of the highest integrity. This award was to be presented to an outstanding worker for preschool children and was to be awarded annually. With the passing of Almanda Anderson, a former Executive Board member and one who was keenly interested in the students participating in LACUS, the Almanda Anderson Award for the Outstanding Student was founded in 1975.

The years of 1976 to 1978 found LACUS embarking upon a ?five-year plan? and attempt to set LACUS toward attainment of goals and the establishment of long range plans. Also, a new budget was formed.

In 1981 a scholarship fund created by Alice Teddlie, LACUS president in 1969, was to be presented to an outstanding student in the early childhood field. This formed the Alice Teddlie Scholarship fund. Also in the same year the Jane Herrin Mini-Grant was established. This grant was set up in honor of a former executive board member Jane Herrin. It was to be awarded to an individual or group who was interested in the training of individuals working in the interest of young children.

In 1991 LACUS changed the length of terms of the president from one to two years and added a president?elect office.

In 1993 the SACUS membership voted to change its name to the Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA) to better represent the broader views that the organization was now covering.

The Graduate Scholarship was established in 1994. This award was renamed the Jeanne Gilley Graduate Scholarship in 1997. This scholarship was established to be presented to a full-time or part-time graduate student majoring in Child Development or Early Childhood Education, or a related field.

Because of the change made by SECA, in 1995 the LACUS membership decided to make the name change to LAECA, Louisiana Early Childhood Association. Since the beginning of its origin, LAECA has made many changes, but there is one constant that remains. We are still an organization who is active and dedicated to the quality education of young children.

Former LAECA Presidents

1966	Marlene Wright Comeaux
1967	Marvene Bonnett
1968	Jeanette Owens
1969	Alice Teddlie
1970	Mary Lee Posey
1971	Betty Walker
1972	Imogene Montgomery
1973	Jeanne Mack
1974	Bess Haley
1974	Lil Murphy
1976	Charlene Detro
1977	Ann M. Maricle
1978	Nancy P. Alexander
1979	Jeanette Gardiner
1980	Marion LaFoe
1981	Sue Garlington
1982	Rick Coleman
1983	Martha Harmon
1984	Denis Wiltcher
1985	Janie Bizette
1986	Jo Wood Carroll
1987	Rosalind Charlesworth
1988	Lynda Bryan
1989	Lois Rector
1990	Nancy Coghill
1991-1992	Janie H. Humphries
1993-1994	Mary Lou Maples
1995-1996	Joan Benedict
1997-1998	Nita Denman
1998-2000	Cheryl McBride
2000-2002	Susan Noel
2002-2004	Nicole Bolen
2004-2006	Cynthia Ramagos
2006-2010	Cindy Rushing
2010-2012	Chris LeJeune

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Districts

District Chairs

1 - Allison Edwards
2 - Deby Glass/Gerry Binkley
3 - Ashley Dixon Dunn/Stephanie Dunn
4 - Christi Gonzales
5 - Donna Lacaze
6 - Leslie Vedros
7 - Michelle Joubert/Patricia Reder

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Board of Directors

Office	Name	Location
President	Chris LeJeune	Jennings, LA
Past President	Cindy Rushing	Pineville, LA
Vice President	Emily Williamson	Swartz, LA
Treasurer	Liz Descant	Leesville, LA
SECA Representative	Cindy Ramagos	Baton Rouge, LA
Business Manager	Kimberly Thibodeaux	Ponchatoula, LA
Conference 2012 Registrant	Susan Noel	Cypress, TX
Recording Secretary	Ivy Starns	Baton Rouge, LA
Corresponding Secretary	Renee Perrotti	Elmer, LA
Collaborations Editor	Martha Garner	Lafayette, LA
Publications Review Editor	Gerry Binkley	Monroe, LA
Awards Co-Chair	Mona Fruge'	Lacassine, LA
Awards Co-Chair	R. Lynne Bergeron	Jennings, LA
Diversity Chair	Sandra Hutson	New Iberia, LA
Families Chair	Susan Myrick	Woodworth, LA
Legislative and Public Policy Co-Chair	Donna Odom Lacaze	Covington, LA
Legislative and Public Policy Co-Chair	Callum B. Johnston	Alexanrdia, LA
Division for Development Chair/Parliamentarian	Laura Chestnut	Hodge, LA
Special Needs 2012 Conference Chair	Jo Carroll	Shreveport, LA
Research Chair	Michelle Fazio-Brunson	Natchitoches, LA
SLAECA Representative Chair	Dr. Janie Humphries	Ruston, LA
Technology Chair	Patrica Reder	Lake Charles, LA
Public Relations	Mary Lou Maples	Pineville, LA
Licensing & Pathways Liaison	Emily Williamson	Swartz, LA
Member At Large - North	Michelle Fazio-Brunson	Natchitoches, LA
Member At Large - South/Historian	Teri Knouse	Lafayette, LA
District 1 Chair	Allison Edwards	Bossier City, LA
District 2 chair	Gerry Binkley	Ruston, LA
District 3 Co-Chair	Ashley Dixon Dunn	Lecompte, LA
District 4 Chair	Christi Gonzales	Jeanerette, LA
District 5 Chair	Donna Odom Lacaze	Covington, LA
District 6 Chair	Stephanie Dunn	New Orleans, LA
District 7 Co-Chair	Michelle Joubert	Lake Charles, LA
District 7 Co-Chair	Patricia Reder	Lake Charles, LA

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College Affiliates

For information about Student Louisiana Early Childhood Association
Groups please contact school sponsors.

Louisiana Tech	Dr. Janie Humphries (318) 257-4456
Louisiana Tech	Laura Chestnut (318) 257-4456
Louisiana Delta C.C.	Donna Guice (318) 342-3719
U.L. - Lafayette	Terri Knouse (337) 981-5966
U.L. - Monroe	Emily Williamson (318) 342-1913

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History | Districts | Directors | College Affiliates