OAK RIDGE SCHOOLS CELEBRATE 125 YEARS

OAK RIDGE -- Residents of Oak Ridge said it over and over Friday: The people make it special.

Much of the town turned out for a parade and school assembly on Friday to celebrate the Oak Ridge School District's 125th anniversary. The events were the beginning of a weekend of festivities, which conclude tonight with the annual alumni banquet.

Small-town pride was evident during the parade from passage of the first volunteer fire district vehicle to the parade of minfloats loaded on small wagons pulled by schoolchildren. Alumni smiled and called to each other from pickup trucks , while elementary students marched behind banners proclaiming their future graduation dates."Everybody says growth is good, but I kind of like to sit along the side of the road and see somebody pass by and know who it is," said Chester Seyer, who joked with other parade-goers.

Seyer's 4-year old son, Ethan, already is looking forward to becoming a fighting Bluejay next year. Seyer said his son feels his pride in the school district. "It's just a small-town school, and I just like it," he said.

Betty Cowan, who has lived in Oak Ridge nearly 50 years, said the school district has thrived because of loyal community support. "We have a lot of good people here who support their schools and the churches. We're very proud of that," she said.

After the parade had passed twice along the only approach to the school, parents and children walked together into the school gymnasium. As they entered, many stopped to look at five banners that depicted events that had taken place during the school district's history.

The gymnasium was crowded with community members and students as the assembly began. Many sat quietly while the Bluejay Honor Choir performed a musical history of the district. However, residents old and young stood, sang and clapped as the choir gave a rousing rendition of the school song."Community support is probably the No. 1 thing," said Jeff Hahs, president of the board of education. "Every time we ask for something they usually chip in and help out."Hahs, who also is president of the Missouri School Boards Association, said several school officials from other districts have challenged Oak Ridge's claim to have the oldest high school west of the Mississippi River. Two weekends ago an administrator from St. Charles County challenged the claim, saying his district was older by four years.

After researching the issue, the administrator had to retract his challenge, mainly because the Oak Ridge claim is very specific, Hahs said."There are a lot of districts older than ours, but they were only kindergarten through eighth grade," he said. "Ours was the first organized public high school west of the Mississippi River."Superintendent Cheri Fuemmeler said the district's age, size and community support make it unique among public school districts. Students are thriving because voters, parents and staff are loyal and express confidence in them, she said."There's a lot of tradition here, and it's a very pleasant place to work," Fuemmeler said. "The school board and the community are dedicated to doing what's best for the kids."Alumnus Maxine Friedrich said the school district comes first in the community. She expects the district's tradition to continue well into the future."There are a lot of things that come and go, but the school system has been built," she said. "We're going to be here."