Louise Arnold and her fraternal twin brother Loys were the first of six children born to the marriage of James Dowdney “Jim” Arnold and the former May Jarvis. Rounding out the Arnold family were a second set of fraternal twins, Clarence Arnold and Sadie Arnold Wright, and their younger single-birth siblings Audrey Marie Arnold Miller, and Lucille Arnold Gore.
Louise had been teaching in the New London Junior High School for several years on that sunny Friday afternoon when most people were looking forward to a weekend of relaxation and pleasure. She was only 31 years old when her life suddenly came to a terrifying end as the New London elementary-junior high-senior high school complex was leveled after an accumulation of odorless natural gas beneath the flooring ignited and exploded. Two-hundred-ninety-five lives, mostly students, were lost that fatal day while another 300 were injured.
Frantic local residents, oil field workers, and other caring individuals from all walks of life rushed to the scene to help in the rescue and recovery operations. Even news media reporters laid aside their pads and pencils and rolled up their sleeves to help sort through the rubble in a prayerful search for survivors. Among the volunteers was Louise’s own cousin, Clifford, who, along with other fellow railroad employees, had sped from their jobs in Fort Worth to New London to help in any way needed.
Living only 31 years doesn’t always provide enough time for a person to make his or her mark on the world. Louise, as a dedicated educator, made hers by her tireless diligence to perform her duties as a teacher in an era when good teachers were highly-respected and admired. It is a sad thing, though, that after more than eight decades, Louise is remembered more as a statistic of how her life came to an end rather than the skills she demonstrated as she practiced her noble vocation.
The New London School Disaster led to the infusion of a distinctive, noxious odor into natural gas to prevent any future undetected hazardous leaks.
The New London School explosion remains the costliest - in the loss of lives - school disaster in the history of the USA.
Deep gratitude is given to Christie Marie Shepherd, original contributor of this memorial to Louise Arnold, who graciously transferred its maintenance to Louise's cousin, Betty Arnold Henderson. Thank you, Christie.
Louise had been teaching in the New London Junior High School for several years on that sunny Friday afternoon when most people were looking forward to a weekend of relaxation and pleasure. She was only 31 years old when her life suddenly came to a terrifying end as the New London elementary-junior high-senior high school complex was leveled after an accumulation of odorless natural gas beneath the flooring ignited and exploded. Two-hundred-ninety-five lives, mostly students, were lost that fatal day while another 300 were injured.
Frantic local residents, oil field workers, and other caring individuals from all walks of life rushed to the scene to help in the rescue and recovery operations. Even news media reporters laid aside their pads and pencils and rolled up their sleeves to help sort through the rubble in a prayerful search for survivors. Among the volunteers was Louise’s own cousin, Clifford, who, along with other fellow railroad employees, had sped from their jobs in Fort Worth to New London to help in any way needed.
Living only 31 years doesn’t always provide enough time for a person to make his or her mark on the world. Louise, as a dedicated educator, made hers by her tireless diligence to perform her duties as a teacher in an era when good teachers were highly-respected and admired. It is a sad thing, though, that after more than eight decades, Louise is remembered more as a statistic of how her life came to an end rather than the skills she demonstrated as she practiced her noble vocation.
The New London School Disaster led to the infusion of a distinctive, noxious odor into natural gas to prevent any future undetected hazardous leaks.
The New London School explosion remains the costliest - in the loss of lives - school disaster in the history of the USA.
Deep gratitude is given to Christie Marie Shepherd, original contributor of this memorial to Louise Arnold, who graciously transferred its maintenance to Louise's cousin, Betty Arnold Henderson. Thank you, Christie.
Louise Arnold and her fraternal twin brother Loys were the first of six children born to the marriage of James Dowdney “Jim” Arnold and the former May Jarvis. Rounding out the Arnold family were a second set of fraternal twins, Clarence Arnold and Sadie Arnold Wright, and their younger single-birth siblings Audrey Marie Arnold Miller, and Lucille Arnold Gore.
Louise had been teaching in the New London Junior High School for several years on that sunny Friday afternoon when most people were looking forward to a weekend of relaxation and pleasure. She was only 31 years old when her life suddenly came to a terrifying end as the New London elementary-junior high-senior high school complex was leveled after an accumulation of odorless natural gas beneath the flooring ignited and exploded. Two-hundred-ninety-five lives, mostly students, were lost that fatal day while another 300 were injured.
Frantic local residents, oil field workers, and other caring individuals from all walks of life rushed to the scene to help in the rescue and recovery operations. Even news media reporters laid aside their pads and pencils and rolled up their sleeves to help sort through the rubble in a prayerful search for survivors. Among the volunteers was Louise’s own cousin, Clifford, who, along with other fellow railroad employees, had sped from their jobs in Fort Worth to New London to help in any way needed.
Living only 31 years doesn’t always provide enough time for a person to make his or her mark on the world. Louise, as a dedicated educator, made hers by her tireless diligence to perform her duties as a teacher in an era when good teachers were highly-respected and admired. It is a sad thing, though, that after more than eight decades, Louise is remembered more as a statistic of how her life came to an end rather than the skills she demonstrated as she practiced her noble vocation.
The New London School Disaster led to the infusion of a distinctive, noxious odor into natural gas to prevent any future undetected hazardous leaks.
The New London School explosion remains the costliest - in the loss of lives - school disaster in the history of the USA.
Deep gratitude is given to Christie Marie Shepherd, original contributor of this memorial to Louise Arnold, who graciously transferred its maintenance to Louise's cousin, Betty Arnold Henderson. Thank you, Christie.
Louise had been teaching in the New London Junior High School for several years on that sunny Friday afternoon when most people were looking forward to a weekend of relaxation and pleasure. She was only 31 years old when her life suddenly came to a terrifying end as the New London elementary-junior high-senior high school complex was leveled after an accumulation of odorless natural gas beneath the flooring ignited and exploded. Two-hundred-ninety-five lives, mostly students, were lost that fatal day while another 300 were injured.
Frantic local residents, oil field workers, and other caring individuals from all walks of life rushed to the scene to help in the rescue and recovery operations. Even news media reporters laid aside their pads and pencils and rolled up their sleeves to help sort through the rubble in a prayerful search for survivors. Among the volunteers was Louise’s own cousin, Clifford, who, along with other fellow railroad employees, had sped from their jobs in Fort Worth to New London to help in any way needed.
Living only 31 years doesn’t always provide enough time for a person to make his or her mark on the world. Louise, as a dedicated educator, made hers by her tireless diligence to perform her duties as a teacher in an era when good teachers were highly-respected and admired. It is a sad thing, though, that after more than eight decades, Louise is remembered more as a statistic of how her life came to an end rather than the skills she demonstrated as she practiced her noble vocation.
The New London School Disaster led to the infusion of a distinctive, noxious odor into natural gas to prevent any future undetected hazardous leaks.
The New London School explosion remains the costliest - in the loss of lives - school disaster in the history of the USA.
Deep gratitude is given to Christie Marie Shepherd, original contributor of this memorial to Louise Arnold, who graciously transferred its maintenance to Louise's cousin, Betty Arnold Henderson. Thank you, Christie.
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