Aurora Gardens Academy

I attended this school from Kindergarden to Fourth grade (1973-1979). The Battle of New Orleans was fought on all or a portion of the school grounds, and I remember seeing bullet holes in the trees. Also, I as well as others dug up artifacts which of course I no longer have. My brother once dug up a tiny brass bell, and I remember something sticking out of the ground near a tree. I can only describe it as something one would use to sharpen a knife. I tried several times to dig this object out of the ground, but of course I did not have a shovel or similar tool to use. Unfortunately, I never asked a coach or teacher to come take a look at it.

I attended this school for only one year, 5th grade 1986. I remember playing flag football in the field behind the school near the river. I also remember the headmaster having a discussion with us. He said, "today I was approached by a salesman offering to sell me a product that would remove graffiti from walls, and I told him that we do not have any need for such a product because all of our students here are exceptional". For some reason that really stuck with me. Sorry, I don't have anything more poignant or historical, just some old memories.

I attended Aurora Gardens in the 70's and early 80's. I was in the last 9th grade class before they stopped having high school classes. I loved seeing the bullet holes and the soldiers names carved into the trees from the Battle of New Orleans. I remember the wonderful cultural field trips that we took to the opera, ballet, zoo, museums, etc. I also remember wearing the God-awful one piece red gym suits and how horribly they stuck to the skin in the Louisiana heat. My brother attended from 1st-3rd grades. It was a wonderful school that had the most amazing curriculum. I'm sad to learn that it closed.

I attended Aurora Gardens during the late 60's - midway of 1971 I remember when the gym was built,we really thought we were something.Also we were always looking for something from the battle that was fought on these grounds.I have very fond memories of these years and I am deeply sadden to find that it has closed. Can anyone me on the reason for its closure,I have not lived in that area since 1971. My email is terryelliott7508@bellsouth.net

I attended late 70 to early 80's. I have visited this site thru the years and the stories came more and more as time would reveal. The school was separated by a tree line and private-public ruined sport field, which both areas belonging to the school. The school was private but owned by the catholic church.
The tree line and ditch was the last land mark left visible from the war. The school was above others for studies and development and a bit home school but it
had a history with child abuse with a couple of the instructors (the idea of loose lips sinks ships haunted contracted persons livelihoods, kept the seen quite). In time the money would not support increasing cost to run the school, including that special public schools offering west bank families of higher means, approval to apply to their magnet teaching with some higher help and contributions; new school planning at that time and less costly to the parents which last school high billing made way for some change.
The school closed and the roman head quarters left time to push the final act
for the late 90's. The property came for sale very cheap and members of the
next door tennis membership with the right city council board approval including quite dealings
forced the deal to level all land including the yearly youth sports park and history to start a pyramid scheme for development of a privet suburb development.
One of the interesting after stories, think in 1988 or 87; there a warehouse
between the two places near the ditch. The oldest grounds keeper had kept active, seen living or thought to been living free in the place for the school for many years(truck seem to come and go everyday from that place).
One day i got into that warehouse due to a open door and found during a event. A lot of private girls
schools storage from the European ruined church(a lot of Latin and Italian writings and books lying about). The church had the warehouse filled with things that where left from both sides of the world; strange list of finds.
One of the strangest was a room hidden behind those relics and boxes. You had to search to find this living cove. It was totally chain linked even the door with boxes hiding all views. It had a single bed, one hanging lamp, one chair and a water bowl with a towel. I found books of porno and a lot of underground Satan magazines and written materials stuffed between the bed and springs. The Satan stuff was heavily depicted with occult practice with illustrations and writings. The area looked very out of date but currently used. The bed well made and tight like a military bunk. Every part in the room look as nothing was out of place.
Me and some mates reported some of this with our friends and some of this got to some elders, but no interest was shown (like some over imagined gossip).
Three days had passed and some wandering adults came the place but the whole warehouse was found empty and the grounds keeper was never seen again( if you live N.O. you know you will always come across people you once knew or someone who has ruin across them at least once or two times every ten years).
I have more stories and memories of that place and I will add more at a later time.

I attended AGA for two years in 1976 and 1977 (4th and 5th grade). My parents took me out after the principal; don't remember his name-only his face, shook me violently for running on campus. This seemed to be the cardinal rule there. I seem to remember everyday I attended that school. I remember our "rhetoric" teacher and his un-kept teeth. He would get in your face and pronounce words with his dragon breath. I need to find my year book.

I remember my friends there, Thomas Bird or is it Byrd?, and of course I will never forget my first true love Andrea Fortino...She is the girl who I burned her image in my mind and will never forget. I remember Valentines Day 1976 when I placed a huge box of chocolates on her desk. Some other kid said it was from him. Anyway, I continued to give her valentines for several months after that.

Years after leaving AGA, I played baseball and football at Plantation Athletic Club next door to the campus. I remember a tree with the dead soldier’s names and I remember the bullet holes. One day after practice me and some other kids walked towards the levee and one of them saw something sticking out of the ground. He pulled it out and it was a real no kidding sword handle. We took turns taking home. Needless to say I was not the one who got it last.

I live in East Tennessee now with my wonderful wife and son. Life is good.

Steve Yoakum yoakum2@comcast.net

I went to AGA from 86-88. I was in Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades. I remember the trees with the bullet holes in them with soldiers names on them. I can remember thinking of how huge the school was to me. The play area with the swings and jungle gym seemed so large and vast. I also remember playing lots of soccer during recess. For some reason soccer was a very popular sport there.

I later on became friends with Head PE coach Steve Volo's son Ryan Volo, who was one year ahead of me. Ive only come across a very small handful of people i remember attending school with.

The one thing that sticks out in my mind is how gorgeous the school was in the spring time. I wish i would have stayed there for my grammer school education.

Probable some where in early 2000 or 2001 i drove past the location of the school and found a new neighborhood. I remember wishing how badly the school was still there just so i go walk around again.