, covered the history of the first 40 years of Fairfax School. This month, we’ll
explore the final 40 years. As I noted in Part One, the history of a school
isn’t typically recorded in books or news reports, but in the memory of its
students, teachers, staff, and parents. For me, there are memories of dodgeball,
science fairs, field trips, fire drills, pizza burgers for lunch, the scent of
the mimeograph machine and, of course, my teachers from Miss McNeal in
kindergarten to Mrs. Jackson in fifth grade. So, let’s continue reminiscing!
Each year we had a visit from a Fairfax Police officer. This photo is from the visit
with Mrs. Fender's third grade class in the 1970-1971 school year.
Photo provided by Brenda Pruiett Fouser.
From the Eastern Hills Journal, March 14, 1973
Plaque in memory of Mrs. Mabel Wenger, my first grade teacher.
1973-1974 fourth grade class
Photo provided by Brenda Pruiett Fouser
Mrs. Pat Holland's third grade class, 1973-1974.
Photo courtesy of Chris Jones
Selections from my fifth grade class "yearbook" in 1974:
From the Eastern Hills Journal, October 12, 1977
Mrs. Joyce Beck's second and third grade students, 1980-1981.
Photo provided by Tonya Randles Hall.
The January 1981 teachers’ strike was one of the most divisive
events in the history of Mariemont Schools. For weeks, striking teachers and
their supporters picketed in front of Fairfax Elementary and the other district
schools. The strike resulted in the firing of 50 – more than half – of the
district’s faculty members. Although neighbors in all communities in the
district were at odds on the strike issue, Fairfax had a higher proportion of
residents who supported the teachers than the other communities. Despite the
strike and firings, Fairfax Elementary retained most of its faculty members.
From the Eastern Hills Journal, February 18, 1981
From the Eastern Hills Journal, May 19, 1982
Mrs. Patti Hannahan's first grade class, 1984-1985.
Photo provided by Chrissy McIntyre.
Mr. Jim Counts' fourth grade classroom, 1986.
Photo provided by Dennis Geier
6th grade pool party at the home of Mr. Jerry Sasson, 1988.
Photo provided by Dennis Geier
The first rumors of Fairfax Elementary closing were in
the summer of 1990. Ohio’s school open enrollment law went into effect on July
1, 1990 and each district had to adopt an open enrollment policy effective July
1, 1993. Open enrollment would allow students to apply to transfer into another
district. A student’s district of residence would provide the funding for the
student’s education. Mariemont was concerned that the funding received from other
districts would be insufficient to cover the cost of out-of-district students’ education
at Mariemont. Although there was no requirement that a district participate in inter-district open enrollment, Mariemont Schools officials were concerned with
the perception that they were trying to avoid minority integration if they
didn’t.
The district established the
Mariemont Open Enrollment Committee comprised of district residents. One early
proposal from the committee was to close Fairfax Elementary, the elementary
school with the lowest enrollment. This would reduce the number of openings
available for out-of-district students. Fairfax students would be sent to the
other two elementary schools in the district. This proposal leaked and many
Fairfax residents were upset. Fairfax Mayor Ted Shannon said, "We're not
happy at all. It's an inconvenience for our residents to send the students all
the way to Terrace Park."
The school board surveyed
district residents, who were against the proposal and wanted to keep their
neighborhood schools. School superintendent Donald Thompson downplayed the
proposal, saying, “Quite frankly, maybe a citizen or two or several ran with
this rumor, which was perpetuated by the media.” Ultimately, Mariemont chose
not to allow inter-district open enrollment. Although Fairfax Elementary
remained open, from that point forward it seemed like there was always a
looming threat of the school closing.
1994-1995 Fairfax Elementary School Staff
Row 1 – Sandy Fender, Jan Ring,
Darcy Hanley, Jane Durr, Kathy Hollenbeck
Row 2 – Amy Uhl, Patti
Hannahan, Larry Goetz, Becky Holtzinger
Row 3 – Joyce Beck, Cathy
Haerr, Patti Araya, Wendell Davidson, Charlene McClurg,
Ann Lindell
Row 4 – Mary Salmon, Sue Dill,
Jan Moreton, Judy Hendricks, Cathy Monterosso, Mary Porter, Brenda Miller
Photo provided by Sue Dill
Fairfax Elementary sixth grade, 1997
Photo courtesy of Melissa Witte
Mrs. Joyce Beck and students at the 1997 Halloween parade.
Photo provided by Sue Dill
Fairfax Elementary students behind the school, 1998.
Photo provided by Sue Dill.
How many of you Fairfax kids were able to climb the ropes in the
gym all the way to the top? I never got past the knot!
From the 2000-2001 Fairfax Elementary Yearbook
At the end of the 2000-2001
school year, two longtime, dedicated Fairfax Elementary
teachers, Mrs. Sandy Fender
and Mrs. Joyce Beck, retired.
From the 2000-2001 Fairfax Elementary Yearbook
Playground installation photos provided by Sue Dill.
In 2002, Fairfax Elementary
students and staff, along with the Fairfax Police Department and Fairfax-Madison
Place Joint Fire Department, commemorated the anniversary of the September 11,
2001 attacks:
Photos provided by Sue Dill.
2002 Fairfax Elementary Halloween parade
Flag raising, from 2003-2004 Fairfax Elementary Yearbook
The Village of Fairfax celebrated its 50th anniversary of incorporation in 2005.
Several residents who lived in Fairfax for at least 50 years spoke to students.
Front row: Shirley Davis, Diane Girty, Peggy Kersker, Ramona McCollum
Middle row: Phyllis Totton, JoAnn Gunter, Mary Hayes, Jackie Schneider,
Jackie French, Emma Asher
Back row: Principal Lance Hollander, Mayor Ted Shannon, Gary Banfill
Longtime residents Alice Waltz and Mary Hayes speak with students.
Photos provided by Sue Dill.
Custodian Mr. Mike Maschinot and some students.
From 2005-2006 Fairfax Elementary Yearbook.
School Secretary Mrs. Sue Dill
From the 2006-2007 Fairfax Elementary Yearbook
Mr. Dave Daley, volunteer crossing guard
Photo provided by Sue Dill
Fairfax Elementary School in September 2009, still beautiful in its final year of use.
From the October 27, 2010 Eastern Hills Journal.
As
the end of the decade approached, Mariemont City School District was exploring
ways to cut costs. Fairfax Elementary had the
lowest enrollment of the district’s three elementary schools. The fifth and
sixth grades were moved from Fairfax to Mariemont Elementary. The decades-old
facilities throughout the district were in need of improvements and money was
tight. The district surveyed residents to determine their preferences on what
the school facilities would look like going forward, including closing one or
two schools. In the end, the decision was made to close Fairfax Elementary
School after the 2009-2010 school year. Fairfax students would begin attending
Mariemont Elementary.
The school board also voted to
place a combined operating and bond levy on the May 2010 ballot. A number of
cuts would be made if the levy didn’t pass. If it passed, the Fairfax School
building would be torn down and replaced by a new junior high school. The levy
passed.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer, May 21, 2010
Other than for events in the gym, I hadn't been through the school for decades. So, like many others, I took the opportunity to tour the school and reminisce.
The second floor hallway.
Back in the day, this was my fifth grade classroom and Mrs. Dorothy Jackson was
my teacher. As you faced the school, this room was on the second floor to the
right of the door on the left side.
I remember this as the art
room. If I recall correctly, it was second room from the
right on the second
floor as you faced the school. I know I had more than one
art teacher, but remember Miss Betty Rhoades best.
This room was next to the first
floor entrance on the left front side of the building.
When I was a student at
Fairfax in the early 1970s, this was Mrs. Pat Holland’s
science classroom. My
favorite memory of this class was making terrariums.
This was my second grade
classroom and later became the library. Mrs. Gail
Kaufmann was my second grade
teacher. Mrs. Ann Monroe was the librarian
and allowed students to help her in
the library at recess. I loved working in
the library! This classroom was on
the first floor next to the door on the right
side of the building.
This room was on the far
right in the front of the school. This was
Mrs. Pam Masterson’s first grade
classroom in my day. My first grade homeroom
teacher was Mrs. Mabel Wenger,
whose classroom was across the hall.
First floor hallway
The gym/auditorium/cafeteria
I was served many a pizza burger
in this lunch line. Also, this is where I hid
when we played dodgeball in Mr.
Don Fender’s gym class!
It seems like everyone wanted a picture with Mr. and Mrs. Fender at the school retirement events:
Photo provided by Brenda Pruiett Houser
Many current and past Fairfax Elementary staff members returned for the
building retirement ceremony.
Within a few months, the
Fairfax Elementary School building was no more. The cupola from the old
building was preserved to be used for the new building.
Demolition photos from the Eastern Hills Journal, October 27, 2010
Mariemont Junior High School
opened in Fairfax for the 2012-2013 school year and has now been part of our
village for over a decade.
The cupola salvaged from Fairfax School.
In researching this article, I
found an album of pictures of Fairfax School, which photographer Aaron Turner
wrote was “sinfully razed in 2011.” Enjoy a look back at our beautiful school
by following this link: Fairfax School--Fairfax, Ohio
Hopefully, these articles have
sparked some memories of Fairfax Elementary School. Please feel free to leave
your memories in the Comments section of this blog. If you have pictures or
memorabilia that you would like to be considered for future edits of these
articles, please email them to FairfaxOhioHistory@gmail.com.
