Hanson Memorial High School

Hanson Memorial High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Franklin, Louisiana. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette.

History

Hanson Memorial High School is celebrating its 90th anniversary opening its doors to the youth of Franklin since 1925. The people of Franklin are indebted to the late Minnie Hanson Conolly for the school presented to them in memory of her father, Albert Hanson, and her brother, Eddie Hanson. In 1931, Mrs. Conolly established an endowment fund dedicated to facility upkeep that would help keep tuition at a minimum. The addition of a library and cafeteria building in the early fifties and the construction of a gym/science structure in 1962 completed the needed facilities for the school. The late Mrs. J. C. Blevins continued the work begun by her generous aunt, and today her Blevins-Kemper descendants carry on the family’s dedication to Catholic education and Hanson Memorial High School. In the spring of 1967, the Christian Brothers, after forty years of dedicated work in the education of boys in Franklin, withdrew from the faculty at Hanson because of a greater need in other areas of the Province. In August 1967, St. John Academy and Hanson Memorial High School were consolidated and Hanson opened its doors as a junior and senior coeducational high school. The Marianites of Holy Cross, who had been at St. John since 1871, agreed to become a part of Hanson’s staff. With this restructuring, a new era in Catholic education in Franklin was begun and has proved to be an important and valuable part of the community. Dedicated laymen and women presently staff the school. Currently, Hanson Memorial High School educates students in grades six through twelve. In 1999 a successful Capital Campaign raised nearly one million dollars. That money was used to build a modern eight room “junior high wing” to the school. In the fall of 2011 a new state of the art library was completed. Dedicated to Fr. Oniell Landry, the library shows the continued support for Catholic education in Franklin. Today, Hanson Memorial is run by dedicated laymen and women of Franklin and surrounding areas.

Athletic

Hanson Memorial Athletics has a long-standing tradition of excellence since the school opened its doors in 1925. HMS Athletics has tallied a total 12 team state championships in the sports of Football, Boys and Girls Cross Country, Softball, Girls Basketball and Golf. Numerous runner-up trophies have been obtained by our teams as well. Several HMS athletes have been crowned individual state champions in the sports of Cross Country, Golf, Track and Field, Wrestling and Power-lifting. Currently, HMS offers 12 sports for our student-athletes to participate in. HMS is a member of the LHSAA, which is the governing body of Louisiana High School Athletics.

Notable Alumni

Name: Lyndsey Elizabeth Naquin Graduating Class: 2009 What is your current career? MBA student at LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business Where did you further your education? LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business (Bachelor of Science in Finance and Masters of Business Administration)

Name: Rebecca Block Autin Graduating Class: 2006 What is your current career? I am an attorney licensed to practice in the state of Louisiana. I work for Judge John E. Conery on the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal. Where did you further your education? I obtained my bachelor's degree from Loyola University New Orleans in 2010. I then obtained my juris doctorate from Southern University Law Center. I passed the Louisiana Bar Exam and was sworn in as an attorney for the state of Louisiana in October 2014.

Name: Vincent Borne Graduating Class: 1990 What is your current career? Attorney; Currently 16th Judicial District Court Judge

Name: Charles Hanagriff Graduating Class: 1989 What is your current career? Sportscaster

Notes and References