W. M. D. Gaar Winn Parish, LA

Contributed by Greggory E. Davies

120 Ted Price Lane

Winnfield, LA  71483

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William Michael David Gaar



President of Hudson Training School, Hudson, La.





Mr. Gaar is one of the hustling busy men who has been strictly in the swim in Winn 

Parish growth.  The Gaars came from German in 1732 to Georgia.  William R. Gaar 

was the father our subject and was born and reared in Georgia, near Atlanta, born 

May 15, 1838.  He came to Winn Parish early and was a lifelong citizen and farmer 

and mill man.  



Aug. 15, 1861, he married Francis Caldwell.  She was born in Mississippi and came 

to Louisiana in girlhood.  They had four children.  Mr. Gaar died February 19, 1904.



Our subject was born in Winn Parish Apr. 1st 1863 and was educated in the common 

schools.  Fifteen years ago he began preaching in the M. P. Church, and later 

conceived an ambition to build a high grade school in his own neighborhood, and 

began to establish Hudson Training School, and Sept., 1896, the doors were thrown 

open for students.  The college is co-educational and undenominational and already 

has an excellent faculty with a literary course, a business college course, stenography 

and typewriting and music.  They also have a class in theology.  



Mr. Gaar has spent $ 20,000 already and the end is not in sight.  We have an engraving 

of one building in this issue, and other one even better is now nearing completion and a

commodious brick is contemplated.  One hundred pupils are enrolled already this session.  

The growth of this institution is phenomenal.  It is located about nine miles northeast 

from Winnfield, but is approached by rail from Dodson.  



Mr. Gaar is a man of affairs.  He owns farms, a store, saw mills, shingle mill and is sole 

proprietor of the college and is making things move around him as few men have the 

opportunity or capacity to do.  He is however, a typical Winn Parish product.  He is a 

Mason.  He owns 5,000 acres of land and says about our future that it has no equal.



Motto:  "To develop my section spiritually and financially, and to enlist our young 

people in what is best for them."





(The above article was copied from The Guardian newspaper, Vol. XXVII, No. 8-9, 

published September-October, 1907 at Winnfield, LA., and is now on file at the 

Watson Memorial Library, Cammie Henry Archives, Northwestern State University,

Natchitoches, LA., and was submitted by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, LA.)