Walls, William Edward

Submitted by Mike Miller

Walls, William Edward, owner and conductor of Rugby academy, well-known military preparatory school at New Orleans, affiliated with Tulane university and other educational institutions of eminent standing, is a son of Richard and Olivia (Watts) Walls, and was born at New Orleans, La., June 20, 1873. Richard Walls, the father, was born in Ecuador, in the month of Sept., 1839, and continued resident at the place of his birth until 12 years of age. He studied navigation, and later traveled extensively, finally coming to the United States and ultimately locating at New Orleans. At the beginning of the Civil war he promptly enlisted in the Confederate service as a member of the 8th Louisiana regiment, subsequently serving 3 years in the army and the fourth year in the navy. He took part in the Virginia campaign, serving under Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley. He was mustered out at the close of the war and returned to New Orleans, where he soon afterward engaged with W. H. Brown & Son, coal merchants, remaining with this firm throughout the whole after period of his active life, about 30 years. Mr. Walls is now retired, but still residing in New Orleans. Olivia Watts was born in the state of Mississippi, and was married to Richard Walls Dec. 26, 1867. To their union 4 children, as follow, were born: Irene, now Mrs. B. E. Allingham; Leah, now the widow of L. W. Daniels; Beulah, now the widow of R. T. Stocker; William E., the subject of this sketch. The last named was educated in the public schools of New Orleans, followed by the intermediate class in the Tulane high school, from which he received his high school diploma in June, 1888. He entered the academic department of Tulane university in the autumn of the same year and graduated in the class of 1892 with the degree of B. A. Following his graduation he did 2 years of post-graduate work in the same institution, pursuing Latin as a major subject and Roman history and German as minor subjects. For this work he received the degree of M. A. in 1894. In the same year he formed a partnership with a classmate, J. H. Rapp, and established the Rugby school. The school prospered, and 3 years after the start, in 1897, a third partner, Robert S. Vickers was admitted and the school reorganized, being at that time converted into a military school under the name of Rugby academy. At the end of the term of 1897-98 both Mr. Rapp and Mr. Vickers withdrew from the academy, and Mr. Walls formed a new partnership, including W. C. Jones and G. S. Raymond. This combination continued until 1903, when Mr. Walls and Mr. Jones took over Mr. Raymond's interest and bought the property at the corner of Bordeaux street and St. Charles avenue, where the academy is now located. Six years later Mr. Jones retired from the academy to enter the practice of law, and since that time Mr. Walls has conducted the school alone. The present building, which is in every respect a model for its purpose, was erected in 1912, and the property is now valued at about $45,000. The academy has experienced a steady growth from the first, when but 24 students were enrolled, to the present, when the enrollment is 150. The academy has a full 4-year high school course, requiring fourteen and one-half units of work for graduation. Mathematics, including 2 years of algebra, and the whole of geometry, plane and solid; 2 units as a minimum of, either Latin or French, and 4 years of English, constitute the required work. Other studies, enough to make up the 14-1/2 units, are elective. This academy is affiliated with Tulane university, Louisiana state university, the University of the South (Sewanee, Tenn.), and the University of Virginia (Charlottsville, Va.). July 12, 1904, Mr. Walls was married to Miss Eva Allen, daughter of John Q. and Martha (Scott) Allen, of Belton, Tex. Mr. and Mrs. Walls have 1 son, Edward Garland, now 8 years old and a pupil in Rugby academy. Mr. Walls has been a member of the Episcopal church from early youth. He is affiliated with the democratic party, and while he has taken an active part in political affairs, is a public-spirited citizen fully abreast of the times and vitally concerned in all matters affecting the common welfare and advancement of the people among whom the activities of his life are east. Rugby academy is situated in the most beautiful part of the city of New Orleans, on the most attractive of the city's residential streets, convenient to car lines by which all parts of the city may be quickly reached, and only a short distance from one of the city's large and beautiful parks, and in the vicinity of Tulane university. Its location could hardly be more favorable. Mr. Walls, the head of the academy, enjoys the confidence and esteem of a very wide circle of friends and acquaintances in the city and adjacent regions, and occupies a high place among southern educators.

Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 450-452. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.