Principal says caring makes the elementary school special

By Ed Runyan

BOARDMAN — In 1957, when Robinwood Elementary School opened to grades one through six, a first-grader named Elaine was among the first pupils to walk through the door.

The cost for lunch was 3 cents per day.

The female teachers wore long skirts or dresses, and many wore horn-rimmed glasses. Male teachers wore a suit and a tie.

Many things have changed since then, such as the price for lunch and the style of dress.

But two things have remained: Elaine, now known as Mrs. Elaine Demase, is still walking into the kindergarten-through-fourth-grade school building every day as a teacher.

And the philosophy of caring first instituted by principal Ethel Mae Burt is still there.

“She knew every child, every mom and dad,” said Douglas Wilcox, a cousin of Ethel Burt’s who attended a 50th anniversary celebration at the school Friday.

“It [the school] was her pride and joy,” he said, commenting on how she personally oversaw the painting and other finishing touches on the building so that it would provide an inviting atmosphere for Elaine and her classmates.

Burt was one of the first female principals in Mahoning County, Wilcox added.

Demase, meanwhile, who blew out the candles on the school’s birthday cake during an assembly involving all the building’s staff and 371 students, said caring has been a Robinwood Elementary trait from Day One until the present.

“I think the special thing about it is the caring,” she said. “It’s a very nurturing environment,” she said. Demase has taught in the building since 1977. Since then, two children have graduated from Robinwood and gone on to teach there themselves — Holly Watts and Jeff Hammerton.

There are also three other current Robinwood teachers who attended the school, said Principal Don Robinson: Kim Gorski, Mandy Scrocco and Susan Farkas.

“That seems like a lot,” Demase said of the pull the school seems to have on those who have spent much of their lives there.

To celebrate the anniversary, pupils sang songs, watched a PowerPoint presentation showing Robinwood photographs dating back to 1957 and listened to testimonials written to current pupils.

Fourth-grader Dominic Commisso touched on a tradition at Robinwood he looks forward to this spring, when he graduates — the “clap out” at the end of the final day of classes for the year.

The tradition involves placing every staff member and child in kindergarten through third grade lining a hallway and clapping as the fourth-graders parade through the hallway and out the door. It signifies their final act before moving on to Glenwood Middle School, said Janet Sandy, computer teacher at Robinwood.

“It’s the saddest thing you’ll ever see,” she said. “It’s awesome.”

Cheryl Dutko, a member of the Robinwood Elementary School parent teacher association, said she and some teachers decided a milestone such as 50 years was worth celebrating.

“At Robinwood, you feel like you can be yourself,” said fourth-grader Krista Johnson.

“Friends at Robinwood help each other out,” said another fourth-grader, Sharon Dang.

runyan@vindy.com