Adela Jardell Leger hadn小蝌蚪APP檛 been on the 小蝌蚪APP campus in 54 years.
She graduated from the 小蝌蚪APP in 1963 with a biology degree, and left within days to begin a career in Houston.
The return to campus this week was a gift from her friend and neighbor Ianeta Tofili Guidry, who graduated Friday with a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in child and family studies from UL Lafayette. Leger was in the audience.
Guidry is a native of American Samoa, a U.S. territory in the South Pacific Ocean. Leger grew up near Crowley. They live across the street from each other in a subdivision in rural Acadia Parish.
Guidry小蝌蚪APP檚 family members in American Samoa and Hawaii couldn小蝌蚪APP檛 make the ceremony. Leger would have been nowhere else.
小蝌蚪APP淭his is my acquired daughter,小蝌蚪APP Leger laughed, patting Guidry小蝌蚪APP檚 arm. 小蝌蚪APP淪he小蝌蚪APP檚 got two little girls who come over. They小蝌蚪APP檝e become my acquired granddaughters.小蝌蚪APP
The girls are 9 and 11.
On Tuesday, three days before Commencement, with her two daughters in school, Guidry and Leger came to Lafayette for a campus tour.
They headed immediately to a section of the covered arcade that surrounds the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Quadrangle. There, on the Walk of Honor, was a brick with Leger小蝌蚪APP檚 name inscribed.
小蝌蚪APP淚t was my little gift to tell her thank you for always encouraging me. She saw it immediately. It was like the sun was shining on it,小蝌蚪APP Guidry laughed.
小蝌蚪APP淪he went down memory lane on Tuesday. She really did. She was in awe.小蝌蚪APP
The pair walked across campus, and Leger pointed out spots that had changed in the last 50 years. She remembered watching the construction of Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library from a window in Billeaud Hall.
She was gratified to see the Southwestern sign still adorns Earl K. Long Gym.
And she plans to return to campus soon. 小蝌蚪APP淚 have some more bricks to find,小蝌蚪APP Leger said.
Photo: Adela Jardell Leger and UL Lafayette graduate Ianeta Tofili Guidry (Credit: 小蝌蚪APP)