its people tliere was finding adequate food, clothing 

 and shelter. Compulsory education laws were not 

 passed until 1916. 



E 



conomic boom 



At the turn of the century, the state's economy began 

 to rc\ italize. Salt was mined at Averv's Island. North- 

 ern investors came to harvest timber and erect sawmills. 

 Oil was discovered at Jennings in 1901 and near Shreve- 

 port in 1906. Commercial mining of sulphur also began 

 around the same time. 



"Matirc-iia retreat house, ouiied and operated hij the Jesuit order 



in Convent, La., was huilt in 1H31 as a nonsectarian college 



for the sons of tcealtht/ Louisiana planters. The three-story 



plantation house has 22 columns in an ttnhrokcti row across its 



main facade. Bou<:,ht hif Valcour Aimc in 1S59. it was reopened as 



Louisiana College. During the War Between the States 



it was used as a Union barracks. 



31 



