Turnout good for Superhero 5K
Rain or shine, we love supporting and cheering on all the super runners and walkers at the The Voice for Clinton County’s Children’s Superhero 5K. The resident Superdog even got to take a ride with the Clinton Area Ambulance Service Authority!
The mission of The Voice for Clinton County’s Children is to advocate and to serve in the best interests of children in our community, which is near and dear to our hearts.
Teacher earns award
Congratulations to Elementary Art teacher, Kelly Parsons. She was awarded Michigan’s 75th District Teacher of the Month Award for May, 2023 by State Representative Penelope Tsernoglou.
Representative Tsernoglou also invited the students at Eureka Elementary to submit their artwork for the monthly Student Art Contest. The theme of the contest is “What I Love About Michigan.”
SJPS Head of Grounds receives Excellence Award
St. Johns Public Schools Head of Grounds, Justin McConnell has been presented with the Fields of Excellence Award. Pictured from left to right; Andrew Schmitt (SJHS Teacher/Head Football Coach), Justin McConnell, Megan Merchant (SJHS Athletic Director) and Rob Gleeson (Director of Operations).
Pioneer Athletics proudly announces that St. Johns Public Schools has been selected as a winner of the 2022 Fields of Excellence® Award. As a winner, St. Johns Public Schools will receive a certificate of recognition and a Fields of Excellence banner that they can proudly display at their winning field. Pioneer may also use the picture of St. Johns Public Schools’ winning field in their upcoming publications and annual calendar.
Pioneer understands that excellence in athletic field maintenance goes unrecognized and often unappreciated. The Fields of Excellence Award Program honors out-standing athletic fields and the hardworking field crews who diligently maintain them.
The Fields of Excellence Award Program was established in 1997 and has honored 1,464 athletic fields from around the country since its creation. Colleges, universities, high schools and parks and recreation departments from all over the United States submitted photographs, letters of recommendation and application forms describing their institution’s detailed athletic field maintenance program.
The East Ward School story, Part 2
by Maralyn Fink
1906-1916
The world was changing rapidly around St, Johns. Taft then Wilson were Presidents. World War I was launched.
East Ward kindergartners were sent to school as always, unaware of the turmoil, just as are our kindergartners today. Around 1907-1909 the class roster showed several names still common to St. Johns today:
Leo Pouch, Maxwell Smith, Theodore Mach, Walter Gohn. Ann Wycoff, Margaret Frace, Russell Frank, Auraleah Prank, John Zebelka aad Thelma Smith. A couple of years later Frances Ike Luther joined the class. At that time Bessie Smith was a teacher at East Ward. She also happened to be the great-aunt of Maxwell Smith and his first teacher.
Expansion
About 1910 East Ward planned an expansion. Ananias Pouch was contracted for the addition. The basement was dug by hand and stone was cut by Ananias Pouch and Englebert Smith. The stone came from the Pouch farm which lay about one and a half miles southeast of East Ward school.
In 1911 construction of two new rooms began on the east side of the old building. (This new wing can be noted by looking for the difference in roof height.) Because there was no more clay in his brick yard, Mr. Pouch ordered the brick from Lansing. The brick for East Ward came via Inter-Urban Electric Line which ran at that time between Lansing and St. Johns.
Mr. Pouch gave his son, Leo, the job of preparing the ground surrounding East Ward. Leo, who was a 7th grader at the Union school at that time, used. teams of horses to drag and level the area. Trees were set out then. Each tree was tied and had a fence around it to protect its growth. A wooden flag pole was set up in the southwest corner of the school lot.
It took years to get the East Ward lot firm. There was no baseball or recreational field during that time. One game that boys did enjoy, however, was Newpom. This was a beginning form of basketball. Once a week a teacher from the high school came out to assist the boys with this game. On the lot for a few summers East Ward hosted the tent of Chautauqua. This intellectual group, which originated in New York, gave a type of adult education program in science, humanities and religion.
Up to 1911 the heating system at East Ward had been on a room basis. In 1911 a central heating system was installed. This system was put in by Fowler and Ball, the hardware dealer in St. Johns at that time. The entire heating system, was engineered and maintained by Eli Adams. He tended the heating maintenance job for many years after installation.
Teachers in East Ward during this time were First grade, Betsy Pulfrey, Second and third, unknown, fourth and fifth Cloliah Brink, sixth, Ethel Preston and seventh Zelpha Steel. The substitute teachers during those years were Florence Dexter and Helen Holten.
The 1911 kindergarten class showed Wilma Green, Henry Jury, Gwenavere Roat, Margaret Fowler, Myrtle Irving and Helen McAuslan. Other students at East Ward during these days were: John Baumgartner, Fred Travis, Rolland Steel, Muriel Calkins and Beatrice Rowe.
Next week: The story continues.
Remember When – City names William E. Tennant Performance Shell
Rhonda Dedyne and Chuck Biewer join Bill Tennant after he accepted his proclamation from the City.
Congratulations to Bill Tennant as he received recognition from the City of St. Johns.
Mayor Dana Beaman presented the City’s proclamation to Bill Tennant during the September 26, 2015 regular meeting of the City Commission.
Whereas, William E. Tennant taught Orchestra at the St. Johns School District for 34 years; and
Whereas, William E. Tennant has devoted his time and talent to support the arts in St. Johns; and
Whereas, William E. Tennant was one of the founding members of the Clinton County Arts Council and chaired the committee to build the new shell at the park, working closely with the CCAC Director Kaye Pilmore and the City of St Johns. In that endeavor, he led the fund-raising efforts and helped choose the shell’s design; and
Whereas, for the shell’s 10th anniversary in 2013, he raised hmds to have a beautiful sculpture, built by area artist Tim Higgins, placed by the Shell to recognize the major donors; and
Whereas, William E. Tennant has just completed the work on the 12th full season of summer concerts in the Shell, running from the first Wednesday in June after school is out through the last Wednesday in August
Now, therefore, I , Dana C. Beaman, Mayor of the City of St Johns, do hereby proclaim the performance shell to be named the “William E. Tennant Performance Shell” in honor of his investment of time.
September 28, 2015
Dana C. Beaman, Mayor
City of St Johns, Michigan
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – How to Tell if a Cat Is in Pain
Cats are renowned for their ability to mask pain and discomfort. They do this so well that they could be in excruciating pain without you knowing it, even if you’re the person closest to them.
This is a great advantage when cats are out in the wild around predators that look for signs of weakness. It’s a big problem, however, when your cat is ill or hurt but you have no clues to tell you that there’s a problem.
Cats may not speak, but they do communicate their pain in their own subtle ways. You will need to look for even the slightest behavioral changes that can indicate that your cat is experiencing pain.
Here’s some more insight on cat pain and what signs to watch for.
Cat Pain: What We Know
Veterinarians have come a long way in understanding pain in pets. We’ve found that we are very likely undertreating pets for the level of pain they experience.
Pain management specialists in veterinary care have a mantra they often repeat: “Assume pain.” If your cat has a diagnosed medical condition, pain management should always be part of the treatment.
Arthritis, dental disease, urinary tract disease, bone disease, and cancer are just a few of the common feline medical conditions that are known to be painful. If your cat has these or another condition, be vigilant in looking for signs that your cat may be in pain.
Signs of Cat Pain
The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management has created a checklist for signs of pain in cats that you can check off and give to your veterinarian. This can help you and your veterinarian determine which diagnostics and treatments will best help your cat to feel better:
Cat Pain Checklist
Before using the checklist to evaluate your cat, become familiar with some of the most common behavioral changes that can be signs that a cat is in pain:
Change in Activity Level
A change in activity level can indicate discomfort. Cats might become less active and sleep more hours than they used to. Stiff, arthritic cats may be reluctant to change positions or jump onto high surfaces like they did before.
Conversely, cats may become more active: restless, repetitively getting up and down, and seeming to have difficulty getting comfortable.
Self-Mutilation
While many people associate biting and licking with allergies, pets also often repetitively lick and bite at painful areas. They may do it so often that they cause secondary trauma to their body in the form of wounds, skin infections, and hair loss.
Vocalizing
Most of us know that a hissing or growling cat is an unhappy cat, but did you know that meows and purrs can be signs of a cat in pain? Purring is usually thought of as a sign of contentment, but some cats purr when they are frightened or hurting. This is particularly true for cats with easygoing or gentle personalities.
Change in Daily Routine
A cat whose appetite suddenly drops may be feeling too much pain to eat, or they may be experiencing nausea from a disease.
Cats that suddenly have accidents in the house, whether it’s pee or poop, after years of using the litter box, may be in too much pain to get in and out of a box with high sides, or too sore to get to where the box is located.
A lap cat who suddenly can’t stand being held may be experiencing pain when they are touched or petted. Any of these changes in their usual personality and preferences may be signs of a medical issue.
Posture
Cats do a version of shuffling along when they are stiff; they walk very gingerly and avoid the usual amazing leaps we’re used to seeing. A cat with abdominal pain may have a hunched back, tucking in their abdomen in a protective posture.
You may also notice a cat being protective of a certain area of their body, not wanting to be touched or scratched; they may also limp or hesitate to put weight on a sore limb.
Facial Expressions
Facial expression can be difficult to gauge in cats, but certain giveaways can indicate pain or discomfort. A vacant stare at nothing, or a “glazed” expression, is common for cats in pain.
The Feline Grimace Scale is a validated scale that tells us which expressions cats use when they are in pain. It was created by veterinarians at Université de Montréal. You can even practice your skills with their quiz.
Cats in distress can also have dilated pupils—part of the stress response in the body. Unlike in dogs, cats do not normally pant. If you notice a panting cat, particularly when they are at rest, take them to your vet to be evaluated as soon as possible.
Aggression
Some cats are naturally feisty, while others are not. It can be hard to tell if a cat that’s usually feisty is suddenly acting aggressive. However, a normally friendly cat that is suddenly hissing, swatting, and biting may be a cat in pain.
Out-of-character meanness is a cat’s way of asking to be left alone. A cat that swats or growls when you pet them or try to pet a certain area of their body is trying to tell you that the area hurts.
Poor Coat Condition
Cats are expert groomers, spending up to 5 hours a day on maintaining their silky coats. However, pain from arthritis can make it difficult for a cat to contort themselves into their normal grooming positions.
Pain in general can make a cat too uncomfortable or worn out to maintain their normal routine. A cat that stops grooming and starts to look unkempt may be in pain and needs to be evaluated.
What to Do if You Think Your Cat Is in Pain
Never try to treat your cat with pain medications meant for people. Cats metabolize medication differently and can die from something as benign to humans as acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol).
If you think your cat might be in pain, get them evaluated by your vet. In the past, veterinarians have had very limited options for pain control in cats, but fortunately, this is changing. Some common pain treatment options for cats include prescription pain medications, joint supplements, or natural and alternative therapies such as acupuncture or massage.