LaVerne H. Bates (also known as Verne Bates or L.H. Bates) (1904-1982) was an educator, printer, public official and the early director and namesake of Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Washington.
LaVerne Hazen Bates was born on May 9, 1904, in Washington as the eldest child of Olive S. Chesley (Bates)Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934 accessible on familysearch.com and Beverly Bates, a teamster originally from Minnesota.United States Social Security Death Index accessed on familysearch.com1910 census, accessed on familysearch.comWashington, County Records, 1803-2010 Spokane Bates attended public schools in Spokane, Washington.The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 24 Apr 1914, Fri, Page 10 (accessible on newspapers.com)Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, Washington), 08 Apr 1931, Wed, Page 16(accessible on newspapers.com) In 1924, he began working as a printer in Spokane's trade school."Security Chief Former Printer," The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 23 Aug 1951, Thu Page 30 By at least 1934, he was serving as a printer's assistant at North Central High School in Spokane,The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 04 Apr 1934, Wed, Page 20(accessible on newspapers.com) and in 1937, LaVerne Bates was appointed as an instructor of printing in both the trade school and high school, becoming active in the National Youth Administration.The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 26 Aug 1937, Thu, Page 11 (accessible on newspapers.com)"Security Chief Former Printer," The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 23 Aug 1951, Thu Page 30 In 1944, LaVerne Hazen Bates (L. H. Bates) became the director of the Tacoma Vocational School, which was renamed as the Tacoma Vocational-Technical Institute in 1947. In 1951, Governor Arthur Langlie appointed Bates to be employment security commissioner and in 1955, Bates was appointed director of the department of labor and industries.Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, Washington) 24 Apr 1956, Tue Page 9 (accessible on newspapers.com)Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, Washington), 11 Jun 1952, Wed, Page 68 (accessible on newspapers.com) After L. H. Bates retired as a director of the Tacoma Vocational-Technical Institute in 1969, the Tacoma School Board changed the school's name to the "L. H. Bates Vocational Technical Institute."http://www.batestech.edu/about-bates (accessed 8/1/15) Bates was residing in Tacoma when he died in 1982 and was buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Tacoma.United States Social Security Death Index accessible on familysearch.org; burial information and grave photo accessible on findagrave References