1923-2013
Our Lady of the Elms 90th Anniversary Timeline Compiled and published by Carli Kistler-Miller ‘87 Contributors: Sr. Maura Bartel, O.P. Sr. Maureen Carney, O.P. Cynthia Coleman ‘56 Tim DeFrange Dominican Sisters of Peace Sr. Irene Eckerman, O.P. ‘46 Sr. Lin Howley, O.P. Marie Reichart ‘99 Peggy Darmstadt Smith ‘65
Students from the 1923-24 class.
October 15,1923 Our Lady of the Elms opens with 13 students
Enrollment
Oct 1923 - April 1924
1923
Elm Court Entrance
Elm Court Pond
Original Chapel currently the Rose Room
1926 Advertisement
Oct 28, 1926 Ohio Bell Telephone installed in school.
March 2, 1927 Moved into new library/ previous horse stable
Sept 10, 1928 Tuition raised from $7 per month to $10 per month. High School tuition was raised from $10 per month to $15 per month.
1929 Mother M. Beda Schmid, O.P. First Mother General of the Sisters of St. Dominic of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Akron, Ohio
1929 1929 Class Ring
1931
Pictured: May Crowning 1943
First May Crowning
Summer 1932 Summer Play School on the Grounds 1-5pm 6 days per week $4/week
1934
Courtesy of Dominican Sisters of Peace Archives
Eighth Grade Graduates (above) Preschool Students (above)
1934
Courtesy of Dominican Sisters of Peace Archives
1934
Sept 8, 1938 First Preschool opened.
Classes held in the Gardener’s Cottage (currently Beda Hall). 8 students: four 4-year-olds and four 5-year-olds.
Class of 1941
50th Reunion of Class of 1941
1941 First issue of The Elm Leaf is published on a mimeograph.
1945
Class of 1945 Graduation
1945
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XI, No 3, December 1945
Tuning up for Christmas Choral activities are Joyce Crooks, Georgine Gizzi, Yvonne Franz and Louise Holbert.
June 1946 First Yearbook
1947
Taken from The Elm, June 1947
1947
Taken from The Elm, June 1947
1948
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XIII, No. 5, March 1948
1948 Groundbreaking for new high school (currently the Elementary School)
1949 First library in new high school. (currently the Elementary School)
1950
Taken from The Elm, June 1950
First graduating class from the new high school (currently the Elementary School)
1950
Taken from The Elms, June 1950
1951
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XVII, No 3, Dec 1951
1951
Taken from The Little Elm, June 1951
1952
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XVII, No 4, Feb 1952
1953
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XIX, No. 3, Dec 1953
1953
Courtesy of Cynthia Coleman’s private collection
1954
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XX, No. 3, Dec 1954
1955
Taken from The Little Elm, 1955
1957
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XXIII, No. 2, Nov 1957
1958
Taken from Veritas, June 1958
Sister M. Helen Perkins, O.P. High School Principal 1958-1964
Sister M. Martha Pitschmann, O.P. Elementary School Principal 1958-1963
1958 Two principals appointed for first time: one Elementary and one High School.
Convent
High School Stables/ Coach House Elementary School
Beda Hall
1960
Taken from Veritas, June 1960
1960
Taken from Veritas, June 1960
Elms Girls in Uniform Outside the High School.
1960
Taken from Veritas, June 1960
Prayer in the Convent Chapel
1961
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XXVII, No. 3, Dec 1961
1961
Taken from Veritas 1961
1962
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XXVIII, No. 1, Oct 15, 1962
1963
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XXVIII, No. 4, Feb 1963
Elms Girls skating on the Elms pond.
1966
Taken from Veritas, 1966
Sr. Mary Paul, O.P. Directs the December Choral Concert in Gymnatorium.
1965 A $4,000 bequest from Margaret E. Adams Estate received for Elms to start Special Education school. New building opened. (currently Siena Hall)
Started with 11 children.
1965 New Preschool building opened.
1966
Freshman Mixer
Taken from The Elms Leaf, Vol. XXXII, No. 1, Sept 30, 1966
1966
1967
Taken from The Elms Leaf, Vol. XXXIII, No. 1, Nov 1, 1967`
The addition of the two Elementary school octagon classrooms and lavatory as told by Sr. Irene Eckerman, O.P.
1966 - 1970
The present high school was completed so the high school students were moved into the new present building, vacating the outgrown building which then became the elementary school. While this was happening, Mary Louise Sheck told the Sisters about two pre-fab buildings - being sold at another location which could be transported to our property. The Elms purchased both buildings and before the buildings could be moved, basements had to be constructed. Once this was completed and buildings moved, grades one, two and three made the transition from the first school building to what is now Siena Hall. That first year Sister Rose, grade three, Sister Robert, grade two and I [Sister Irene], grade one occupied Siena Hall. It was a wonderful experience having only primary grades in the building. After one year Sister Rose and grade three had another location. Sister Eileen, Mother General, decided to make available the unused portion of the building for classrooms for the local school for the blind, rent free, for one year. The next year ( or year after) Sister Reginald moved her school for the mentally challenged into the unused portion. Part of the first school building was the carriage room from Mr. Marks’ time which was used for gym classes. There also were long cellars where fruit from our trees could be spread out to store fruit for the winter. We also had a silo outside the school. At this time, Mr. James Hall was an employee here - responsible for the wonderful fence of railroad ties on the W. Exchange St. of our property. The Sister in charge was Sister Monica Thomann who was on our community Council at the time. Sometime during this activity, construction was started for the new elementary school addition of a primary lavatory and two octagon shaped classrooms for grades one and two with an outdoor patio in between. I don’t remember if Jim Hall had a construction business which could handle this but I know how Sister Robert (grade two teacher) and I kept reminding Jim to be sure there would be large cabinets for storage and something with large drawers for decorations or projects that couldn’t be folded or rolled. And it happened, much to our delight. Around 1968, the new addition was ready and once again grades one and two moved - this time into the brand new octagon shaped classrooms. We had wonderful mother and father volunteers who helped the children with the individualized learning activities while Sister Irene taught small reading and/or phonics groups. Sister Robert laid the brick foundation for the outside patio.
1968
Courtesy of Sr. Irene Eckerman’s private collection.
Sr. Irene Teaching in First Grade.
1968
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XXXV, No 1, Sept 29, 1969
Sr. Joanne Lamert, O.P.
1970
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol XXXVI, No 3, Dec 18, 1970
Elms Preschool Student.
1972
Taken from The Elms, 1972
1973
Taken from The Elms, 1973
Underclassmen on the bridge over the pond.
1973
Taken from The Elms, 1973
High School Gymnastics
1974
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. XXXIX, No 4, Feb 13, 1974
1975
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Jan 1975
1976
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. XLII, No 3, Dec 21, 1976
1976
Taken from The Elms, 1976
High School students cheering from the stairs in the gymnasium.
1977
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. XLII, No. 4, Feb 9, 1977
1978 First February Fantasy Fundraiser
Pictured: Program from 1979
1978
Taken from Bearers of the Word 1929 -1979
1979Communion in the School Chapel
Taken from Egress, 1979
1980
Taken from Egress, 1980
1981
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. XL, NO 3, Dec 1981
Tennis legacy: (left) Lauren Burden Weber ‘84. (right) Lauren’s daughter, Katie Kuzmishin ‘14
Taken from Egress, 1982
1982 High School Tennis
Courtesy of Sr. Irene Eckerman’s private collection.
1983
1984
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. XLIX, No 6, April 19, 1984
1985
Taken from Egress, 1985
High School Uniforms
1986
Taken from Egress, 1987
First year of Varsity Soccer
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. LIII, No 1, Oct 1987
Sept 16, 1987
Author! Author! series created to raise scholarship funds. Retired Congressman, John Seiberling introduced former Speaker of the House, Thomas P. “Tip� Oneill and best-selling novelist, Edward Rutherfurd.
1987
Seventh and Eighth grades moved to High School
1988
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. LIII, No 1, Oct 1987
Father-Daughter Dance
1988
Taken from Egress, 1988
1989
Taken from Egress, 1989
High School Art Class
1989
Taken from Egress, 1989
Schola Committee (Leads song during Mass)
1990
Taken from Egress, 1990
Seniors on Retreat
Taken from Egress, 1990
1990
School Play
1991
Taken from Egress, 1991
Freshman Induction
1991
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. LVI, No 7, April 1991
1992
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol. LVI, No, 1992
1992
Taken from Egress, 1992
Senior Sweaters
1992
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol LVIII, Issue 1, Oct 1992
1993
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol LVIII, Issue 5, Mar 1993
1994
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol LIX, Issue 2, Feb 1994
1994 1995
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol LIX, Issue 2, Feb 1994
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol 60, Issue 5, Feb 1995
1996
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol 62, Issue 1, Feb 1996
First computers are installed in school: Eighty-four computers with Windows 95 and Microsoft Office. First Elm Leaf issue is published on computer
1994 1996
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol LIX, Issue 2, Feb 1994
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol 64, Issue 4, May 1996
1997
Taken from The Elm Leaf, Vol 65, Issue 4, May 1997
Middle School Speech Invitational Team
1998
Taken from Elementary School Yearbook 1998
1999 Our Lady of the Elms School separately incorporates from the Sisters of St. Dominic. Sr. Maria Ciriello, O.P. serves as first Our Lady of the Elms Board of Trustees President.
1999
Taken from Elementary School Yearbook 1999
Elementary School Spectacular Space Awareness
2000
Taken from Egress, 2000
2003
Taken from Elementary School Yearbook 2003
2002
Taken from Egress, 2002
Student-Athletes
2004
Taken from Elementary School Yearbook 2004
6th Grade
2004
Taken from Egress 2004
Senior Farewell
2004
Preschool & Kindergarten move from Preschool buiding on W. Exchange to Elementary School
2005
Taken from Elementary School Yearbook 2005
Preschool celebrates Earth Day
2006
Courtesy of Cynthia Knight’s private collection
Cynthia Wayne Knight ‘56 donates $1 million.
Elementary School
High School
Convent
2006 Cynthia Wayne Knight ‘56 donates $1 million.
2006
Taken from Egress, 2006
Middle School Convocation
2006
Taken from Egress, 2006
Renovation of High School Library and Media Center thanks to donation from Lisa Holland-Toth ’76 and Lynn Gorman ‘74.
2007 Class of 1965 donates historical marker.
2008
Taken from Elms Magazine, Spring 2008
Demolition of gymnasium to make room for new facilities thanks to $6 million gift from Ann Amer Brennan ‘51 and David Brennan and $1 million gift from Lisa Holland-Toth ’76 and Lynn Gorman ‘74
2009
Taken from The Elms Magazine, Winter 2009
Construction of new dance studio, gymnasium, fitness center, locker rooms, offices and a complete theater renovation continues.
2010
Taken from Egress, 2006
High School & Middle School Elms Olympics
2011
Taken from Elementary School Yearbook 2011
Lisa Shoman ‘67 retires after 32 of teaching at the Elms.
2012 Elementary wins National Blue Ribbon Award
2012
Wireless infrastructure installed.
2013
Martha Kermizis ‘55 retires after 42 years of teaching at the Elms.
New Facilities Elementary School New Roof High School
Convent
2013
October 15, 2013
To be continued...