About Us

The construction of L. J. Alleman Middle School was completed in 1959. As the school grew in size, additions to the school were built and completed in 1980. L. J. Alleman Middle School was named in honor of Professor Lenesse Joseph Alleman, a widely known educator and former head of the Department of Education at the Louisiana Normal College (now Northwestern Louisiana University).

Lenesse Joseph Alleman was born in the town of Centerville, Louisiana, on May 16, 1873 to the parents of Mr. and Mrs. Narcisse Alleman. Lenesse Joseph was the fourth child of ten children. He received his elementary and secondary education in the public schools of Centerville. His higher education was received first at Christian Brothers College, Memphis, Tennessee, and then later at Louisiana Normal College in Natchitoches, Louisiana, from which he received his degree.

He began his teaching career as principal of Centerville High School. In 1896, a new building was erected and Alleman expanded his staff from one teacher to two teachers. It was there he met and married Nellie Whitworth, who was also a teacher in Centerville. After his wife's death, he later married Mrs. Charlotte Deville Boyken, widow of Dr. Boyken from Jeanerette, Louisiana.

Alleman came to Lafayette in 1901 as superintendent of education. He was the first college-trained educator to serve as a parish superintendent in Louisiana. He served until 1907. He was again appointed Superintendent in 1912 and served until 1918.

During his years as superintendent, Alleman established the first school transportation system in Louisiana when, beginning in 1902, students were brought to school in horse-drawn covered wagons.Alleman was a staunch believer in school consolidation as a means of improving the educational system. He was the first to introduce the teaching of agriculture for boys and home economics for girls.Alleman resigned in 1918 to accept a position in vocational education in New Orleans. In 1919, he joined the teaching staff at the Normal College and in 1922 he was appointed head of the Department of Education there. He retired in 1942, and died in 1944. The L. J. Alleman School was named in his honor.

David Fox, a local artist and teacher in Lafayette Parish, was commissioned to create the mosaic of the Trojan mounted on the front of our school.