West Point alumni celebrate 150 years

By Mike Taylor

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Posted: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 11:04 AM CST

Several generations of students crowded into the West Point Elementary School multipurpose room last Tuesday to celebrate the school’s 150th birthday. As younger pupils mixed with their elder counterparts, everyone agreed on one thing that keeps the small school such an integral part of the community: a care for each student who attends classes.

“They were a good group of kids,” said Bill Yoder, who was principal from 1969 to 1981. He also taught eighth grade his first year at the school.

Yoder said he’s impressed with the modern facilities that now dot his former stomping grounds. “It’s a great set up. I never thought I’d see an auditorium here.”

As the buildings changed, the sense of community at the school has not. Anne Richard said she used to walk to school and there was no such thing as a snow day; classes went on as scheduled.

“I was like the saddle bags on the Schaad boys’ horses,” Richard said. “They’d just throw me on the back.”

Richard returned after further studies to teach for a year at West Point when another teacher took a leave of absence.

“It was a great school,” said Ronnie Rummerfield, who attended the luncheon with his granddaughter, Lakeeta Rogers, 10. “It still is. I went here, my kids did and now my grandkids do.

“There have been three school (buildings) here since I went here. It’s good that it’s getting bigger.”

Yoder recalled the days when basketball courts on the campus were lighted. “They were very popular.”

Things were a little bit different then, too, as the lights were on the honor system. “People would just turn them off,” Yoder said.

Arlene Wilson - who attended first through eighth grade at West Point - was always impressed with Yoder. She said that she recently told a friend from school, “Bill Yoder brought us to the lives we have today.”

She’s not kidding. Yoder made the drive out to Wilson’s home in 1971 after she had graduated high school and gone to some adult education classes Yoder taught. He visited Wilson to offer her a job.

“I was shocked. I was a very shy person,” the now bubbly Wilson said, glancing across the auditorium at Yoder. “He told me, �I have a job for you,’ and I was shocked. I said �OK’ because he believed I could do it. That was 35 years ago.

“It was nice,” Wilson added. “The kids and families were always so friendly. They all gave me confidence. It was more like home than work.”

Wilson was an instructional aide most of those 30-plus years, but she also served as school secretary once in a while. Even though she retired three years ago, she still works as the secretary when someone needs a day off.

Wilson fondly remembers the way the West Point campus looked when she attended classes and began her career there. As old buildings came down when new ones were constructed in the mid-1970s, she said there was some sadness.

“I can remember where all the drinking fountains were,” Wilson said.

Everyone at last week’s gathering enjoyed sharing their tales and many of the former students contributed stories to an electronic time capsule recorded for the occasion.

“There are so many memories here,” Wilson said.

Contact Mike Taylor at mtaylor@calaverasenterprise.com.

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