History

  • history

     

    The class of 1934 poses at the end of the school year in front of the old Woodmere building. Front row adults from left to right are Mrs. M. Hogue, Miss Georgia Ewing, and Mrs. Alevia Alexander (Principal); third row 5th from left, Janet Wagstaff; back row 4th from left, Clayton Munzer.

    by C.R. Norman, Woodmere Principal, 1962-68

    The original Woodmere building was located just south of where the current building is now (7900 S.E. Duke St.). Woodmere was an eight-room structure with four rooms up and four rooms down. After the main building was completed in 1913, various additions were constructed so that in 1918 the school was complete with twelve classrooms, an office, and a gym.

    This original construction included beveled plate glass windows. Mrs. Queenie Swanson, a veteran of 44 years teaching at Woodmere, recalls that the stairs were made of solid oak treads and were turned over when they became grooved by the wear of thousands of footsteps. She also stated that the east wind in the winter kept the building very cold and that the custodians often stayed overnight to keep the coal furnace going.

    The present building was constructed in portions as was the original. In 1954 the new primary building was opened for grades 1-4. In 1958 the old building was torn down and the new primary building was expanded to provide for grades 1-8. The area that was served by the Woodmere building today includes the Kelly, Clark, and Whitman attendance areas.

    In 1963 Woodmere had 18 classrooms, a gym, a cafeteria, a home economics room, and an industrial arts room. The latter two rooms were remodeled in 1987 to enlarge the library.

    Woodmere is presently a K-5 school.

    Past Principals of Woodmere

    W.A. Petty 1910-1913
    W.A. Dickson 1913-1918
    Alevia Alexander 1918-1939

    alexander Mrs. Alevia Alexander on 8th Grade Graduation Day in 1932.(Photo courtesy of Nuvere Sterner, 8th Grade class of 1932.)
    Carl Zook 1939-1944
    F.V. Magaurn 1944-1955
    principals Mr. Magaurn and Mrs. Alevia Alexander (standing behind boy) in 1955.
    C.E.  Hulse1955-1956
    Robert McCann 1956-1958
    Clinton Thomas 1958-1962
    C.R. Norman 1962-1968
    Joseph Cherry 1968-1971
    R. Gordon Neideigh 1971-1980
    Donna Manning 1980-1986
    Diana Leitner 1986-1993
    Vonnie Haley-Condon 1993-2003vonnie
    Heather Hull 2003-
    Rene Canler 2013-2016
    Katherine Polizos 2016-present