First Student in Baton Rouge: A History of Transportation and Education

First Student is a major transportation provider that plays a crucial role in communities like Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Beyond its contemporary presence, understanding the historical context of education and transportation in the region provides a richer perspective. This article delves into the history of First Student and its operations in Baton Rouge, alongside the historical backdrop of Louisiana State University (LSU), a key institution in the city.

First Student: A Commitment to Safe Transportation

First Student is a large family of over 60,000 employees, including Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. They safely transport more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day. With employees at the forefront of safety and innovation, they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.

Opportunities in Baton Rouge

First Student hires part-time school bus drivers in Baton Rouge, LA. As a First Student Part Time School Bus Driver, you will play a vital role in your community and the lives of the students you transport. You will be there at the start of the students' day with before-school pickup and at the end with an afternoon shift to bring students safely back home.

No experience as a bus driver is required! First Student offers industry-leading technology to help you succeed. A split shift, which means an early morning before-school pickup and an after-school drop-off with a few free hours in betweenA guaranteed shift of (4) hours per school day, no working nights or weekends unless you want toAdditional hours gained through trips and charters when available

Benefits of Working with First Student

First Student offers a starting wage of $20.48 hour, based on school bus driver experience, dental, & vision Benefits plus 401k Retirement Savings Plans and paid CDL training. The Child-Ride-Along Program is a perfect opportunity for working parents.

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First Student encourages applications from candidates who do not have a college degree or high school diploma, have military experience, are returning to the workforce or looking for a second job, are retirees or are looking to jump start a new career.

You might be a good fit if you are looking for a part-time schedule, enjoy working with students, are at least 21 years old and have a valid driver's license for at least 3 years.

Safety and Compliance

Positions are subject to DOT drug testing as a safety-sensitive employee. DOT Regulation 49 CFR Part 40 does not authorize the use of Schedule I drugs, including marijuana, for any reason. In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law.

Challenges and Changes in West Baton Rouge

In 2015, approximately 72 First Student employees faced potential job losses after the West Baton Rouge Parish School District decided not to renew its contract with the school bus transportation provider. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act of 1988 requires employers to give official notice to affected employees of a pending mass layoff or plant closing, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission. According to the WARN notice, this layoff was expected to be permanent.

The West Baton Rouge facility at 3187 Rosedale Rd. in Port Allen closed on June 30, 2015. The WARN notice stated it was probable that First Student would have transfer opportunities available for many employees at other facilities. First student provided those employees with a procedure who express interest in transferring. The notice says 60 drivers, 10 monitors, one mechanic, an assistant location manager and a dispatcher lost their jobs.

The Historical Roots of Louisiana State University

Understanding the history of education in Baton Rouge is intrinsically linked to the story of Louisiana State University (LSU). Its evolution from a small military academy to a major university reflects the changing landscape of the region.

The Early Days: 1860-1869

Louisiana State University began as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy near Pineville, Louisiana. Classes began on January 2, 1860, with William Tecumseh Sherman as the first superintendent and five faculty members. The Seminary offered classes in engineering, chemistry, Latin, Greek, English, and mathematics. Cadets submitted to military-style discipline.

The school’s administrative structure consisted of a Board of Supervisors appointed by the governor, who was also an ex officio member; the superintendent; the faculty; surgeon; and secretary. Gen. George Mason Graham was the most prominent member of the Board of Supervisors.

William Tecumseh Sherman was chosen as the Seminary’s first superintendent in 1859. The senior professor was Anthony Vallas, a Hungarian émigré who taught mathematics and natural philosophy. Francis W. Smith became professor of chemistry and commandant of cadets. David F. Boyd was hired as professor of ancient languages and English. E. Berté St. Ange, professor of modern languages, had been an officer in the French Marines. John W. Sevier became surgeon and assistant professor of ancient languages.

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The Seminary grounds were located near Pineville in Rapides Parish. The location was chosen because of its centrality, access to water transportation on the Red River, and the area’s perceived healthfulness. A new building was constructed, an imposing three-story 72-room U-shaped structure with a central quadrangle. The building combined classrooms, dining hall, library, and quarters for the students as well as faculty until homes could be built for them.

The Civil War and Reconstruction Era

In 1861, Louisiana seceded from the Union, and Sherman resigned. When the Civil War began, most of the students and faculty members left the Seminary to fight for the Confederacy causing the school to close. After a few attempts to reopen, the Seminary closed for the duration of the war in April of 1863.

The Seminary reopened in September of 1865 with David F. Boyd as superintendent. Although the building survived the war intact, most of the equipment and books were destroyed or missing. From 1865 to 1869, the legislature made appropriations to the Seminary, but inflation and the increasing number of beneficiary cadets used much of the funding intended for school operations. Faculty were affected by the Seminary’s financial uncertainty and many resigned. The unsettled nature of the Seminary also caused a decrease in enrollment, especially after 1867. The library was built up from duplicates held by the state library and legislation provided for a scientific survey of the state to be undertaken by Samuel Lockett, professor of engineering and Dr. F.V. Hopkins, professor of geology.

In June of 1869, the Seminary held a commencement ceremony for its first graduating class. On October 15, 1869, fire destroyed the seminary building. On November 1, the cadets moved to the State Institution for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind in Baton Rouge.

The Move to Baton Rouge: 1869-1886

The move to Baton Rouge was supposed to be temporary, but the school remained at the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind for eighteen years. Throughout Reconstruction in the 1870s and into the 1880s, LSU continued to struggle financially and was nearly forced to close in 1875. Financial instability also caused a revolving door of faculty.

In 1877, LSU and the Agricultural and Mechanical College merged to form Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College based in Baton Rouge. After the merger, LSU’s financial woes continued, due in no small part to the constitutional convention of 1879. Louisiana’s new constitution reduced the university’s income and it still had to compete with the University of Louisiana for the small education appropriation from the legislature.

By 1878, the students of the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind had been moved to other locations leaving the entire building available for LSU. Student enrollment steadily rose during this period but remained below 200 students. Student performance suffered during the 1878-1886 period because of continued financial instability, conflict among faculty members and members of the Board of Supervisors, and a revolving door of university presidents.

Development of more scientific work began in the 1880-1887 period with the advent of an agriculture course and improvements to the mechanics, civil engineering, and commercial courses. For agriculture, the State Experiment Station in Baton Rouge was established in 1886.

The Downtown Campus and World War I: 1886-1918

In 1886, LSU received permission to use the former military post in Baton Rouge where the new state capitol is situated today. The university had been interested in the post for a number of years but was unable to secure permission to use it. By 1900, a major building program began. In 1902, the federal government gave LSU title to the former military post and by 1915, the 200-acre site had reached the point where there was no more room left to expand.

In the 1890s, student life began to change. Debating and literary societies had existed, and beginning in 1893, LSU began to field teams in football, baseball, tennis, and track and field, and cadets were allowed more time for recreation. The military system of discipline was still in force as it had been since 1860.

As far as academics were concerned, LSU offered courses primarily to provide industrial and technical training and this was the case into the early 20th century. Student population grew from around 200 in the early 1890s to over 400 by 1902 including 21 foreign students.

In 1906, the law school was established, women were admitted for the first time, and by 1908, the college system was established that formed the basis of the school and college system used today.

Upon America’s entry into World War I, LSU students and faculty signed up to fight and many faculty members were employed by the federal government as experts in such fields as agriculture, food distribution, and information dissemination. The Memorial Oak Grove near the LSU Union was planted in 1926 to commemorate the students who lost their lives in the war. The Memorial Tower, completed in 1925, honors all Louisianans killed in the war.

The Greater University: 1918-1940

By 1918, LSU was experiencing growing pains and President Thomas Boyd began looking for land to build a new and larger campus. For several years, Boyd had his eye on Gartness Plantation south of Baton Rouge along the Mississippi River, thinking that the land would provide enough space for the university’s physical growth and further its agricultural mission. With support from Governor John M. Parker and utilizing a newly-enacted severance tax, construction began on March 29, 1922. The first building completed was the dairy barn followed by other agricultural buildings, and by the fall of 1925, many classes were held on the new campus that was formally dedicated on April 30, 1926. The physical layout of the campus was designed by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm in 1920-1921, but since the Olmsteds were not building architects, Theodore Link was hired in 1921 to design the buildings. Link also made a few changes to the Olmsted layout.

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