Alma Schrader’s 50th Anniversary

Miss Alma Schrader had an excused absence for missing the 50th Anniversary of the school named after her: the veteran Cape Girardeau school principal died shortly before the school opened. She would have been 124 years old, had she been able to attend, Principal Ruth Ann Orr joked.

You can read about Miss Schrader and see photos of the kindergarten class of 1967 at this link.

Alma Schrader’s  five principals attended

All five of Alma Schraders’ adminstrators attended the ceremony, including Vince Raddle, Roy Glass, Frank Ellis, David Giles and Ms. Orr.

“I hope you don’t get into trouble”

Roy Glass, left, was the school’s longest serving principal, with 21 years at the post. His grandson, Neil Glass, third from left, director of administrative services, said he used to ask his grandfather for the keys to the school so he could play in the gym when he was a kid.

“I hope you don’t get in trouble for that,” he joked. “I didn’t turn on the lights,” he added.

Those were simpler days and more trusting days. Central High School principal Fred Wilferth gave me the keys to the high school one evening in 1963 so I could process a spot news photo in the school darkroom. That photo launched my career in photojournalism.

Standing room only

I had to park my car about two blocks away. The hills in that neighborhood are a lot steeper than when I was 12 years old flinging papers in front yards.

The school’s gym was filled to standing room only. It seemed like every third person was recording the event in some form or fashion.

Two generations of students

After the formal ceremonies, many of the attendees stayed around for refreshments and to look at old school scrapbooks and yearbooks.

There were several multi-generational Alma Schrader families. Dr. Ryan Davis flips a scrapbook page while Raleigh and Grayson Davis and Sarah McKinley watch.

Jim Gerhard, ’59

Jim Gerhard was the only member of the original Class of 1959 to attend. He came across the state from Joplin for the celebration.

Gallery of Photos

Here is a collection of photos from Alma Schrader’s 50th Anniversary celebration. Click on any image to make it larger, then click on the left or right side of the picture to move through the gallery.

29 Replies to “Alma Schrader’s 50th Anniversary”

  1. Wish I could have been there. Loved seeing the pics of Mr. Glass and Mrs. Neal. Mrs. Wilma Harris has always been an inspiration throughout the years, even though some thought she was a very difficult teacher. Learned some great life lessons from her. Have loved keeping in touch with her.

  2. I was in the first 6th grade to go to Alma Schrader. Vince Raddle (the principal) was our teacher along with Bill Mabrey (PE teacher). The “one way” window that was installed between the 6th grade classroom and the principal’s office was put in backwards. The class got to spy on the principal instead of him keeping an eye on us. I even got out of class to paint the name of the school on the mail box.
    I went to the reunion on Thursday night too.

  3. Hi Ken, Enjoyed the e-mail that I requested of Cape Central Photos and History. Thank you for sending. Regards Virginia “Kerr” West

  4. I was in the first 5th grade class taught by Ms. Wilma Harris. The east wing was still not completed so we began the year in, what later became, Ms. Beard’s kindergarden room.

  5. Margi,

    The changing bridge picture is part of the new template I’m using. It alternates between the old and new bridge every 30 seconds or so.

    It’s supposed to represent the schizophrenic nature of the site: it’s mostly about Old Cape, but I throw in new stuff from time to time.

  6. We have 4 grandchildren that have attended Alma Schrader plus our son-in-law. They are all pictured in your various photos. Dr. Ryan Davis, Raleigh, Grayson, and Sarah McKinley are pictured looking through a scrapbook. Our fourth grandchild is in the picture with the principals, past and present. His name is Brogan Davis. He is also pictured in the top picture performing with the fourth grade class. In addition our daughter, Allison Davis is a kindergarten teacher at Schrader. We appreciate your coverage of this event. You are still quite the newsman. Thanks, Larry Sadler ’64

  7. Larry,

    It seemed like every time I turned around there was another member of your family popping up.

    It was fun to cover the event. It was a lot more fun, though, because I didn’t have to rush back to the darkroom to process and print the film on deadline like in the old days. I also had the luxury of running more than one picture. Electrons are a lot cheaper than newsprint.

    I enjoyed meeting Missourian photographer Laura Simon (even if I have some Nikon F camera bodies that are a couple decades older than she is). It’s a great life to build memories 1/1000 of a second at a time.

  8. OMGosh ! I began Alma Schrader in my second grade year – kindergarten and first grade @ Washington. I was a patrol girl and took my first baton lessons while there. I fondly remember each year’s experiences. Mr. Abernathy’s sixth grade class put on a play, “The Grasshoppers and The Beetles.” What fun! What memories! Thank you for the coverage. I see Vince Raddle is still on this great earth…He was the principal back then. Congratulations and Cheers to 50 more years! Kris ’70

  9. I wish I could have been there. It is great to see pictures of the school and the folks from all the different ages. I was there in the 70’s.

    Thanks for the memories.

  10. I was there the first year in Ms. Lorberg’s 2nd grade class – the school was SOOO modern and out in the middle of nowhere – we rode our bikes on a dirt path across farmland – later it was Fairlane Drive extended. I still have my Christmas ornament with my name in glitter that Ms. Mitchell gave to every child. I remember Coach Mabrey, Ms. Lorberg, Ms.Kellog/Mitchell (how exciting-she got married and her name changed!) Ms. Meyer, Ms. Miner and my nemesis-Mr. Abernathy. Hope I got all the names right-now I have “senior moments”

  11. I was only able to attend Schrader my sixth grade year. We lived on Masters Drive, right behind the school. I started practicing my kicking on the north playground where the jungle gym bars were sort of shaped like goal posts. I would kick there for hours after school and on weekends. I won many a game for Cape Central in my mind. I’ve driven by there a few times since we moved from Cape in 1974, and I remember those long hours kicking over the jungle gym at Alma Schrader. Ms. Banken (I think) was my sixth grade teacher. Wonderful memories.

    1. Jeff,

      I’m always careful how to answer the question when someone asks if I’m related to Mark or David Steinhoff.

      It sounds like it’s safe to admit to you that they are both my brothers. It’s very likely that some combination of us ran into you at Camp. We were an active Scouting family.

  12. Ken, I saw you question to Jeff Hutton and thought I would answer it too. One of the “big adventures” of my childhood (we were probably about 10 years old) was when my neighbor,John Blattner, and I went “exploring” on our bikes one day out past Alma Schrader school and found an old cemetery. For some reason, I never could find it again and never went back – maybe I was afraid. Then, around 1979-80, I rented a house (from the Hutsons) on Melrose and realized I was just one house away from that old cemetery! I can’t remember what time of year it happened, but one time there was an infestation of weird worms crawling on the basement walls. The next-door neighbors closest to the cemetery had them too. Of course, I joked about it, saying they came from the graves.
    Bev Peterson-CHS class of ’70

  13. Ken,
    We very much appreciated you attending Alma Schrader’s 50th Anniversary and documenting the event through pictures. Your photos capture the night so well. What a blessing to have so many present to enjoy the memories made over the last 50 years! Thank you to all who attended and create a great memory for our present students!

    To Bill McCutchen, if you grew up on Oak Hills, you were my neighbor!

  14. Ken, this will probably be out of sequence. No, I never did explore any old graveyards when we lived there. I probably would have been to scared to do that on my own, but I might have done it with some of my buddies. Are you related to Mark Steinhoff by any chance? Mark and I knew each other through our days at Camp Lewallen, among other things.

  15. Bev, it wasn’t exactly easy to find the cemetery when it was isolated out in the middle of what I remember to be a pasture.

    I drove by there yesterday and wondered how many graves they hit when they cut away the banks for the roads and houses. I find it hard to believe that the site was that squared off.

  16. To echo Larry Sadler’s post-it was a treat to see pictures of my son, Ryan Davis, his wife Allison, and my wonderful grandchildren Raleigh, Brogan, Grayson, and Sara Mckinley. Of course I thoroughly enjoy all your pics and the memories they envoke .Thanks for all you do!

  17. Ken:
    I enjoy your website. It was a great event to relive old memories. I attended K-6, Safety Patrol, and almost remembered all the words to the school song!

  18. The first year the school was opened, I attended first grade in Mrs. Clayton’s class. The gym/cafeteria was not yet completed and we had to get our lunch in the hall, I believe, then eat at our desks. It was so scary to be transferred to Franklin in sixth grade along with many members of the class!

  19. Wow. So sad to say I missed the opportunity to be there. But when I saw the pictures, it seems that I’ve been there at that moment. Hopefully next time I can attend.

  20. I was just strolling down memory lane when I came across this celebration. I have a lot of good memories attending that school starting in 1979 in third grade. I had remember Mrs Englemann, Mrs. Neal 4th, Miss Harris who liked to compare us to her dog Rex who would “never flick peas across the table” and Mrs. Conrad for 6th grade. Were those possibly pictures I saw of Miss Harris in the video?

  21. I missed this since I was a late-comer to Ken’s blog. I started Kindergarten with Mrs. Beard in 1960, first grade with Mrs. Rubaneau(sp)in 1961, second with Ms. Diane (nee Lankford) Kelleher in ’62, third with Mrs. Betty Allison in ’63, and fourth with Mrs. Heilig in ’64.

    Does everyone remember the very tall janitor? I can’t remember his name.

    Fifth & sixth grades took me to the newest school in town; Hawthorn.

  22. I went to school here from 1st grade thru 6th starting in 1965 we did’nt even go to KG then first grade teacher though was Miss Yow. I remember Mr. Abernathy but he wasnt my 6th grade teacher I remember Helen Stein meanest woman on earth and 3rd grade teacher I’m sure if I think long enough I’ll remember the rest but some I’d like to forget they were MEAN !!!

  23. Alma was the great aunt to my lovely, now deceased, sister in law. Alma hosted the wedding reception at her small home for my brother and his bride. My brother was being shipped out to the Korean War. Alma has two great nieces who are still living and numerous great great nieces and nephews. Her extended family has taken joy and pride from that school being named for her. She was a graduate of CHS and SEMO and began began teaching at Jefferson School around 1907. She became the first woman president of the SEMO District Teachers’ Assoc.. She truly dedicated her life to education in Cape Girardeau.

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