In honor and memory of Elmhurst High School, its alumni, teachers and staff, The Waynedale News has prepared a 100 article selection from the past fifteen years covering Elmhurst topics. As this is a special section with selected stories, please feel free to use the search function on our website to find more specific articles from Elmhurst history.
On Saturday, September 14, 2019, the Elmhurst High School graduating class of 1959 held their 60th class reunion. We are one of the first few classes to hold a reunion since the final bricks came tumbling down and the building was no more! However, . . .
Over the past 3 weeks, alumni Don and Hope Dressler have been working to preserve key elements of the gym floor at Elmhurst High School. A race for time against the excavator which will be coming to that side of the building within the next few weeks, the couple have been working to preserve the ‘E’ and both Trojan Head graphics which adorn the wooden floor.
The Dressler’s both graduated from Elmhurst, Don in 1986 and Hope in 1991, who remembered attending gym class, basketball games and other special events in the gym.
The idea to preserve the floor originated through conversations with fellow alumni who also felt it was a key feature of the school that should be saved. The Dressler’s sought approval from Hanson, the current owner of the property, as well as Lunz Excavating, the demolition company. After some persistence, they were able to gain the consent to begin work.
“It’s been a labor of love,” Hope commented. After some test cuts, they quickly discovered that the job would be a little more complicated than originally anticipated, but they had a plan. The floor has a basketball court-style surface that is thick and slatted, with a sub-floor that is glued to concrete, so instead of carefully taking up each wooden slat individually and piecing it together later, the plan was to keep each section together and move it all as one unit. “I commend Don as the leader in the process. I was just helping, sort of like an apprentice,” Hope humbly explained, as she remembered the many hours over the past 3 weeks that it had taken to accomplish the task.
The ‘E’ and Trojan Heads will be stored in a safe location until a permanent home is secured. The Dressler’s would like to see the pieces displayed in a public space on the south side of Fort Wayne, possibly included in the ‘Electric Works’ building or in a storefront featuring Elmhurst memorabilia. They also noted that there were efforts by others to preserve more elements of the former high school, however, none have began recently. Smaller items such as lockers, doors, clocks, etc. have been purchased by private individuals since the demolition process of the school has begun.
Hope commented, “Even when I attended school, I knew Hanson would buy the property someday, so it was no surprise to me when I heard the heartbreaking news. But, we’ll always have our memories and soon we’ll find a permanent home for the floor and items we were able to save.”
As the sun came up in Waynedale, an area historical building came down. It was Monday, May 14, 2018 when demolition began on the exterior of the Elmhurst High School building located on Ardmore Avenue.
Prior to demolition, the gas, water, electric were shut off and unwanted materials were removed which took over 4 months to clean up and secure according to the hired licensed remediation contractor. Then the demolition experts started to tear down the building from the inside out.
“On Monday, Lunz Excavating began tearing down the hall between the Language Hall and part of the Theatre. They were the first to go…” said Don Goss, retired theatre and fine arts teacher, as he reported the demise of the school. A long-time staff member of the school, Mr. Goss designed the theatre over 20 years ago.
The excavators took down the south side of the building first. They currently are using an excavator to do the work rather than a wrecking ball or blasting. They will continue tearing down, cutting through the courtyard, then they will work north on the building. The front of the building will be left standing for a while, as it will be at least 4 months, according to Lunz, before the entire building will be completely down. The foundation, which is built on a hydrogen sulfite pocket, will remain.
Reportedly, there will be no limestone recovery or excavation in close proximity of the school building area. The current plan is to cover the site with three feet of dirt once the building is down, and, seed it over making it a grassy area.
Reminiscing, Mr. Goss spoke of the Elmhurst Garden Club where his mother was an active member. “At the age of 10, I helped out with the entries for the Flower Show which was held inside the school. The school at the time was not a part of the Fort Wayne Community School system,” he said. One of his most memorable moments was when they decorated the stage in the old gym for the Flower Show. “We built it using small trees, rocks and a water basin. And a lot of flowers. It was beautiful!” Mr. Goss graduated from Elmhurst in 1949. Attended college and started teaching there in 1954. “My classes were always full,” he said. “I taught over 10,000 students over the years.”
There seemed to be a range of emotions radiating from the community and those connected to Elmhurst when they heard the news. “So sad. True, it’s just a building, but it’s always sad to see history disappear,” commented a graduate of Elmhurst. Others commented “Sad”, “Sickening,” and “We will always have our memories.” Another noted, “I would love a theatre seat since I spent most of my high school career in there.” While others mentioned that they would like a brick or just a piece-of the historic building as a keepsake.
According to Kris Lunz, representative of Lunz Excavating, bricks from the building will be set out and available to the public for free beginning Wednesday, May 23 in the north parking lot, off of Sandpoint Road. She suggests that those taking bricks to only take 2 to 3, so there is enough for everyone who would like one. Kris also commented that there is still Elmhurst memorabilia available to be purchased, “…like theatre seats, curtains, lockers, cabinets and light fixtures.” And for those interested in those items to join the ‘Recycle Elmhurst High Scool’ Facebook page that is managed by Lunz Excavating for more details.
The original construction of the Elmhurst School building dates back to 1929, and classes began there in 1931 during the Great Depression, in which it had been utilized as a school until June 2010. Since then, the school has been vacant for 8 years, after major budget cuts. Which at that time, the Fort Wayne Community School Board made the decision to close the school, citing high costs to repair and update the building.
In 2017, the decision was made to sell the property. A neighboring mining company, Hanson Aggregates, submitted the winning bid and purchased the building and adjoining property last year. In August of 2017, Hanson Aggregates promptly announced that building would need to come down due to deterioration of its interior. However, before the demolition, they did grant access for alumni groups and community organizations to organize an open house for alumni and former staff, and their families to tour and reminisce inside the building one last time.
“The Elmhurst School building, is coming down,” said Don Goss, “but what happened inside, those students, were made into some of the brightest, and most creative people.”
The significance of the clocks wasn’t lost to the event’s tour guides. “That was the final bell for students here,” said Camille Garrison, of Kingston Residence, as she shepherded a tour group around the school. “In every tour we lead, a guest tells us something fascinating about their experience at school. I’ve heard many of the other guides comment that they’ve enjoyed learning so much about the school’s history as well.”
On Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11, Elmhurst High School opened its doors one final time for a two-day event before its demolition, likely in 2018. Over 2,700 alumni, former staff, and their families took advantage of the opportunity to experience a 25-minute guided tour to reminisce. The tour route included visits to old classrooms, the library, cafeteria, band room, and even a walk across the auditorium stage. Each tour was lead by a guide, many of which were former EHS teachers, through the hallways of the now empty red-and-gray lockers of the building, which have sat vacant for the past 7 years.
On Saturday, the parking lot was jammed-packed with cars in every space. Hundreds of people lined up at the main entrance, some waiting up to an hour for the start of their tour. Groups of about 20 to 30 people toured the building together; each tour leaving about every 7 minutes over the duration of the 10 hours the building was open each day. Throughout the course of both days, over 65 alumni and community members volunteered their time to assist with the event.
Alex Cornwell, Publisher of The Waynedale News and organizer of the event commented, “This has been a very meaningful experience for guests. Not only to see the building one last time, but to reconnect with their memories and former classmates.” Cornwell continued, “While I’m not an alumni, at The Waynedale News, our mission is to connect the people in the community. This event was the perfect example of what we are about and why we took on the arduous task of putting together this event in less than a month. However, the event also took the assistance of many volunteers, including event managers Josh Wolfe (class of ‘96), Jordan Cornwell (The Waynedale News) and Camille Garrison (Kingston Residence).” Cornwell added, “We’d also like to thank Hanson Aggregates for working with us to provide this opportunity, as well as their pre-event work to ensure the safety of guests and secure the building for the event.”
After their tours, guests gathered in the foyer near the gym to take time and look at the Elmhurst memorabilia on display in the old trophy cases. From here, guests were welcomed into the cavernous, school gymnasium furnished with plenty of tables to sit and visit with other graduates and reminisce. Available for purchase were vintage-style postcards featuring a picture of a school bus in front of the old circle drive. However, perhaps the most excitement came upon the arrival of the food truck carrying the ever famous, Elmhurst Sticky Buns. It’s no surprise that they sold out of 1,000 sticky buns in only a couple of hours on Saturday.
Lisa Watson, a 1988 graduate, sat in the school’s gym after her tour, eating a slice of pizza and reminiscing about her days as a high-school actress in Elmhurst’s production of “Up the Down Staircase” and her drama teacher, Mrs. Yoder.
“It’s nice to see all the classes coming together for this,” said Watson, whose Saturday tour was the first time she’d returned to her alma mater since graduation. “This was an amazing school.”
Many alumni were also pleased to find out, upon entering the gym, that Elmhurst’s longest serving teacher was in attendance. Don Goss, alumnus and former teacher of 56 years, was present Friday and Saturday and stayed for the duration of the open hours both days, in order to visit with as many of his former students as he could.
Another alumnus, volunteering both days, was Bill DeHaven, a 1978 graduate who stood in the main hallway, sporting his ‘E’ letterman’s jacket with a track pin for his time as an athlete who ran the 440 meter relay, and competed in the long jump and high jump.
“It’s going to be bittersweet leaving today, knowing I won’t be able to come back again,” DeHaven said. “There’s a lot of memories here.”
The event also served as a fundraiser and food-raiser for Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry, an Elmhurst tradition, which raised over $3,000 and collected almost 500 pounds of canned food. This tradition was lead by Josh Wolfe (class of ‘96), who founded a Facebook group to connect alumni, which spawned the idea for this type of an event. Wolfe also served as an event manager, who announced the event’s progress to his Facebook group’s 5,000 members, recruited volunteers and coordinated food trucks for the event. He also plans to reignite the abandoned alumni association through information collected at the event.
A suggested donation was collected at the school’s entrance, which after event costs, raised $3664 to be split between The Waynedale Sidewalks & Trails Initiative and The Waynedale Corridor Project.
Cornwell commented after the event, “After hundreds of hours and many late nights tirelessly working on the event’s short preplanning timeline, it was the sentimental send off the alumni and former teachers deserved. Citing guests’ many positive comments and thank-you’s, it is with great pride that I reflect on the magnitude of the meaning and purpose of this experience for all who had the opportunity to reminisce in the halls of Elmhurst High School, one final time.”
Editor’s Note: More photos and videos of the event and building will be available to view on waynedale.com/elmhurst
Lifelong friendships were formed right here
As thru the years they grew.
We smile fondly to recall that
Romance oft blossomed too.
We remembered favorite teachers,
Those we considered best–
Passing time has taken its toll
With many laid to rest.
They taught lessons for the future
We listened, we laughed, we shared
They gave us knowledge of life ahead
That we be well prepared.
We reminisced, friends old and new
Discussed our most loved parts
Of sports and academics, too
Still held within our hearts.
One could not count the secrets that
Were whispered in these halls
Or recall completely what’s been
Embedded in these walls.
The building soon will be destroyed,
This structure will be gone
Fond memories though of sterner stuff
–and they shall linger on.
“Hail to old Elmhurst High” we sang
Our voices vibrant, strong.
Across the years, we strain to hear
The echoes of that song.
My last visit a few years ago hoped to see familiar faces. But this visit on November 10, 2017 occasioned a last viewing of what had been so much a part of our lives decades ago. The familiar Elmhurst High School gymnasium where so many band concerts had been enjoyed, school assemblies had been held, and basketball games watched, provided a meet-and-greet gathering place for the progeny of a proud tradition.
It just had a strong sense of finality.
Those who took advantage of the 2017 Elmhurst tour came to once again walk the halls, to somehow touch our past. And to satisfy a hunger to connect with that past. But no hunger is satisfied, except for a time all too brief.
Since my last of three post-graduation visits to Elmhurst, we lost at least three special teachers we had departed long ago. Our fellowships with Byron Carrier, Richard Poor, and Nicholas Werling ended all too soon.
The last few days of school 48 years ago were exciting as we all anticipated approaching graduation. My only memory was thinking during the final week that this group of fellow students, once released into the world, would never, ever join together again. Fittingly, the words of poet, Robert Frost, were used at the 1969 Elmhurst graduation.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
And so, we all took different roads.
But there we were on November 10, back in surroundings that evoked fondest memories. Several years of an abandoned school complex had left its mark. The band room, choir room, and cafeteria were largely unchanged, and the courtyard to its East — minus one Tommy Trojan statue — looked much as it did when we were students at Elmhurst High. But a metaphor for the remainder of the complex, that courtyard had obviously received no care in years. Sadly, the Elmhurst school had received few visitors during its last seven years. The present had replaced the past in our memories, and Elmhurst had faded and disappeared.
American author, Thomas Wolfe, said, “You can never go home.” The world changes. And so, do we, each in our own way. Someone once made the profound observation that the only constant is change. Elmhurst will soon be gone. In the words of the psalmist, “For the wind passes over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.”
We all have one.
A heart.
Perhaps revisiting our past is reaching deep inside of ourselves to somehow verify that ours is still there. Different world, but same heart.
Journeys of the heart are like the two roads that diverged in a wood.
They make all the difference.
Friday, November 10; 8am – 6pm: Alumni who graduated in years 1969 or earlier, and their immediate family only, as well as former staff members.
Saturday, November 11; 8am – 6pm: Alumni who graduated in years 1970 or after, and their immediate family only.
All attendees will have the opportunity to experience a 25 minute guided walking tour of the main floor of the building, passing main features of their experiences as a student or staff member, such as the Music Rooms, Courtyards, Stage & Auditorium, Lecture Room, Staff Areas, Cafeteria, Library, Main Gym and more. A suggested donation of $5 per person will be collected at the entrance. Proceeds will benefit the Waynedale Community, split between the Waynedale Sidewalks & Trails Initiative and the Waynedale Corridor Project.
Following the tour, guests are invited to the Main Gym for a ‘Meet & Greet’ with fellow alumni. There will be light refreshments and seating to allow guests to reminisce about their experiences. There will also be Elmhurst mementos available for purchase as a fundraiser for Waynedale community causes.
“As an organizer of many large-scale events promoting community togetherness in the area, we felt there was a need for a final opportunity and closure for the thousands of alumni and staff members who had spent time in the school.” Alex Cornwell, Publisher of The Waynedale News continued, “As unfortunate as the closing was, as well as the slated removal of the building, we are thankful to be granted a two-day opportunity by the property’s current owner, Hanson Aggregates to host this event in support of local causes. For many, this will be a time of sadness, but it will also be a time to celebrate and honor the collection of memories and experiences that occurred within the school.”
The idea for such an event came from many alumni’s comments; which is when Daniel Westrick (class of ‘95) and Josh Wolfe (class of ‘96) began a Facebook group to start gathering input and collecting all class lists of names of alumni. With their experience of organizing community events, The Waynedale News was asked to lead the event and to pursue an agreement with Hanson Aggregates. Camille Garrison, Marketing Director for Kingston Residence Assisted Living and local community advocate has also assisted with the primary planning of event space, volunteers and tours.
With a limited two-day time frame for tours and high attendance anticipated, it is suggested for attendees to arrive early and expect a line. Attendees should look for directional signage for parking and other instructions, which will be posted on the days of the event. As the building has been sitting empty for seven years, attendees should be cautioned that there is some deterioration and they will be required to sign a liability waiver before entering the building. No food, drinks or pets will be allowed inside. Local law enforcement agencies will be providing event security. Attendees should also take note that this event and The Waynedale News has no affiliation with Hanson Aggregates or Fort Wayne Community Schools. The Waynedale News would like to remind guests that this is a time to respect those who would like to step back in time and re-live warm memories of time spent in the school; not a time for negativity in reference to the difficult decisions made by owners of the property.
Elmhurst High School has a rich history dating back to its original construction in 1929. In March of 2010, the Fort Wayne Community School Board voted to close the school, citing a budget reduction. FWCS announced the property for sale in March of 2017, and was accepting bids for the property until July of 2017. Recently, on August 25, 2017, Hanson Aggregates, a mining company and neighbor of the property put forth a winning bid and has taken over ownership of 28 acres, which includes the building and an adjacent farm parcel.
More information about this event can be found at: waynedale.com/elmhurst/
A new book being crafted by a group of dedicated Elmhurst High School graduates is looking to keep classmates and friends connected after more than 50 years, appropriately titled, “50+ Years Later.”
Several members of the Elmhurst class of 1965 are putting together a volume to tell the stories of their class members since high school, and even some intriguing tales outside the sphere of the school, located at 3829 Sandpoint Road.
Fred Warner, a member of that class and editor of the student yearbook, The Anilbrum, is one former student working to make the tome a reality. Warner — and several other students who graduated with him in 1965 – have been working on putting the volume together since their 50-year reunion in 2015.
About the time of the reunion, more than 40 class members were interviewed about their life since high school – their careers, families, illnesses, where they live and their accomplishments – for use in the upcoming text. Joan Broderick (Garman), who was editor of the student newspaper, The Advance, while she was at Elmhurst, conducted most of the interviews by phone.
Each student profile features a current color photo of the alum, a smaller senior photo of them from the 1965 Elmhurst yearbook, the Anilbrum, a few paragraphs about their life since high school, with some even offering an extra photo of an interest held by that graduate.
For example, there’s the page detailing Wayne Hull, a ’65 grad, who served in the National Guard and worked at International Harvester as a test mechanic until retiring in 2006. Nowadays, he uses his mechanic’s knowledge to tinker with his 1930 Model A Ford Coupe, a car he bought in 1969, and has since logged 190,000 miles in. Hull is even helping Warner restore his own Model A. The page devoted to Hull shows him and his wife, Shirley, standing proudly next to his gleaming Model A.
There are also pages discussing where the class has settled around the country. Thirty-one percent of the students still live in Fort Wayne; 42 percent live in other states, with Florida and California the next top two other states of residence. Other locations Elmhurst grads have settled include North Carolina, Arizona, Ohio and Texas. None – according to the research – live in Alaska or Hawaii.
There also is a page of the book devoted to the classmates’ military service, mostly in Vietnam. As the raw text of the book says, “a large number of those graduating from high school in 1965 provided a ready supply of young men to serve in the U.S. military.” A total of 85 of that year’s class served in one branch or another of the military, most in the Army. A map page of Vietnam pinpoints where those students served in that Southeast Asian country, the dates of the service, their unit information, and what their duties there were. Three of the Elmhurst graduates lost their lives in Vietnam. The map was conceived and crafted by graduate Jeff Goshert.
Warner is editing and laying out the book’s pages on his Macintosh computer, a task he’s familiar with from helping to craft company newsletters when he worked in marketing. But Warner has had invaluable help from several members of his class, as well.
Schuyler Darstein did much of the “detective” work to find emails and address for the class’ 300 surviving members; John Dinius helped proofread the pages; Steven Toor, who works at the History Center downtown, assisted with printing and production of the pages; Jeff Goshert took photos of everyone at the 2015 reunion for use in the book; and Ed Kerr managed the mountain of photos the group had collected and Maurene Archibold (Ramsay) helped scan and edit the photos so they could be used in the final product.
Once the book is completed and printed, Warner said, the plan is to mail out a copy to all the classmates the group has current addresses for.
Warner believes the upcoming book isn’t just an intriguing collection of stories; it’s also a way for the class to remain close after more than 50 years apart.
“We’re doing it because there’s a lot of interesting information and stories about our class members,” Warner said. “These people are really scattered about; and this is a great way of connecting people all these years after high school.”
The company began operations at the Ardmore Quarry in 1929. Located just south of the school property, it has mined sand, gravel and limestone there continuously for eighty-eight years. Products from the quarry are used in various construction applications such as roads and bridges, homes, office buildings and as raw material for ready mixed concrete and asphalt. Examples of projects that have been built with products from the quarry include the Fort Wayne International Airport, Harrison Square and Parkview Field projects for city redevelopment, original construction and ongoing expansions at the General Motors plant, and the Riverfront development project.
When the property was offered for sale by the Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS), the company saw it as a strategic opportunity to secure future limestone reserves to be provided for local building projects, and to extend its longevity as an employer in the area. After concluding its site inspection and evaluating the building’s state of disrepair, the company determined that use of the building for other purposes was not an option. Over the next several months the company will be working to secure the property for safety reasons. Following that activity, and at a time yet to be determined, the building will be taken down.
Hanson understands and appreciates the many memories and sentiments attached to the former high school. Plant personnel will work with alumni and residents to coordinate access and a walk-through of the building prior to its being removed.
The company views the acquisition as a win-win opportunity for both Hanson and FWCS as no further use for the property had been planned by FWCS, and the purchase ensures that Hanson will be an active member of the community for years to come.
This summer will mark 50 years since those folks tread the hallowed halls of Elmhurst High School, 3829 Sandpoint Road, and the class plans to mark the milestone anniversary with a 50-year reunion gala this summer.
The group plans to get together on Saturday, August 26 at the Grand Ball Room in Don Hall’s Guest House, located at 1313 W. Washington Center Road.
Linda (Hartman) Fagen and Rhonda (Hosler) Dennon have been helming the committee that’s planning and executing the August get together. The group has been working on crafting the event since July 2016.
Tickets for the party are $50, which is paying for most of the cost of the reunion, although the group did receive some donations to help pay for the party, as well.
For that ticket price, classmates will enjoy time with their old school chums, dinner, dancing, and ’60s music, played by DJ Rick Hughes from radio station WLYD. The event also will feature a photo booth to record the night’s memories. Pictures in the booth are free.
On the Friday afternoon before the reunion, the class is having a casual golf outing at Autumn Ridge Country Club, 11420 Auburn Road.
That Friday morning, the class is also scheduled to tour their old school, with old classmates and their spouses the only ones allowed on the tour.
Dennon said people are traveling from all over the country just for the event.
“People are coming from Texas, California, Florida, Minnesota, Arkansas, all over the country,” she said. “And they’re saying, ‘Heck yeah, we’re coming! We’re making this our vacation.’ They are all so excited about it.”
Fagen said out of 355 people in the 1967 class, the group was only not able to find about 68 people, with 31 of those being confirmed as deceased. “This [Elmhurst] has been my home forever,” said Fagen, who retired from running the gift shop at Parkview Hospital’s Randalia campus. “I always tell people I was born here, and I’ll probably die here.”
The high school is scheduled to be closed down for good on August 28, so the timing of the reunion worked out well, Dennon said.
“Fort Wayne Community Schools was very happy that we got this in – just in time,” she said.
Fagen agreed the timing worked out perfectly.
The closed Elmhurst High School, built in 1929, in the Ardmore Avenue area, was officially up “for sale.” The Fort Wayne Community Schools said that school board members approved the sale on Monday, August 14, 2017.
The property sold includes the former school site, farmland and approximately 23+ acres of land around Sandpoint Road.
Interested parties came forward with their bids and it was decided that the neighboring rock quarry, Hanson Aggregates Midwest LLC could purchase the $600,000 sale.
Money awarded from the sale will go into the FWCS general fund.
On February 13 at 6pm the Fort Wayne Community School Board of Trustees held a hearing and vote to decide to seek a buyer for Elmhurst High School and adjacent farm land. The school was closed after the 2009 – 2010 school year ended, and the building has remained vacant since.
The school Board cited costs of maintenance on the building as the primary motivation to sell. Although there are no official offers yet, the Board indicated that they have received some interest in the property.
It would also be possible to divide the property into parcels to be sold separately. The School Board wanted to make it clear that only the school building and the farmland were being put up for sale, and that the sporting fields, such as the football and baseball fields, would remain in possession of Fort Wayne Community Schools.
Several citizens showed up to voice their views about the potential sale of Elmhurst. The views ranged from wanting to keep the building for future use as an educational institution to using the land as farmland. Other citizens that live in the neighborhoods surrounding the Elmhurst property were concerned about what the potential buyers would use the site for and how that would affect traffic flow. It was also suggested that the building could be declared a historical landmark, because part of it was designed by a famous architect.
The Board ultimately voted to offer the building and property for sale.
No schedules now, the halls silenced and dark,While tremors feel stronger, reaching the library and park.Shaking our houses and cars and all things inside,Dogs scrambling for cover as knick-knacks start to fly.So much has changed in sixty-four years of boom booming,We’ve come to embrace the landscapes’ fiercest groom grooming.We boast now of Fort Wayne’s only view of canyons and mountains,And dare anyone to match their beauty with statues and fountains.
But one thing I miss, you’ll not find in my blog,Can anyone tell me; What happened to the frog?
So how do you go from celebrity to sofa? Well, it takes time, and Melissa is far from sofa time at this stage of her life. She still serves on a couple community boards where her respect and experience are always welcome. She has time now to help her mother, who still lives in Fort Wayne. Melissa now has the ability to travel with her husband, State Senator David Long, showing her full support of his progress and decisions. She plans to spend more time with her two boys that now live on both coasts, one in South Carolina and the other in California, and of course take long walks with her 100-plus pound Golden Retriever Doodle.
As a classmate of Melissa’s, I have always looked up to her. While students at Elmhurst High School, I remember having the pleasure of dancing with her and realizing the top of my head barely made it to her chin. I asked Melissa if her height was an advantage in her career. She said, “It does give you a presence, and you’re not as easy to be intimidated. When asked who was her favorite person she ever interviewed, without hesitation she answered, “Bishop John D’Arcy (former Bishop of the Fort Wayne/South Bend Diocese) and secondly, Chuck Surack (Founder of Sweetwater Sound).”
Melissa had other opportunities during her career here in Fort Wayne. When she was a young girl she was an elf for “the REAL” Santa Claus (Phil Steigerwald) in downtown Fort Wayne, and there is no telling where that could have taken her. Her training in college was in theater arts, but staying in Fort Wayne was so important to her, that she adapted drama training to fit the newsroom. Early in her broadcast career she was offered a job in Denver, Colorado. Even with a much larger audience and more exposure, Melissa turned it down. Her family, and especially her husband’s political career meant more to her than becoming the next Barbara Walters or Connie Chung. Denver’s loss was certainly Fort Wayne’s gain.
Some people need to travel all over the world to “discover themselves.” Melissa, we’re glad you found your way home by never needing to leave us.
* Former Elmhurst H.S. teacher Donald C Goss passed away on March 12, 2019. We will share more information about funeral services as they are available here: www.facebook.com/Waynedalenews/ * Updated 03/12/19
Don Goss knew what direction he wanted to focus his life on long before most people even know what their favorite ice cream is. Those of us who know “Mister Goss” (as I always called him) have seen him as a theater and art teacher at Elmhurst High School. Goss spent 56 years teaching there and impacted the lives of more than 10,000 students. But his desire for art and theater started well before his time at Elmhurst.
By the time Goss was in the third grade, he and his classmates were already creating theatrical productions during recess on the playground. Taking books they had read, they would then make costumes like angel wings from copper wire and cellophane and make curtains from bed sheets hung with paper clips in the corner of the classroom on a string. Writing their own scripts and building their own sets, they would then entertain the fourth grade as audience. The excitement for the arts grew as Goss attended Waynedale Elementary where he listened to his 4th grade teacher, Miss Minsel, describe her work with the Fort Wayne Civic Theater working on Peter Pan where Captain Hook is eaten by the crocodile. At Elmhurst High School, this flame was fueled as an actor in the drama productions like the Heavenly Angel in “Grease.”
After graduation from high school, his formal education continued at the Fort Wayne Art School, where he attended for two years and began his teaching career teaching a Saturday school there for elementary kids.
As a college junior, he transferred to IU Bloomington and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University in Art Education K-12. He then attended UCLA where he was awarded his Masters in Theatre Arts. He did not stop there. He attended John Herron School of Art sculpture program in Indianapolis casting brass pieces and Minneapolis School of Art and Design workshop for teachers. At the University of Wisconsin’s summer workshop, he surveyed architecture and visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s farm/studio at Taliesin. Back in Fort Wayne, Goss made a movie at Purdue and studied photography at St. Francis with Steve Perfect.
Don Goss was the first to teach computer art and animation in the state of Indiana. One of his students, Adam Green, has continued working as an animator for Disney in Burbank, California where he has animated segments of six Disney films including Frozen. He was awarded Teacher of the Year in Fort Wayne and was also runner-up for the State level of the award. He was presented with a Life-time Achievement Award from the University of St. Francis. Some of his students like Peter and David Turnley have gone on to be world-renowned photographers with David winning the Pulitzer Prize in Photo Journalism. Another student, Kurt Lawson has worked with Lady Gaga doing the promotion for her black perfume called Fame. Kurt also works as an independent animator doing the Spiderman movie jump from atop a skyscraper and landing on the ground with both feet and his hand on the ground.
Goss always told his students to “find the best of themselves and improve on that rather than be a clone of Mr. Goss.”
When asked if there was any place in the world that he had not been, but would love to see, Goss said, “I have been everywhere I wanted to be, especially Paris and the New York theatre.”
Goss was the first designer for the Boars Head Festival at the Plymouth Congregational Church over 40 years ago and the musical pageant still continues each year between Christmas and New Year’s Day. He has designed sets for many First Presbyterian Theater productions like Amahl and the Night Visitors and many Gilbert and Sullivan shows.
At home, his 450 varieties of Iris plants still give him much pride. Mr. Goss finds art to be “the creation of something that has personal value that can be shared with the rest of the world.” I believe Don Goss was describing himself and we thank him for sharing his life with us. Think of it like ice-cream on your favorite pie as being tasty…art is beautiful.
On Friday the classmates can tour the school and take a walking tour of downtown Fort Wayne hosted by classmate Steve Toor. A golf outing is set for Saturday and a brunch for non-golfers. Finally, a potluck lunch is planned Sunday at the home of Dave and Janet Bolyard.
The class looks forward to hosting several of their teachers and staff at the reunion dinner, including Don Goss, Randy Masterson, Daryl Yost, and Julia Shaw, who was the school secretary. Unfortunately, several teachers passed away this past year, including Jackie Foelber, Nick Werling and Richard Poor.
There were 340 graduates of the Class of ’65. According to Fred Warner, one of the organizers of the reunion, the class database includes 357 classmates, some of whom dropped out before graduation or graduated later. All are welcome to the reunion. The group has identified 53 classmates who have died, about 15 percent.
The reunion committee consists of about 15 classmates, most living in northeastern Indiana. Planning began last fall with notification mailings sent to classmates in April and July of this year. The group also makes extensive use of email to keep in touch with nearly 200 classmates. A class website is also in use.
The group is soliciting old photos, slides, movies, news articles and Elmhurst memorabilia from the 1960s. Anyone who can provide materials should contact Ed Kerr at (260) 436-4732 or readyeddie56@hotmail.com. Items related to Waynedale, Times Corners and Aboite Township are of interest as well as Elmhurst.
As part of the reunion, a commemorative issue of the Elmhurst Advance newspaper is in the works, a multimedia presentation using photos submitted by class members, a class directory and a slide show to honor the deceased.
Joan Broderick Garman, who was the editor of the Elmhurst newspaper in 1965, has been conducting “life story” phone interviews with classmates around the country and, locally, she and Warner are videotaping interviews of classmates and teachers. Warner was the editor of the 1965 Elmhurst yearbook, the Anlibrum.
There were 186 boys in the class and 171 girls. Of the males, 73 report having served in the U.S. military, or nearly 40 percent. Classmate Jim Wire is a West Point graduate and served in Vietnam.
Twenty-three served in the Vietnam War, two wounded and three killed. Mick McOmber and Larry Crow were wounded; Don Bunn, Mark Judge and Gary Genth were killed. Jeff Goshert is compiling information from and about the Vietnam veterans. Video interviews of Jeff Goshert, Mick McOmber and Ed Kerr were recorded this summer.
In preparing for this 50-year celebration, the class has been able to locate over 95 percent of the living classmates. A combination of dedicated searchers and the Internet have contributed to locating all but a dozen or so classmates.
Those classmates that have not been found are: Janet Crow, Larry Crow, Joan Floor, Larry James, Donna McKee, Rick Merriman, Gary Miller, Sheila Moser, Kathy Riley Karol, Carol Sanders, Frances Sherrill, Willi Spicer, Carole Weesner Hester, and Terry Weigand. Anyone having contact information should email the data to warnerfred@aol.com.Both men and women in the Class of ‘65 went on to gain higher education and career success. Now in their upper sixties, most have retired.
Based on the information of those classmates who have reported, 124 graduates obtained post-secondary education. Eleven students obtained doctorate degrees: two medical doctors, a dentist, a veterinarian, two attorneys, and five PhDs.
An additional 30 obtained masters degrees, fourteen in education. Including the masters and doctorates, a total of 72 classmates (20%) earned bachelors degrees. Fifteen earned engineering degrees, 14 in education, nine in business, eight in science and mathematics, and five in nursing and allied medical fields.
Twenty completed trade schools or apprenticeships and 15 earned associates degrees. Many others received training in the military. Another 18 attended college, but did not complete a degree.
More information about the reunion can be found on the class website www.ElmhurstHS.com or by contacting Bev Barker at (260) 622-7125.
Dulla was born on July 6, 1915.
She has received several birthday cards already. One very special card she said arrived just the other day. As she handed it to me, I noticed the return address was from Washington D.C…could it be a card from the President? Not just a card, but, a nice letter signed by President and Michelle Obama which read, “We trust you take enormous pride in all you have accomplished…”
Now at age 100, she remembers…and has accomplished.
Dulla grew up in Michigan, and at the age of 16 her family moved to the Waynedale-Baerfield area where her dad grew and sold wholesale vegetables and flowers. The Aschliman family moved again and built several more greenhouses on Ardmore Road. Memories of the family greenhouse was at times sad for Dulla. Her father died at the age of 50 from pneumonia. She recalled there were no antibiotics back then. Plus, it was the depression era. Dulla said, “What they call depression now is nothing like what we went through. Bread was 5 cents a loaf, if you had 5 cents.” Their home garden was what helped them survive. There were 5 children-Dulla was the oldest. She helped to keep the greenhouses growing. As soon as she got off the school bus her chore was to pick up items uptown on Columbia Street, Slaughter’s Hardware and Fort Wayne Pipe and Supply, picking up anything that they needed to keep the greenhouses running. “I lived 2 straight months out of the year at Barr Street Market,” she recalled, “selling vegetables and flowers.”
Walking to the back room in her home, Dulla gently dusts off a large beautifully preserved picture. As the year 1932 came around, this sixteen-year-old was in the first graduating class from Elmhurst High School. I asked her how she obtained the picture. She said it hung for many years in the school. Then, they moved it to where Mr. Goss stored extras for his theatre presentations. There was also a rifle range in that same area that they called “the tunnel”. Kids would sneak down there to smoke she recalled. One day it caught on fire. “I asked the school principal Mr. Eichoff if I could have that class picture.” Dulla went on to say that there were no school yearbooks back then. But there was a school newspaper. The Elmhurst School newspaper printed a picture of the graduating class with their names listed. As far as she knows, she is the only one in that picture that is still living.
Even though many years have passed, Dulla remembers the day they chose Elmhurst High School’s school colors, school song, cheers for the school assemblies and the basketball team. At this time in their school history only North Side, South Side and Central Catholic High Schools were open.
After raising two daughters, Joy Kizer (deceased) and Anna Wenger, she worked in the Elmhurst kitchen as the baker. One day the school board decided that if you are over 70 years of age, you are too old to be working there. So they fired everyone over 70! “Later on, I was rattling around with nothing to do so I applied for a part-time position in the food service center.” This amazing gal then continued her 42 years of service with Fort Wayne Community Schools until the age of 88.
In her free time Dulla loved to bowl and was a member of the Women’s Bowling Association for over 50 years. She was also Secretary/Treasurer for several leagues, team captain and bowling scorekeeper for many of the tournaments. “My best game was a 299,” she said. “I just couldn’t get that perfect game.”
Now, in her senior years Dulla is still sharp as a tack with lots of laughter. I asked, “What lessons can we learn from a 100-year-old lady?”
She smiled and said, “Keep busy!”
“Eat well. Breakfast. Dinner. Supper.”
“Enjoy the outdoors.”
Dulla has lived 70 plus years in the Waynedale area and continues to live in her own apartment.
Join this special lady as she celebrates her 100th birthday with an Open House on July 11, 2015 from 2pm-5pm at the Christ’s Community Church, 10616 Liberty Mills Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it is still a gift!Happy Birthday Dulla!
2nd Row and rear (L-R) Harold Dautz, Gene Lee, Martha Walker Imler, Bob Crider, Phyllis Waldrop Wilkinson, Betty Paxton Koomler, Dick Schmitt, Louise Scott Bridges, Tom Buchan, Myrtle Scott Steiner, Joe Specht, Jerry Working, Kurt Stewart, Ed Sidel, Paul Henry, Virgil Curley, Dave Smithson and Charles Pickard.
There were literally thousands of items to bid on and something for everyone. Both gyms, cafeteria, back of the theater, as well as a few other rooms were stocked with everything from scoreboards, to trumpets, to kitchen supplies, to shop equipment, to desks and everything in between.
As the bidding began, the crowd seemed to be bidding quick and fast with high dollar marks for items to take home. But as the day drew-on the swarm of bidders seemed to thin and bargain hunters began to find the deals they were looking for. Even so, the few amount of items that had an Elmhurst H.S. logo or a Trojan mascot icon did sell quite a bit higher than the item was worth, it was clear that many of the participants were looking to take home a “little piece” of Elmhurst.
When asked of Fort Wayne Community Schools spokesperson, Krista Stockman, “Why weren’t there more photos, trophies or real memorabilia at the auction?” Krista replied that they are saving many of those items for the people who are in them or who have earned them. So if you believe that a photo of you or trophy/plaque with your name on it was housed by Elmhurst High School, please contact the High School Administration Office at (260) 467-2650 to claim it.
Officially, at this time Elmhurst High School is not projected to be sold in the near future and is maintained by Fort Wayne Community Schools. And contrary to popular assumptions, Hanson Aggregates, the owners of the quarry operation near the former high school, has not approached FWCS in interest of the property.
Posing in front of Elmhurst High School this year were sixteen students from area schools and teachers, sporting their “now” colors from Southside, Northside, Wayne and Northrup. Robert Ortise and Tessa Seigel helped organize the graduation photo taken on Sunday, July 15, 2012.
“It was rough. It took a year or so to adjust,” said Cortise. “At first I wasn’t happy with it, but I like the way things ended up because I think it’s made me a better person.”
“They didn’t want us there,” said Seigel about transferring from one school to another. “Now this photo means a lot. We get to reconnect with people we haven’t seen in two years.”
“We get to see their smiling faces.”
Memories.
They all know where they came from…”Always a Trojan…forever!”
It started out a bright sunny day on the IPFW field, but the Bisons quickly took charge by scoring 3 runs in the top of the first inning. IPFW stomped back scoring with 1 run.
Dons took the lead 4-3 after scoring 3 runs in the third.
North Dakota State came back with two runs in the top of the fourth and three more in the top of the fifth.
The game ended with the Dons and the Bisons each having nine hits.North Dakota stayed on top of the Summit League with a final score of 8-4 for the first game of a four game series.
After the game I spoke briefly with 2010 Elmhurst grad, Kristian Gayday.Gayday played shortstop on the final baseball team at Elmhurst before the school closed two years ago. He led the Trojans to an 18-7 record and the first Sectional Championship in eight years. He was named All-SAC second team before he came to play for IPFW, as well as All-Area.
“Errors is what hurt us,” the IPFW sophomore remarked. “Seven for the day.”“We struggled defensively, but we’ll do better tomorrow in the doubleheader.”“How has your game performance been this season?” reporter from The Waynedale News inquired.
Gayday, who bats right-handed, said that he had a 12-game hitting streak coming off that game.
These two teams faced off again in a doubleheader at Mastodon Field the next day.
IPFW dropped to 12-31 overall after losing two games to the North Dakota State Bison that afternoon. NDSU won game one 11-4 and turned around to take game two 6-0.
Game four of the series proved to be a positive as the IPFW baseball team scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to break a 3-3 tie giving them their 13th win of the season over the North Dakota State Bison.
According to IPFW stats…
North Dakota State scored the first run of the game on an IPFW error. The run was unearned, yet the Bison led 1-0, until the bottom of the fourth inning. Boss hit a one-out single to the left side of the field and went on to score after Shane Trevino’s third triple of the season. Trevino hit the ball over the right fielder’s head and would go on to score the second run of the inning off a Kristian Gayday single.
Daren Boss came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded. The defense was playing in and Boss hit a ground ball to the shortstop. Max Casper fielded the ball clean, but Clay Hathaway got a great jump and scored the game winning run pushing the ‘Dons Summit League record to 5-11.
The Dons defeated the Bisons at home by a final score of 4 runs to 3. IPFW now 13-31 improved its record with help from sophomore Kristian Gayday.IPFW will look to build a winning-streak as they travel this weekend for a four-game series against Western Illinois. The Mastodons are currently one spot in front of Western Illinois in the Summit League standings. Game one of the series will be played on Friday, May 4 at 3:30 p.m.
After work on Tuesday, May 8 you may want to take in some ice cold brews and spring sunshine at Parkview Field where you will feel the rumble as IPFW plays their next home game against the hottest ranked team of college baseball-the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue is having a stellar season 34-7. Boilermakers keep moving up in the weekly national rankings-currently Perfect Game USA-No. 7, USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll-No. 11 and Baseball America-No. 13. First pitch is scheduled for 6pm.
Sam Zook is a 2011 North Side graduate who organized this class photo in front of the closed Elmhurst High School building that he and his fellow students were not able to graduate from. Sam was the chairman of the Elmhurst Senior’s Council. They negotiated with FWCS throughout the year to receive Elmhurst tassels to wear at graduation, as well as the option to have an Elmhurst seal stamped on their diplomas.
Congratulations to the Class of 2011. You’ve reached a milestone in your life. Many have cheered you on in that journey, especially thais year, and stand ready to cheer you on as you move forward. And so do we here at The Waynedale News, not only congratulate those with the highest grades, but also, congratulate all the graduates and wish you the best.
We worked hard, this year, to do the things we did. Everything about this year, for anyone that was dedicated to Elmhurst, was a challenge. Making it through a single day was a challenge. At one point for me, I lost the will to even get out of bed in the morning, because I failed to see the point. So it wasn’t a solitary struggle. The ones closest to us helped keep us up, and we all had our pillars to lean on—sometimes family, a lot of times each other. We lost track of long-term goals, and focused on making it through the week, so that we were one step closer to making it through the year. But at the end of the day, those short-term goals pieced together to make the whole year worthwhile. At the end of the day, what really mattered was that we still had the drive to make it through, and that we had the people to lean on when we needed help. Because the people that never stopped caring, they were our family, whether they were blood or not.
The last day of school was bittersweet. Somewhere in the struggle of the year, we found friends at each school that we wouldn’t have had otherwise. We found a little bit of pride for the school we went to, simply because we went and made it a better place in our own small way. We will never forget these years, good or bad.
For every Elmhurst student, cherish the memories that we have together. Remember the times that we had. Be fond of these months. Hold dear the last memories that we had together. After today, people will leave. People will move away, and find their lives. And some of them won’t come back. Some of them will never be seen again. So never forget where you come from. But don’t be afraid of the future, or what it holds.
“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. For courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. For now on, you will be walking the line, between who you think you are, and who you can be. The key is to allow yourself to make the journey.”
Trojans forever!
Sertoma exists for the high and noble purpose of service to mankind by communication of thoughts, ideas and concepts to accelerate human progress in health, education, freedom and democracy, states their mission.To achieve these mission goals the Fort Wayne Sertoma Club has not only undertaken a multi-faceted approach by launching their national program that addresses hearing and speech but they also sponsor and assist youth on the high school level.
Quietly yet proudly they give back to the community.
On May 2, 2011 at the IPFW campus in the Walb Memorial Ballroom a dinner was served and awards presented to honor local high school athletes. The annual Sertoma Awards Banquet began 56 years ago and was conceived by Hilliard Gates.
“Initially it included 5 area high schools and today the program includes every high school in Allen County,” reported Mark Spade, program coordinator. “Recipients of the awards given go on to become leaders of the future in education and science; professions like lawyers, doctors, teachers. This award has often been called the Heisman trophy of Fort Wayne.”
Master of Ceremonies Tommy Schoegler from INCnow, spoke of persistence as he addressed the award winners.
Referring to Peyton Hillis, running back for the Cleveland Browns, who was a highly talented recruit that tore up high school records in Arkansas, Schoegler said, “Life was going well for Hillis. Until…he was pushed back when Jones and McFadden stole his spotlight.” Schoegler went on to tell about Hillis’ outstanding persistence and character through adversity that kept him on track. He then worked his way in to become a #1 full back. He was drafted in the 7th round and played for the NFL Denver Broncos. Then traded to Cleveland Browns – was on the starting lineup and with his hard running, come-from-nowhere appeal and tremendous production had a great year. He didn’t give up. Peyton Hillis was one of the biggest stars of the 2010 NFL season—ending up on the front cover of Madden Football.
“In your minds you feel like an All-World athlete right now.” Schoegler’s message to the athletes, “Life is going to happen. Changes may happen. Be goal-oriented and stay on course! Remember where you got your start and where it came from…that support…from your parents, teachers, coaches and guidance counselors.”
Dick Florea (retired WKJG media) announced the winners, as Dr. Eric Jenkinson of Ortho NorthEast and Fort Wayne Sertoma Club President Rudy Rossi presented plaques to 18 of the area high school’s top athletes. The qualifications for this honor were to not only be a top athlete, but also excel in academics and leadership. The school’s coaches, athletic director, principal and guidance counselors decided who would receive the prestigious award.
From the Waynedale area-
*Elmhurst High School –
Mark Sexton
Yes, Elmhurst High School is still being recognized for their excellent academic and athletic achievements. Mark Sexton had an exceptional athletic career at Elmhurst all 3 years playing football, baseball and bowling. And, as well at North Side, his senior year. All three years at Elmhurst Mark was captain of the football team and as a senior, playing center, for the North Side team he was also selected captain.
Off the field Mark was 1st in his class every year at Elmhurst. He is a member of the Honor Society and was also involved with the Freshman Advisory Board.Students at North Side voted Mark their Homecoming King. Mark said, “My transition from Elmhurst to North Side was not a big deal because I make friends easily and enjoy meeting people.”
His strong classroom work has earned Mark to be in the Top 10% of his class at Elmhurst and currently at North Side he is #15 in his class.Mark plans on attending Manchester College and pursuing a dual major in Exercise Science and Athletic Training, then, he will continue with a doctorate in Physical Therapy.
We salute the Sertoma Winner from Elmhurst High School!
Mark is the son of Roberta and James Sexton.
*Wayne High School –
James Wyss
James has been a 3-sport athlete for the Generals, with 4 years each in football, basketball and baseball. He was selected for the team Mental Attitude Award in all three sports. He is an Honor Society member, has tutored elementary students and volunteers with his church. He has earned the school’s top departmental awards in English, Social Studies and Math…and has accumulated 54 credits, compared to the mandatory 40. He graduates as the Wayne High School valedictorian. James plans on becoming a doctor, and will begin pre-med studies at Indiana University. Stanley and Theresa Wyss are his proud parents.
Congratulations James!
*Bishop Luers High School –
William R. McManus
Billy’s athletic accomplishments were in cross-country and track, earning Most Valuable Athlete and Team Captain in both sports. He was an All-Conference pick in cross-country. He serves as Student Body president at Luers, has been an Honor Society and Key Club member and has served as Freshman mentor and Peer Minister. His classroom grades have placed him on the Honor Roll all terms and he’ll graduate in the top 20% of his class. Billy hopes to continue his running in college, attending Wabash College, to pursue a degree in engineering. This most deserving winner’s parents are Michael and Mary McManus.
*South Side High School –
Hannah Vosmeier
Hannah has been an Archer cheerleader, all four years, and a member of the golf team for three. She has been active in many other areas of school life, including the speech team, vocal jazz, the Honor Society, Key Club and the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council. An excellent student in the classroom, Hannah ranks 9th in her senior class and is planning a career in civil engineering at Purdue. Her parents are Chris and Dee Vosmeier. Way to go Hannah!
Even though the Fort Wayne Sertoma Club is one of the best kept secrets in Fort Wayne, there isn’t any secret handshake or any political, religious or socio-economic affiliation, they are simply a group of men in the community who feel it’s important to give back in some way.
If you are interested in attending one of the Fort Wayne Sertoma Club’s lunches they meet at noon every Tuesday at the Rib Room in Fort Wayne. Public is invited.
The program was developed to fill the void created by FWCS’s elimination of public comment from the televised portion of their board meetings. This program allows members of the community to speak out on the critical topic of public education and have their voices heard by a broader audience with being bound by a three-minute time limit. In addition, this forum allows the community to review topics that FWCS may not be willing to discuss with the public.
The program features comments from Michelle Tribolet, At Large school board candidate, regarding transparency and fiscal responsibility. There is also an audio-video slideshow that illustrates the collateral damage caused by FWCS cost-cutting decisions from an Elmhurst supporter’s point of view. Excerpts from the Citizen’s Checklist, cost-cutting guidelines from the Indiana Board of Education, are also highlighted.
The lawsuit filed by SOSEHS in response to FWCS’s proposal to close Elmhurst High School remains active. A hearing was held last Wednesday, October 27, 2010, before the Honorable Jenny Pitts Manier in her Mishawaka courtroom. She heard oral arguments from SOSEHS attorney Robert Vegeler of Vegeler Law Office, LLC and FWCS’s legal counsel regarding the motion from FWCS to dismiss. Judge Manier took the arguments under advisement. We await her decision, however, do not have a timeframe for when the ruling will be issued.
The next episode of Save Our City to be produced will feature a roundtable discussion of FWCS high school students speaking out on education issues that concern them. This discussion will be moderated by students and the topics discussed will be initiated by the students as well. Students from all high schools will be invited to participate. For future updates on “Save Our City,” please check the SOSEHS website at: www. sosehs.com
While the parents of these students have sought for months to work with FWCS in unifying their children in one school, to date, no resolution has been provided despite the assurances of high-ranking FWCS officials during several board meetings. Oh, but wait! These dialogues occurred during the public comment portion of the meetings which aren’t even technically a part of the meetings anymore since the board voted to excise public comment, move it after the adjournment of board meetings thereby ensuring that no untoward tidbits of information might reach the viewing audience at home. You see, public comment is no longer televised. The Board revised their Bylaws to prevent their constituents from speaking out and being seen and heard by other constituents. Which begs one to ask another question? What is FWCS trying to hide? To add insult to injury, EHS memorabilia has been dispersed willy-nilly, some items stored, inexplicably, in a room at South Side High School, despite the request of SOSEHS to be made temporary stewards of the memorabilia until pending litigation is settled to ensure the safe storage of these irreplaceable items. A motion filed by SOSEHS to protect the legacy of the EHS memorabilia remains in limbo at this time; without a judge assigned to the case, no ruling on the motion can be made thereby enabling FWCS to continue the heartless, and unnecessary disbursement of EHS memorabilia. FWCS has provided grossly inaccurate information regarding their basis for proposing to close EHS including the assertion that $25 million in renovations is needed for the EHS real estate to remain functional in coming years. Yet, when FWCS disclosed their own building surveys of the EHS property, it was instantly noted that the cost of upgrades to the building was stated at $9,073,987.95; a $15 million dollar discrepancy which, to date, no FWCS official has addressed. Coincidentally, $15 million is the same figure FWCS has advised the public that their general fund is in need of. How can constituents be sure this figure is accurate given the millions of dollars of leeway FWCS utilized in making projections for EHS repairs even with a written quote on hand? SOSEHS has called for an independent audit of FWCS internal financial reporting as the bi-annual audits conducted by the State Board of Accounts do not address deficiencies in this area. To date, FWCS has ignored these requests. Why? By doing so they can present any figure to the public in their favorite format, a PowerPoint slide, without providing any actual financials to back up the figures presented. Every taxpaying citizen should be alarmed by the latitude which FWCS is given in presenting their financial outlook and the ease that most of the board members accept as verbatim financials presented in this format rather than factual cash and expenditure reports. FWCS is a multi-million dollar corporation, recently operating with a budget of approximately $337 million. They employing 4,285 in the 2007-2008 budget year, of which only 1,995 were teachers; more than half of FWCS employees during this time period were non-teaching positions. The imbalance in the ratio of teaching to non-teaching positions is another area that FWCS should be focusing on rather than attempting to close exemplary schools under the guise of needing to raise $1.5 million, a paltry figure, to defray a $15 million dollar budget deficit that, quite frankly, we the public have no proof actually exists. While other local school corporations have come up with a variety of methods to overcome their budget shortfalls, FWCS moves forward in an unwavering path that excludes any sacrifice by highly-compensated individuals in the Grile Administration Building, while cutting the salary, and eliminating the livelihoods, of FWCS staffers further down the corporate ladder is embraced instead. Instead of taking salary cuts and rollbacks as the Indiana Board of Education’s Citizen’s Checklist advises, FWCS merely enacted a salary freeze on step increases that yielded a mere $250,000 in savings. SOSEHS has learned through public access to information process that FWCS Superintendent, Dr. Wendy Robinson, has not given up any of her executive perks and fringe benefits, such as a FWCS-provided vehicle with maintenance account, while valuable employees who work in close proximity to our youth, the custodial staff of FWCS, have been outsourced to a company, Sodexo, which is facing international protests due to their treatment of employees. Why doesn’t FWCS initiate 3% salary cuts across the administrative board like Northwest Allen County Schools? The answer, perhaps, lies in a document formerly posted on the FWCS website under the “schools in transition” section designed for Elmhurst. The first question on this Q & A sheet from the March 10, 2010, public meeting at EHS reads as follows: Why not cut administrative salaries? The erudite answer from FWCS follows: a) The math doesn’t add up to $15 million b) Administrative salaries have been frozen – $250,000 savings. What math? Fuzzy math? Math for dummies? We haven’t been shown any math thus far so how does one know what an administrative salary cut would, or wouldn’t, add up to? Has FWCS even bothered to conduct an analysis of this? With the sizable IT staff they employ, it should be a breeze to extrapolate the data using the formula of three percent times every administrator’s salary. Surely the total would equal more than a mere salary freeze? $6,000 annually would be saved by taking a 3% cut of Dr. Robinson’s $200,000 superintendent’s salary. The three area administrator salaries are all above $100,000. Three percent of each yields $3,000 apiece for a total of $9,000. Add that to the revenue from the Superintendent’s salary and we already see savings of $15,000…from just four employees! With an administrative organization chart of top-level executives numbering in excess of 30 positions, imagine how the savings could multiply exponentially if this formula were applied equally throughout the administrative ranks; the goal being not to cause any single employee great financial hardship, but rather, to share the burden equally amongst many so the sacrifice per person could be absorbed without creating financial catastrophes for anyone. Couple administrative salary cuts with a realignment of the FWCS benefit package to reflect a real-world employer/employee contribution ratio of 80/20 as opposed to the current 90/10 and, rest assured, the “math” will quickly add up. Finally, combine the new revenue that FWCS expects to receive in the near future, such as the Full-Day Kindergarten Grant, which will provide $58.5 million in funding in 2010-2011 under Public Law 234-2007, Section 9, per a memo from John Wolf, Office of Student Learning addressed to all Superintendents from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) dated May 21, 2010, and posted on the IDOE website. According to the memo, student enrollment counts must be taken on September 17, 2010, and submitted no later than October 1, 2010; final grant amounts will be based on this count. Grants will be distributed in December 2010 and the Indiana Department of Education estimates that the minimum amount a school corporation could receive would be approximately $788 per student. That amount may be higher depending on the number of students enrolled in full-day kindergarten programs funded by the full-day kindergarten program. All Indiana school corporations that include kindergarten were required to complete and submit the grant application by June 18, 2010. Yet, we rarely hear reports from FWCS about monies they will receive; only additional budget cuts they feel they need to make. This unbalanced reporting of revenue again raises valid questions about the true state of financial affairs at FWCS. An independent audit is needed immediately. Despite the current turn of events, SOSEHS assures our supporters that our case is still active. in fact, the Indiana Supreme Court has become involved and will appoint the judge for our lawsuit. As we wait on the appointment, we continue to focus on fundraising so our attorney, Robert Vegeler, can continue to respond to the repeated motions from FWCS to dismiss our case. Although we were unable to move our case before a judge prior to the start of the 2010-2011 school year, we ask that everyone who believes EHS should remain open continue to wait, watch and pray with us for truth, justice and a reversal of the FWCS vote to close one of the finest high schools in the city of Ft. Wayne. Your support, via donations and patronage of our fundraisers, will make this possible. If you are able, please make a donation in any amount to our legal defense fund. We have donation collection jars at the Waynedale Pizza Hut and the Pfeiffer House downtown. You may also donate online at www.sosehs.com via PayPal. If you prefer to write a check, please make it payable to the Vegeler Law Office Trust and mail it to: Vegeler Law Office LLC Suite 1200 National City Center 110 West Berry Street Ft. Wayne, Indiana 46802 Letting your voice be heard on this issue is crucial to our case. We need our supporters to continue to call and email the FWCS board of directors and Dr. Robinson and let them know what you think about their decisions and their consequences. Speaking of which, the board has the power to reverse their decisions and this is something we have been asking them to do, in regards to the proposed closure of EHS, for months as well. Remember, it is an election year and there are four board members up for re-election including Mark GiaQuinta, current board president. Kevin Brown, the only school board member SOSEHS supports as a candidate, is also up for re-election. Mr. Brown was the sole member of the board who voted nay to outsourcing FWCS custodians. Finally, we are always in need of volunteers to help with our fundraising events. If you would like to donate time towards the SOSEHS fundraising initiative, or would like a Save Elmhurst t-shirt or bracelet, please contact Angie Hayden Sutton at 602-5870 or angieboriginals@cs.com. We always have EHS spirit gear at our fundraising events as well. GO TROJANS!
More a homecoming.
I came hoping to see familiar faces. And I did. But saw so much more. The familiar Elmhurst High School gymnasium where so many school assemblies had been held, and basketball games watched, provided a central gathering place for the progeny of a proud tradition, both young and old. I saw many of the faces that are Elmhurst High School.
Most of us came to once again roam the halls, and to peer into classrooms of long ago. To somehow touch our past. And to satisfy a hunger to connect with that past. But no hunger is ever satisfied, except for a time all too brief.
The six o’clock hour found me gathered for dinner with two 1969-era teachers, Mr. Werling and Mr. Goss, and three Elmhurst alumni. What a special time we had, returning to be with those we had departed so long ago.
The last few days of school 41 years ago were exciting as we all anticipated approaching graduation. My only memory was thinking during the final week that this group of fellow students, once released into the world, would never, ever be back together again. Fittingly, the words of poet, Robert Frost, were used at our 1969 graduation . . .
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
And so it was, as we all took different paths.
But there we were on Sunday, the 13th, back in surroundings that evoked fondest memories. The library looked remarkably similar to how we left it, except for the addition of personal computers which had not yet been invented in 1969. The band room had a few changes, but yet pleasantly accommodating as a familiar scene. The cafeteria was largely unchanged, and the courtyard to its East — minus one Tommy Trojan statue — looked much as it did when we were students at Elmhurst High.
In many ways, time had stood still.
But had not the American author, Thomas Wolfe, said, “You can never go home.”
The world changes.
And so do we, each in our own way. Someone once made the profound observation that the only constant is change, as if “constancy” and “change” are not opposites.
We all have one.
A heart.
Perhaps revisiting our past is a reaching deep inside of ourselves to somehow verify that ours is still there.
Different world — but same heart.
Maybe so.
Journeys of the heart are like the two roads that diverged in a wood.
They make all the difference.
Stephen Paul Leykauf
52396 Liberty Mills Court
Granger, IN
I was a resident of the Waynedale area of Fort Wayne from 1951 to 1971, graduated from Elmhurst High School in 1969, and will always consider Fort Wayne as my hometown.
Growing up in Waynedale, he attended Elmhurst High School where he played sports and became a cadet for the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.
After graduating in 1989 he enlisted in the United States Navy where he had dedicated the past 20 years of service to the United States Submarine Fleet as a Nuclear Weapons Missile Technician. He has been stationed aboard the USS Daniel Boone, USS West Virginia, USS Nebraska, USS Pennsylvania and the USS Rhode Island. While on shore he was stationed in Charleston, SC and Bangor, WA.
Timothy plans to reside in Florida.
Congratulations Timothy!
We are all very proud.
Love,
Mom, Dad, George, Deanna
William, Brittany, Lisa and Craig
Students, alumni, teachers were all given a chance to reminisce about their time at Elmhurst and relive memories of being a Trojan.
Sisters.
JoAnn Watkins Gorrell, a graduate in 1949 and Rosalie Watkins Hall, graduated in 1947, joined up with a graduate from 1946 Marilyn Rayl. These grads, along with Sharon Smith Bowser, Class of 1955 – remembered the fun times. Dances, carrying the flag in the Memorial Day Parade and the ball games. Standing beside the lockers in the hall, the ladies commented, “Everyone knew you and everyone spoke to you, up and down the hall.”
Friends.
Elaine Herring and Chris Rowlett knew of each other during their years at Elmhurst. And after they graduated in 1989 they got to know each other a little bit better—they got married.
Even better friends.
In 1984 Clay and Lisa Stark met in the hallway at Elmhurst High School, dated, went steady and in 1990 got married.
Coaches.
1968-1969 Elmhurst won the Boy’s Basketball City Championship title under Coach Eytcheson, who also taught English. “It looks the same to me,” he said commenting on the school/gym as he shook hands with Paul Mathias (now, Indiana Court of Appeals Judge), then a student and ball player under Coach Eytcheson in 1971, when the Elmhurst Basketball team won Sectional.
Underneath the school’s gym was the Rifle Club coached by Mr. Reed, the shop teacher. Richard Poor was the Assistant Coach. “In 1958 the Rifle Team became National Champions.” Poor went on to say, “I taught math, algebra, and started the first calculus class here in 1969.”
Teachers.
Standing in the auditorium was a huge crowd lined up to greet and reminisce with Mr. Don Goss. Mr. Goss not only graduated from Elmhurst, he also taught, for 5 decades. He was the first to teach photography in the area. As an art, drama, and photography teacher, this was his life. He put his heart and soul into what he did~teaching students the love of art and theatre.
Relationships were built here at Elmhurst, 3829 Sandpoint Road, starting as far back as a 10-room county/township school in 1929 and later in the mid-20th century when the school became a part of Fort Wayne Community Schools.
Some people limited their relationships with only one close friend while others chose to have many friends.
Teachers, classmates, friends all shared a hands-on goodbye, not the distant cell phone entry or Facebook chat. A chat with a connection to never be forgotten.
WHAT NOW?
The memorabilia, banners, trophies, pictures, people all had a story to tell – a story about one big family that was the anchor in Waynedale.
What do you do with all these achievements? Shove them in a closet somewhere?
We certainly hope not.
The history of Elmhurst will live on. At least that’s what The Waynedale News hopes to do by establishing a project for historic preservation of Waynedale history items as well as displaying those items in a location where the residents of Waynedale and visitors could freely view and partake in the rich history of Waynedale. We have been pursuing the possibility of including the Elmhurst collection within the entirety of the “Waynedale Museum.” We have taken steps to contact other museums and historic preservation groups within the area as partnership and guidance for preservation, organization and display possibilities. We have also taken time to contact local authorities, politicians, our 4th District Councilman Mitch Harper and Wayne Township Trustee Richard Stevenson and have gained their full support.