The investigation indicated that a gas leak in the large and virtually unvented basement of the school had been ignited by an unknown spark in the building. The 1937 new london school explosion by ron rozelle. At the time of this horrible event, new london was the richest rural school district in the country and had just built their state of the art. In this march 14, 2008 file, a monument is seen in front of the current new london school in new london, texas, displaying the names of the ones killed in the 1937 gas explosion that also. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. My father never spoke of that day, and now i know what he lived through. New london school explosion a big thanks to ron rozelle for the great chat on saturday. Local website with breaking news, sport, weather and travel from the area plus indepth features, analysis, audio and video coverage. The untold story of the worst school disaster in american history, by journalists david m. Jul 24, 2007 an elementary school in texas explodes in 1937, killing hundreds of children and teachers. Survivors recount the horror of the worlds worst disaster involving children.
The new london school explosion of march killed hundreds of students in the east texas town. New london is located about miles southeast of dallas. The new london school explosion of march 18, 1937, killed hundreds of students in the east texas town. New london school explosion about five years ago i was reading through a book containing my family genealogy when i came across a side note next to the names of two of my cousins, pauline and donald barrett. The caption on the back of this photo reads, scenes from new london school explosion over 300 children lost their lives. The new work will also feature recent interviews with blast survivors. This march 18th 2017 will be the 80th anniversary of the explosion at the new london school that killed almost 300 students and teachers.
Frantic parents, rescue workers and oil field employees probe a tangled and twisted mass of wreckage after a terrific explosion had leveled all but this corner of. The odorless, colorless gas went undetected until the flip of an electrical switch triggered a colossal blast. New london school explosion kills hundreds of children in. The disaster killed more than 295 students and teachers. New london school explosion new london texas school. She agreedand was killed in the explosion, while thompson and hall both survived and lived long lives, never quite coming to terms with their good fortune.
A curated virtual cemetery for names in new london school explosion victims. The new london school explosion occurred on march 18, 1937, when a natural gas leak. This engrossing narrative of sorrow and survival burrows deep inside one of the greatest disasters in american history. Family member of girl killed in new london explosion.
New london school explosion disasters of the century. Augusta robinson, tyler morning telegraph, associated press. Jackson, new london methodist minister from 193739, and was originally published in 1938. The 1937 new london school explosion is a meticulous, candid account by veteran educator and experienced author ron rozelle. New london, tx school disaster museum home facebook. As the child of a survivor of the new london school explosion, i am so very grateful to the authors of this book for their extraordinary reporting of this story. The daisy children, a novel, explores familial tragedy of new. These small, square books explode into a series of square and triangular pages when you open them. New london school explosion the handbook of texas online. And then she couldnt get new london out of her head. Each student constructed their own book with decorative papers, cardboard, ribbon, and construction paper. The day the town school exploded one of the worst school disasters in american history occurred 75 years ago, when an explosion killed hundreds of.
An elementary school in texas explodes in 1937, killing hundreds of children and teachers. Before they even knew we were making books, students were asked to be spontaneous and free. One of the worst school disasters in american history occurred 75 years ago, when an explosion killed hundreds of students at a school in east texas. On march 18, 1937, the residents of new london, southeast of tyler, endured the worst smalltown tragedy in u. The disaster scene at new london, march 18, 1937 texas. The untold story of the worst school disaster in american history. Searching for the living and recovering bodies after the new london school explosion, texas, 1937. Seventyfive years after the new london, texas, school explosion. Jun 05, 2017 support us the new london school explosion occurred on march 18, 1937, when a natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroyin. His sister ardyth davidson, who was 14 years old at the time, was killed in the explosion. New london school explosion a part of familys history. John davidson, head docent of the new london museum, is trying to make sure people dont forget.
Family member of girl killed in new london explosion shares. The new london explosion led to the creation of the texas board of professional engineers. Lorine zylks bright the author, lorine zylks bright, has written a first person account of her experience on new london schools grounds on the day a terrific explosion destroyed the high school. The new london school explosion has gotten relatively little coverage over the decades, in part because the traumatized community did not want to be put on display and this was before exploitative news camps hounding victims to supply 247 coverage, so they were better able to refuse. The new london texas school explosion laura vanarendonk. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The new london museum mentioned in the book has an amazing website. The daisy children, a novel, explores familial tragedy. Two books on the new london school explosion bookish. The story is told through the eyes of alfred townsend, an eightyyearold man that.
New photos from the new london school disaster bayou. Mar 17, 2012 in this march 14, 2008 file, a monument is seen in front of the current new london school in new london, texas, displaying the names of the ones killed in the 1937 gas explosion that also. Living lessons from the new london explosion book, 1938. Mar 18, 2019 new london, texas on march 18, 1937, a natural gas leak beneath the new london school rocked the ground with a deafening explosion. Brown will speak next month at kilgore college about his new book on the new london school explosion, gone at 3. The classics and the contemporaries, heres a list of 100 mustread novels set in london, the most bustling and fantastic of cities. The daisy children, a novel, explores familial tragedy of.
Community residents in the east texas oilfield were proud of the beautiful, modern, steelframed, eshaped school building. Among the set of historical negatives from the houston post files are images from the new london school explosion of 1937 fourteen of the negatives have deteriorated to the point where they are. It was one of the most devastating disasters in texas history and the worst school disaster in us history, yet little known outside east texas. The london museum is pleased to announce that reprints of living lessons from new london, texas, the first book written about the explosion, are now available. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. It sent the floor up, chunks of concrete flew dozens of feet. Jun 06, 2017 the classics and the contemporaries, heres a list of 100 mustread novels set in london, the most bustling and fantastic of cities.
New london explosion i have looked at your coverage of the explosion at the new london school and you have done a good job covering it. The story of the new london school explosion on a sunny spring afternoon in 1937, 12 year old bill thompson had finished his lesson in miss wrights class and eagerly awaited his release for the longanticipated three day weekend. In memory of the men, women and children who perished and those who survived. Mar 17, 2017 294 killed in new london, texas school explosion, 80 years ago. But on march 18, 1937, a natural gas leak caused an explosion at the school that collapsed much of the building and killed 294 people, mostly school kids. Johnson was an infant in new london destined to become the scribe, oral historian, and dramatist for the tragedy. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study.
The untold story of the worst school disaster in american history by david m. New london school explosion disasters of the century youtube. New london on march 18, 1937, a day much like any other in the unincorporated districts of london and new london, in rusk county, a generation of east texas was lost. In 1937 new london, texas, in northwest rusk county, had one of the richest rural school districts in the united states. I hope you had the chance to log in and check out our webchat with ron rozelle on saturday at noon. Hundreds died at new london high school in rusk county after odorless natural gas leaked into the basement and ignited. On march 18 students prepared for the next days interscholastic meet in.
New london, texas on march 18, 1937, a natural gas leak beneath the new london school rocked the ground with a deafening explosion. Seventyfive years after the new london, texas, school explosion instantaneously ended life for three hundred students, haunted memories of all who knew them, and hushed a communitys discussion of an unspeakable event, the detailed story is now told. The new london school explosion occurred on march 18, 1937, when a natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroying the london school of new london, texas, a community in rusk county previously known as london. Johnson has brought the characters to life in his twoact play about the school explosion in new london, texas in 1937. The play was first preformed at the lamplite playhouse in nacogdoches, tx.
Unfolding with the narrative pace of a novel, the story woven by rozellebeginning with the titlecombines the anguished words of eyewitnesses with telling details from the historical and legal record. For many years new london residents did not speak of the tragedy, but today they are telling their stories of that tragic day in east texas and how it changed history. One day in new london is a historical fiction novel focusing on the nlsd event. The day the town school exploded one of the worst school disasters in american history occurred 75 years ago, when an explosion killed hundreds of students at a school in east. Based on scores of interviews and an intimate understanding of a community torn by tragedy, gone at 3. Jun 05, 2012 seventyfive years after the new london, texas, school explosion instantaneously ended life for three hundred students, haunted memories of all who knew them, and hushed a communitys discussion of an unspeakable event, the detailed story is now told. On the occasion of the terrible explosion at the new london, tex. Brown and micheal wereschagin, was published by potomac books. This march 18th 2017 will be the 80th anniversary of the explosion at the new london school that killed almost. The third is the new london school explosion that occurred 80 years ago in 1937. The new london school explosion was then20yearold cronkites first national story. In march 1937 a gas leak in the basement of the 1,200student consolidated school in new london caused a massive explosion that killed almost 300.
Support us the new london school explosion occurred on march 18, 1937, when a natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroyin. The first part of his book is the historical background of the explosion and a studentteacher guide. Walter cronkite got his start in journalism covering this story. New london school explosion archives texas our texas. The caption on the back of this photo reads, scenes from new london school explosionover 300 children lost their lives.
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