Alumni return to New Orleans to honor vocational school that opened office doors

A group of women who graduated from the Adult Education Center in New Orleans met in mid-May for a reunion. They returned to the site where they learned the office skills that allowed them to enter the white-collar workforce in the South.

The vocational school opened in 1965 at Exchange Place in the French Quarter. It provided training in typewriting and shorthand to Black women who sought employment in corporate offices. The center closed in 1972 after serving 431 students.

Raphael Morgan enrolled at the center in 1970 following high school. She said she could not afford college and viewed the program as her best opportunity for a career. She paid $40 for books and completed her training in 1971. Morgan later earned a teaching degree from the University of New Orleans and worked as a teacher, an employee of the Orleans Parish School Board, and an insurance adjuster.

Alice Geoffray served as a teacher at the school for seven years. Her son, Jeff Geoffray, said she was a seasoned educator who won a national classroom teacher award before joining the program. He noted that his mother was not a civil rights activist but dedicated herself to helping students survive and advance. He stated that his mother believed the women were talented and that they became the first African American secretaries in many Deep South offices.

Jeff Geoffray said his mother maintained contact with her former students for many years. He added that she would be proud of their achievements. The graduates integrated offices at companies including Shell, Standard Oil, and Pan-American Life, as well as city hall.

Jeff Geoffray and his sister Jeanne currently run the nonprofit 431 Exchange. The organization is named after the 431 graduates and the location of the former school. It advocates for equal access to education and offers scholarships to adults pursuing higher learning. A PBS documentary about the school and the nonprofit is expected in 2027.

Morgan said the nonprofit has done tremendous work to keep the legacy alive. She expressed excitement for the upcoming film to share the group’s history with a wider audience. The reunion marked a moment to reflect on the training that changed the professional trajectories of these women.