H.L. Bourgeois recognizes longest serving teacher

“And the LONGEST-SERVING teacher in the history of H. L. Bourgeois High School is… MR. GARY LITTLE! He came “with the bricks,” and he was the face of shop for four decades. In the early years, he was joined by other teachers, but it is no exaggeration when we say that industrial arts at HLB literally began and ended with Gary Little. Generation upon generation of young Braves learned the basics of woodworking and other technical skills from this much-loved teacher, and the results of his dedication to his craft are evident throughout our community. With his no-nonsense, safety-first attitude – and that iconic brown/cream-colored pickup truck – he is truly a living legend! For the many, many colleagues who came and went during Mr. Little’s time at Bourgeois, he was the tall, intimidating figure with a heart of gold. He could be counted on for just about anything, and as he became one of the central figures of our faculty, he remained a humble team player. Many memories were made over the years, and those moments form the core of the culture that has developed at H. L. Bourgeois over the last 50 years. When Mr. Little retired in 2014, he was the last of his expertise in Terrebonne Parish School District, signaling the end of industrial arts in our four high schools. Today, the shop building has been nicely repurposed into facilities for marching band, weights and conditioning, and athletic training, but remnants of its past linger on. We’re still finding his handwritten notes from time to time, and our entire campus is filled with cabinets, shelves, podiums, and other items that were built under his careful direction. Congratulations, Mr. Little, for earning your place in the HLB history books, and thank you for your continued influence on thousands of Braves!”