Remembering Dr. Marietta Lebreton, professor, historian and mentor at NSULA

[Jeffery K Guin]

Dr. Marietta Lebreton died this morning, March 5, 2009 after a short illness. Dr. Lebreton was Professor of History and enjoyed a 45 year career at NSU. She has been hugely effective in preserving the history of Natchitoches and Northwestern State University. Feel free to post your remembrances here.

[Jeffery K Guin]

Funeral services for Dr. Marietta M. LeBreton will be 12:00 noon, Wednesday, March 11, 2009 in Holy Cross Catholic Church, Natchitoches, LA, with Rev. Jason Gootee officiating and 11:00 a.m., Thursday, March 12, 2009 in Lake Lawn Metarie Funeral Home Chapel in New Orleans, LA. Visitation in Natchitoches, LA, will be Wednesday, March 11, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon in Holy Cross Catholic Church. Visitation in New Orleans will be from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Thursday in Lake Lawn Metarie Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to: Holy Cross Catholic Chruch, 129 Second Street, Natchitoches, LA 71457 or Louisiana SPCA. Dr. LeBreton is survived by two brothers, nine nieces and nephews, numerous great nieces and nephews, and her beloved dog, Belle.

[ElizaBeth Guin]

In the evening I usually decide on an outfit for the next day. It helps reduce the craziness of the morning. Tonight I stood for a while looking at my black clothing and instead of choosing an outfit I found myself smiling as I remembered Marietta. She was quite a lady. She was passionate about history. She LOVED teaching -- and she was known for being quite tough And anyone who spent any time in her company knew that she had a heart of gold -- that she truly cared about people. I have two distinct memories, one professional and one personal that I will always hold close to my heart. I will share my professional one tonight. For several semesters we both taught Monday classes and we would chat and sometimes grumble about teaching night classes. However, every night after teaching Marietta would return to her office full of energy. I, on the other hand, would be wiped out. One night I asked Marietta about her energy despite the long day and late hour -- I was thinking perhaps she was a night owl. Her response is one I think of often. She said that she found talking about history and sharing her knowledge invigorating. And while some students drove her crazy and the administration were all batty, that at the end of day all that mattered was that she helped students move forward in lives. She said that she took the responsibility of teaching the next generation very seriously, that she was lucky to have discovered what she was meant to do in this life, and that she loved helping students find that too. She said that you will always have students who don't care but that when you walk into the classroom you can't focus on them. She said that many students attending NSU were the first in their family to go to college and that they and their families often made tremendous sacrifices for the opportunity. Marietta said that helping those students was her mission and if she created a historian or two along the way -- and she certainly did! -- then all the better. She related that ultimately for her teaching was the best way she could help people and it is why even after all these years -- 45 of them! -- she still found teaching exhilarating. On particularly challenging days I replay that conversation in my mind and remind myself to focus on what is truly important and to put the rest into perspective. We all have those moments when we feel our view of life shift. That conversation, late one Monday night last spring, was one of mine. Thank you Marietta. You most certainly helped me.

[Jeffery K Guin]

Links to Dr. LeBreton's research on the web. Anyone have more?

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=onlin...

http://econpapers.repec.org/article/cupjechis/v_3a65_3ay_3a2005_3ai...

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=JEH&volum...

www.fhl.org/images/PDFs/FHLspring2007web.pdf+%22marietta+lebreton%2...">http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:IEWuFG_WQGgJ:www.fhl.org/images/PDFs/FHLspring2007web.pdf+%22marietta+lebreton%2...

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=JEH&volum...

http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Louisiana_State_University_Gumb...

http://econpapers.repec.org/article/cupjechis/default65.htm

http://books.google.com/books?id=WwwY_eJnodgC&pg=PA443&lpg=...

[Joseph Evans]

have to say that she was one of the most exuberant and exciting professors that I've ever had. She was truly one of a kind.

A specific memory comes up when I think of her. It’s when I was taking my American West final. She had already let me into the class conditionally, because I needed an upper-level history for my then-current major. I was too busy worrying about other finals that day--I believe I had 3 others--and in my haste I didn't read the directions fully. I thought we had to choose five of the fifteen or so topics and write essays for them, not ALL of them. I was the first person to turn in my final and I thought that pretty odd since I'm usually the last person to turn in exams, so I walked outside and waited for my classmates. About 10 minutes later they came out and told me that was a difficult bunch of questions, when I said "It was only 5". They responded with a "No, it was all 15. Did you really only do 5?" I was wrenching in pain as I thought about failing a test I'd spent weeks studying for. I ran back up stairs and told her what happened. She knew I had other finals that day and had been studying hard because I had spent most of the week asking her questions in her office. I asked her if I could finish it, and told her I didnt look at any of the answers, nor did I discuss them with any of my class mates and she said, with her sharp, craggily voice "Well...Ok, but you dont make this a habit, you hear?" It's the last time I've ever flew threw a test without explicitly reading the details. Everyday I think about how lucky a break she gave me in a most stressful time of year.

Personally I’ve decided that since Dr. Lebreton gave so much of her life and love to the students of NSU over the last 45 years, that the least we—as students—could do was to give something back. After having worked on the Alumni Plaza project and interviewed those associated with it, I thought it would be appropriate to get Dr. Lebreton a physical memorial. I wanted something that exists here on campus for all to see. After talking with Pres. Webb and Mr. Drake Owens at the Alumni Center, they stated that they would work in conjunction with me for getting her a granite memorial tile to go in the Plaza. I deeply respect Dr. Lebreton and the sacrifices that she made for our sake. I will never forget her.

[ElizaBeth Guin]

Joe,

What a wonderful idea. Please let me know how I can help.