Printed in Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS on 7/28/1938:

"School Principal Dies at Biloxi"

"Miss Ethel Arguelles, 39, lifelong Biloxian and principal of Howard 1 primary school for 13 years, died at Biloxi Hospital at 9:30 today of general perotonitis following an operation for ruptured and abscessed appendix. Stricken at State Teachers College on July 12 while taking a summer school course she remained in Hattiesburg two days longer to complete her work and then returned to Biloxi. She was taken to Biloxi Hospital a week ago and her condition had been very serious for several days. Miss Arguelles graduated from Biloxi High School in 1916. She taught as a substitute in the old East End School in 1916 and from then until 1922 taught fourth grade there until she was transferred to the Howard 1 primary school where in 1925 she was appointed principal. She has been first grade teach and principal there since that time. For a short time in 1917 and 1918 she was teacher in a rural school near Ocean Springs in Jackson County. She had studied during the summers at Tulane, Peabody, State Teachers College and Loyola. Since she has been principal at Howard 1 the enrollment has greatly increased. There are now 350 pupils and eight teachers in the school. She has been a consistent student of summer school, following the new trend in education which Education and Mississippi Education Associations and the Red Cross. She was an energetic professional worker and followed all activities of her school and the other schools with the closest interest and heartfelt support. She attended and supported all school forums, plays and other activities and took particular interest in all athletic events such as the football, baseball and track programs and the various tournaments. She was one of the most ardent followers of these activities and was liked by all principals, teachers and pupils. 'She has served the Biloxi schools long and faithfully and could be depended upon for services in every way,' President E. A. DeMiller of the school board said. 'She accomplished a great deal at Howard 1 under the handicaps of an old school. Her death is a blow to the schools.' Supt. George Ditto when informed of the passing of Miss Arguelles expressed profound regret. He said she was one of the outstanding teachers and principals of the Biloxi school system and had rendered very satisfactory services. She was loved and respected by all, he said. The school board as a body will attend the funeral services. Miss Arguelles was a member of the W.B.A., Catholic Woman's Club, Howard 1 P.T.A, N.C.C.W. and had been a lady of ceremonies for the W.B.A. and treasurer for the P.T.A. She was a faithful worker in the annual Christmas distributions to the poor children of the city. She leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Arguelles, five sisters, Misses Florence, Lillian, Bernadine, Cecile and Louise, and four brothers, Warren, Albert, Frank and Donald, all of Biloxi. The funeral will be Friday from the residence at 9 a.m. with 9:30 mass at the Church of the Nativity."


Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Records, Book 24, pg 240: Ethel was 40 years, 7 months, 5 days old when she died "rupture of gangrous pertoritis, pelvis abscess". She lived at 413 E. Howard Ave. and was a schoolteacher and principal at Howard Primary School #1.