We taught and went to school there
by Maralyn Fink
The stairs have been repaired, a rug has been added for the warmth and safety of the children in the reading room.
The school has grown from 52 to 97 students in a hundred years. An estimated 1900 students have passed through its halls. East Ward has served its community well.
During the school year 1976 East Ward was renamed for one of its most loved and endured teacher and principal, Teresa Merrill. Beginning its new century with its new name, Teresa Merrill Elementary School, the people, students and parents of St. Johns can still expect the school to maintain and present an education of top quality throughout its functioning years. Happy birthday and good-bye East Ward. Welcome Teresa Merrill Elementary School.
East Ward Partial Staff List
**Years are given to lndicate approximate time teacher was at Eaat Ward. It does not indicate the number of years at East Ward in some cases.
Bertha Wolford Dexter
Besey Pulfrey Knapp
Grace Rimmer 0918-1920)
– Butler
Sarah Pouch
Hazel Risdale Culver (1921-25)
Helen Bolten
Helen Gould Judd (1918)
Bess Conley Osood (1919)
Opal Lillie
Clolilah Brink (1911)
Ethel Preston (1911)
Edna Shaw (1926)
Students in 1926
1930-1960
Evelyn Putnam (1937)
Dorothy Welsh (1934)
Teresa Merrill (1930-57) **Principal
Betty Cornell (1942-45
May Belle Clara (1943-48)
Gertrude Bennett (1948-63) **Principal
Dora White (1948-51)
Del DeWitt (1952-54)
Eileen Latimer (1952-54)
Alice Fall (1962-63)
Janet Flaherty (1955)
Cecil Nickel (1955-57)
Petrine Churchill (1955-56)
Thelma Weismiller (1956)
Beatrice Pung (1956-64)
Edith Walling (1957-58)
Dorothea Beagle (1957-69)
Henrietta Longencher (1962-63)
1960-1976
Margaret Wyrick (1969-76)
Margaret Puetz (1969-72) **Principal
Retha Cook (1969-72 in p.m.)
Erma Eaton Fritz (1969)
Esther Hendershot (1969)
Patricia Kuenzli (1970-74)
Ronald Holley (1970-71)
Myra Tate (1971)
Perra Unger (1973)
Mike Muehlenbeck (1973-76)
Linda Parr (1974-76)
Carol MacDonald (1915-76)
Ethel Huot (1973-76) **Principal
Generations of East Warders
| First Generation | Second Generation | Third Generation |
| Addle Holmer Dutton 1876 | Ivah Dutton Tolles 1900 Ross A. Dutton 1892 Dora Dutton Goodwin 1906 | |
| John Warstler Dolly Hurl Warstler | Janette Warstler Gwen Warstler R. G Warstler Don Warstler William Warstler | Kathy Warstler |
| Helen Smith Crumm 1916 Noel S. Smith 1916 Melvin W. Smith 1916 | Lois Hill DeBuyst 1942 | |
| Ruth Pratt Root 1926-33 | Katherine Roof Ritz 1946-53 Sharon Reof Irrer 1949-56 Paula Roof key-raoida 1952-59 Paula Roof Martens 1954-61 Judy Roof Moon 1959-66 | |
| Robert Pratt 1926 | Candy Pratt 1953 | |
| Dorothy Pratt Salter Rolla Salter | Diane Salter Kathy Salter Rositas Debra Salter | Tina Rositas |
| Mabel Feazle Hammond | Jean Hammond Green Charlene Hammond Mary Louise Hammond | Mic:hael Green Charles Green |
| Charles Bensinger | Richard Bensinger Ronald Bensinger | Doug Bensinger Todd Bensinger Debbie Bensinger Brenda Bensinger Robin Bensinger |
| Harry Thompson | Chad Thompson | |
| Richard Paksi | Kimberly Paksi | |
| Kenneth Penix | Kenneth Penix, Jr. | Gregory Penix Marcia Penix |
| H.O. Tatro | Norman Tatro | Don Tatro Mary Alice Tatro Jon Tatro |
| Jack Danley | Tom Danley David Danley |
Margaret Naumes attended Grade 3 in 1884
Cerelda Frank Hicks attended K-7 1903-1910
Russell Frank attended K-6 1907-1913
Auraleah Frank attended K-6 1914-1920
Ione Slater Coffman attended 4 or 5 in 1918-1919
Ardis Blackmer Crawford attended 1-6 in 1924-1930
Louise Tilford Fernhohz attended K-6 1936-1944
Richard Tilford attended K-6 1937-44
Elaine Myers attended K-6 1934-41
Joyce Jones VanDeusen attended 5 and 6 1940-41
Arnold Jones attended Grade 3 in 1940
Barbara Jones Cox attended Kindergarten in 1950
Suzanne K. McAlvey attended 1-2-3 in 1956-58
Helen Shatto Bancroft
Dawn Shatto Kio:sk1
William Bancroft IV
Linda Sonier Biddinger attended K-6 1947-54
Howard Purvis 1931
Linda Purvis Shawnee 1957
Linda “Gidget” Shawnee 1972
George Purvis 1957
*All people listed on these pages answered a June 1976 ad in the St. Johns Reminder asking for names and dates of friends, relatives and events associated with East Ward.
Next Week: Meet Teresa Merrill