Draft:Harry Methvin

Harry T. Methvin is a local legend, historian, and a modern-day iconic figure across Southwest Louisiana. The author of numerous short stories and tall tales, he taught English, Writing, and Literature at several schools across the Lake Area. He has won many awards and been recognized for numerous achievements during his lifetime.

Childhood
Methvin was born in a small community known as Hargrove, Louisiana, just outside of Dequincy, where he has lived his whole life. Harry was born on October 10, 1945 to the late Horace "Buster" and Ella "Aunt Tish" Methvin. He was the seventh of nine children. He had a humble but adventurous upbringing, which can often be heard in the stories he tells.

Teaching career
Methvin graduated from DeQuincy High School in 1963. He graduated with his Bachelor's degree from the University of South Louisiana (USL, now ULL - University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and Master's degree in English Education from McNeese State University in 1971. Methvin began his teaching career at St. Louis Catholic High School in 1972 and was a memorable figure to everyone who walked through the commons for 17 years, during which time he taught English and Industrial Arts and served as the Head of the Language Arts Department. In 1991, Methvin accepted a job at Vinton Northside Middle School teaching 7th and 8th grade English. During the five years he taught at Vinton Northside, the school went from one of the lowest performing schools in the parish to one of the highest, increasing 13 points on the LEAP test. During his time there, Methvin was named Teacher of the Year in 1993. He was also one of seven finalists for Calcasieu Parish Middle School Teacher of the Year. Methvin has also taught at the Calcasieu Correctional Center and Vinton High School. He currently works for the City of DeQuincy.

Memberships and publishings
In the Spring of 2006, Methvin acquired his Certificate of Graduation from Southwest Louisiana Master Gardener Classes. He has been actively gardening most of his adult life, growing a variety of angel trumpets, asiatic lilies, petunias, climbing roses, and more.

Harry Methvin is a member of the Southwest Louisiana Historical Association. Members of the Historical Association met on August 15, 2006 in DeQuincy, La. to dedicate and unveil the Newport Industries historical marker. Harry Methvin organized the ceremony which included comments from Jerry Bell, mayor of DeQuincy, and Nell Hayes, past president of the Association. Entertainment of a historical nature was provided by Hershel Frazier, singer/songwriter, who sang his Stump Plant Song and Harry Methvin who recited his composition of The Stumper’s Prayer.

Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB), a subsidiary of the Public Broadcasting System(PBS), co-published a documentary on October 9, 2009, with Pat Mire that was based on the book Swapping Stories: Folktales from Louisiana, edited by Carl Lindahl, Maida Owens, C. Renae Harvison, included one of Methvin's stories when they brought together some of the best storytellers in Louisiana, including comedians A.J. Smith and Dave Petitjean, Creole storyteller Enola Mathews, the late Bel Abbey, and Colonel Ike Hamilton. In this documentary, the Garrison Keilor of Hargrove Settlement (Harry T. Methvin) presents a humorous portrait of life in this tine Calcasieu Parish community which lies just north of DeQuincy. Harry's anecdotes reveal some of the community's more memorable residents and incidents which range from unexpected events in church to ornery mules. He also shares tall tales one is expected to believe. Methvin has served as Vice President of the DeQuincy Railroad Museum Board. While an active member of the board, he assisted in planning and developing a display made up of an extensive collection of model engines, which displays a collection donated to the Railroad Museum in 2006. He has also served on the DeQuincy Centennial Committee preparing for the city’s centennial anniversary and has volunteered with the Calcasieu Historic and Preservation Society. He was even named “Citizen of the Year’ by the Dequincy Chamber of Commerce.

Latest awards recognitions
Methvin was named the newest member of the St. Louis Catholic High School Hall of Fame on Thursday, March 14, 2013. The ceremony was held in the SLCHS Commons and honored Methvin for his many years of service to the school.

Methvin appeared on KPLC-TV's Louisiana Traveler on November 27, 2013. On the episode, he showed off some of his life-ling collectibles and antiques, including Coca-Cola items, medical paraphernalia (Upon the death of a local physician several decades ago, Harry was presented with a large collection of medical/medicinal items, including bottles of tinctures and salves, instruments and devices, and even some medical literature), antique children's toys, some wax cylinders and wind-up record players from before they needed electricity. "This particular one was built on March 1st of 1901. They were used in rural churches where they didn't have electricity or an organ or perhaps not even a piano," he said. Similar to a player piano, this little organ is operated only by one hand. "Well, I like things that are old. Certainly things that are mechanical. It makes you wonder what are going to be the things that are going to be collectible a hundred years from now because everything is made to be disposed of upon its completion, but this thing is 112 years old and still works as well as the day it was made," Harry said. As long as they're working, there'll be plenty of music filling this home in the woods.

On December 7, 2013, Methvin was presented with the 2013 Civic Pride Award by the DeQuincy Civic Club for his prior, current, and continued contributions to the city and surrounding communities, particularly his home community of Hargrove.