PelhamToday received the following letter to the editor regarding the former Pelham High School:
From September 1927 to June 1974, the Village of Fenwick was home to Pelham High School. Located on the corner of Canboro Road and Balfour Street it accepted (until 1958) students from Fenwick, Ridgeville, Fonthill, North Pelham, Effingham, Wellandport, Wainfleet, West Lincoln, parts of Welland and Thorold.
Things changed after 1958, when Thorold/Fonthill High School opened and students from the eastern parts went there. Then E. L. Crossley opened in 1963 and this was the beginning of the end for Pelham High.
We were a rural school in a rural, agricultural community. A large number of students came from farms and did chores in the morning before coming to school. They could not stay after school for extracurricular activities because they had to get on the bus and go back home to do those chores again. Many students had an hour-long bus ride to school and back home. Many students struggled to buy books or gym suits, and many had to quit school at 16 so they could go to work and help support the family. Most of us, as a school community, recognized these facts and perhaps this is one reason that we all had a strong bond with each other and have maintained these friendships over the years.
We were fortunate to have a group of dedicated teachers and principals—E. L. Crossley, T. D. (Doug) Wallace, and E. A.(Bud) Ker, who expected the very best from us.
We “Panthers” are a bunch of champions. It all started in 1934 when the girls basketball team won the Cossa Championship. The war years saw our boys and girls go and fight. Some did not return, but one, in particular, E. A.”Bud” Ker, came back with a Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary bravery as a skilled fighter pilot. He returned to Fenwick and Pelham High as a teacher, then V.P. and then Principal.
Our alumni were involved in all walks of life but some have truly excelled. Marlene Stewart Streit is our celebrated golfer. Then there are our Olympians—Jane Haist, Tom Guinn, and Steve Bauer. The local airport is named after Dorothy (Wetherald) Rungeling, one of the original students at Pelham High. Let’s not forget the mayors of the Town of Pelham: Marnie (Stains) Collins, Ralph Beamer, and our present mayor Marvin Junkin. It’s no wonder we are proud Panthers—you know we are the “Original” Pelham Panthers with lots of glorious memories.
Ten years after the School closed, a group of us got a reunion together. In 1984 about 4,000 people came. These included students, teachers and support staff. We had our 11th reunion in 2022, drawing 350 people. Pelham District High School closed its doors in 1974. We thought we would have once last reunion in 2024 to commemorate the fact that it has been 50 years.
We need your input. Should we have one? What do you think? If the answer is “yes” and if you have not already responded, please email [email protected] or call (289) 820-7004.
Hopefully, we will have enough people to meet—one more time.
Vilma Moretti
Fonthill
