About Mrs. Mabel W. Hoggard
Mrs. Mabel W. Hoggard was the first black educator in the State of Nevada. She was a 45-year resident of Las Vegas and employed by the Las Vegas Union School District in 1946. In 1969, she was the chairman of the Westside Council, a coalition which was instrumental in establishing a district wide lunch program in the elementary schools. Mabel Hoggard taught in a number of elementary schools until June 1970, when she retired.
Her career in educating Nevada's students did not end, however, upon Mrs. Hoggard's retirement from the classroom. She remained a tireless worker on behalf of the people of the West Las Vegas area and for education. Mabel Hoggard was a member of many civic and professional organizations, including the League of Women Voters, the Zion Methodist Church, and the Las Vegas branch of the NAACP. She was a two-term secretary of the Clark County Chapter of the American Red Cross, the treasurer of the Las Vegas Classroom Teachers Association for 2 years, and a life member of the National Education Association.
Mrs. Hoggard received the Distinguished Service Award in the Field of Education from the Clark County Teachers Association in April 1968. In 1974, Bonanza Elementary School was renamed the Mabel W. Hoggard School by the board of school trustees as a special tribute in honor of her many years of service and dedication to the schools of Clark County and to the community.
In addition to being known as one of the finest primary teachers in the county dedicated to children, Mabel Hoggard also raised three sons, and was married to J. David Hoggard, former executive director of the Clark County Economic Opportunity Board.
Mabel W. Hoggard's achievements in the field of education, were her dedication to children, her service to the School District, and her contributions to her profession and her community have been outstanding. This extraordinary woman has served her State and country with distinction, and her presence will certainly be missed in Nevada.
