By Jessica Gorman
As a student at Minden High School in the 1990s, I remember the Alma Mater on the wall at the front of the auditorium. At the bottom was the author’s name, Mollie Blake. It didn’t occur to me until many years later to wonder just who Mollie was.
Mollie Arnold Spencer was born on 20 April 1877 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas to John Aaron and Phoebe Spencer. On 23 December 1899, she married James Dwight Blake in Alton, Illinois where her sister lived.
The couple made their home in Arkadelphia. Dwight Blake was a band director. In 1924, the couple moved to Minden at the urging of Mr. Joe Miller. Mr. Blake took charge of the first municipal band in Minden and a few years later, the first boys’ band was formed, but the full story of Mr. Blake and Minden’s bands is an article for another day.
Mr. Blake served as band director at Minden High School for many years with Mollie right there by his side. One newspaper article reveals that she became interested in music and bands after her marriage and was self-taught. She helped with teaching, assisted with preparing the band for marching and stunts, and traveled with the band to competitions, performances, and football games. According to Aubrey Drake, “Mrs. Blake sees that the marching is done right.” She also headed up the Band Mother’s club.
Dwight and Mollie never had any children, but it is said that she treated each and every member of the band as though they were her own. This sentiment is echoed by a 1949 newspaper mentioning flowers given to Mollie for Mother’s Day by Euguene Frazier. The accompanying note read, “To you because you have always been such a wonderful mother to all of the boys and girls in Minden.” It’s obvious that Mollie was held in high esteem by band members and the people of Minden as another newspaper states, “Mollie has been a mother, sister, and friend to all.” During WWII, she made a flag that hung in the MHS band room. She affixed a star to represent each former band member who was serving in the armed forces. The flag contained over 100 stars.
In addition to her work with the band, Mollie was active at First Methodist Church, the Methodist Missionary Society, and the Women’s Society of Christian Service.
In 1945, Dwight Blake retired as band director at Minden High School and the Spring Concert was given in honor of the Blakes. The couple moved to Hope, Arkansas to be near Mollie’s sister, Annie, whose husband had died the previous year. The people of Minden were sad to see them go.
Annie died in 1946 and the Blakes returned to Minden in 1948. At the spring concert in 1949, they were presented with an orchid from the high school band members and roses from the junior band. The Blakes celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary later that year. Dwight passed away 30 January 1951 and Mollie on 2 May 1957. They are buried in the Minden Cemetery.
The Latin phrase alma mater translates to “nourishing mother.” Not only did Mollie Blake author Minden High School’s alma mater, she herself seems to have been seen as a “nourishing mother” in the eyes of a community who loved her.
(Jessica Gorman is Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum, Webster Parish Historian, President of the Minden Cemetery Association, and an avid genealogist.)