Heloise Cenas

According to an article written by one of her students, she was educated in Boston. [Memories of a Southern Woman of Letters by Grace King pp 89-91]

1864 – June – Heloise leaves New Orleans with Adelicia to come to Belmont Mansion. It is unclear if this is when she starts working as a tutor for the family

1864 – September – In a letter, Heloise wrote to her family that the Belmont “grounds are more beautiful than ever.

1865 – May – The Acklen family leaves for a Grand Tour through Europe. It is assumed Heloise left her position as a tutor and returned to New Orleans. However, she will carry on a lifelong correspondence with the Acklen children.

1865 – Following the Civil War and the death of her father Hilary Cenas, the Cenas family needed a means to support themselves. Her mother Margaret, along with her sisters, founded the Cenas Institute for girls at the corner of Claiborne and Esplande Avenues. This school continued to operate into the 20th century.

1888 – She chaperoned a party of young girls “prominent in Baltimore society” on a trip through Europe and begins teaching at “one of the most prosperous girls’ schools” in the city.

1892 – Heloise is now operating her own school, having taken over from a “Mrs Parkhurt’s” and renamed the institution “Miss Cenas’s School and Kindergarten” on 4 East Eager St. According to a former student, Heloise published some writings in the Atlantic Monthly and her specialty was in teaching literature and languages. Census never married though she often spent summers during this time period with her friends at a cottage she owned in Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

1911 – August 28 – She died in Arlington Maryland at the age of 74 and was buried in Metairie, Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans.