FRANK OLIVER SCHMIDT

In September of 1925 F.O. Schmidt registered as a freshman in the college of Medicine at Tulane University and was invited to live at the home of Mrs. Adele Stewart at 1840 Marengo street as a paying guest. Mrs. Stewart was the mother of Dudly a former Springhillian who was then beginning his junior year in medicine. One of his classmates, Carl A. Weiss of Baton Rouge was also a resident. The 1927 Jambalaya made this prophecy for senior Carl Weiss: "With knowledge aplenty and friends galore, he is bound to go out and make the world take notice." Eight years later on September 8, 1935 he did make the world take notice; not by knowledge or friendship, but as the assassin of Senator Huey P. Long. He himself was killed at the same time.

In 1925 New Orleans was the largest city in the South, including Texas. Electric street cars were the means of transportation for most people, and all car lines led to Canal Street, the artery of the downtown area. For Tulane students it was the place for week-end entertainment. There was top class vaudeville at the Orpheum and Lowe's State. A stock company at the St. Charles produced a different play every week. More magnificent theaters were built with the arrival of talking pictures; the new air-conditioned Saenger opened in 1927. Symphony orchestras, operas and dancing troops were presented at the Tulane and Crescent theaters. In the Vieux Carre one had a choice for dining; from a coffee shop to Galatois. To the French Market for coffee was an after-threatre treat. The Schmidt students also spent many week-ends at home, going by train.

Frank O. Schmidt was a member of the Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity and vice-president of the Pan Hellenic Council. He was class vice-president in his freshman and senior years. He received his doctorate in medicine on June 11, 1930 and served a two-year internship at the new Charity Hospital. In June 1932 he opened his office in the Lopez building on the southeast corner of Howard avenue and Reynoir street in Biloxi.