Lakewood Lore

Lois Welsch left her mark on education in Lakewood

Education is the backbone of Lakewood. How it came to be is evidenced in the long history of its schools and the unfailing dedication of its teachers and administrators.

Through the year, McKinley Elementary School and the woman who guided this institution longer than any other of its principals made praiseworthy contributions to our community's high marks in the educational field.

Lois A. Welsch, who retired in 1991 after a quarter century as head of McKinley, knew by heart the names of every one of her 510 pupils that year and could tell you something about the headway each child was making. Her desk was out in the main hallway where everyone passed, not hidden away in some enclosed office.

"Lois was a matchless salesman for education," William E. Vejdovec, former director of elementary schools, remembers. "She created inspiring slogans to constantly encourage her children to learn and grow, and she always responded in the comments section of their report cards with personal touches."

During her tenure, a milestone development was reached at McKinley with a $1 million expansion in 1970 that introduced a new concept in teaching, which remains there as well as at Grant School to this day.

Pupils for the first time were provided large open study spaces instead of the conventional confined classrooms. Such an arrangement allowed for a more natural environment for children. There also were other advantages, including convenience of movement and greater adaptability for curriculum changes.

Put into operation simultaneously was a further innovation wherein teacher would work as close-knit teams in the open areas to enhance the learning experiences of the boys and girls.

Welsch co-chaired with Vejdovec a committee that extensively researched the revolutionary ideas before their adoption here. Vejdovec recalls Lois's intense enthusiasm during the changeover period at McKinley.

"The day the big skylight on top of the new learning center was put into place, Lois climbed to the roof with the construction workers to make sure the installation was being done right, and she even got John Ellis, then schools' superintendent, to go up with her," Vejdovec said.

The transformation into a modern facility did not occur overnight, however. McKinley's history dates back to 1871 when a one-room wooden schoolhouse was built on an acre along West Clifton Boulevard between Detroit and Northwood. The land was bought from Archer Webb, an early settler, for $1,300.

Originally designated merely as No. 8, the rural-type structure soon was renamed West School, and in 1872 replaced by a one-room brick building, which was subsequently enlarged in 1879.

First teacher Miss Bessie Brown received a salary of $35 a month -- not so bad when you consider that good board at the time was available for $2-3 a week with room rent thrown in.

Enrollment grew until, in 1899, still another replacement -- this time a four-roomer made of brick -- was put up. It was named in honor of William McKinley, 25th president of the United States, then in his third of office.

A number of other additions followed before the large 1970 expansion, and today the school comprises 22 rooms and a gym and has 20 teachers, making it one of the largest of Lakewood's elementaries.

Welsch was born in St. Louis, the daughter of a Lutheran minister. During her youth, she moved with her parents to various parishes in midwest towns before graduating from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and earning a master's degree from the University of Michigan.

She came to Lakewood in 1962 as a teacher at Emerson Junior High and then taught for a year at Horace Mann before being named principal of McKinley in 1966.

She married Albert Welsch, a mechanical engineer, in 1971. Today the couple have two children and a granddaughter and live in North Olmsted.

Current McKinley principal is Donald Paul, a Baldwin-Wallace College graduate who came here from Akron as an elementary school principal in 1970. He served at Madison and later Grant before being appointed to his present assignment last fall.

This article appeared in the Lakewood Sun Post March 5, 1992. Reprinted with permission.

[Note: See the McKinley School PTA Page for information about McKinley School today.]

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