A Tribute for Miss Dwyer

Today is the first day of June, and for many it is a time for school graduations.

This week we are going to look back at a memorable event in Central Elementary School’s history.

Late in the evening of June 12, 1951, parents and students gathered in the school’s auditorium for its graduation ceremony.

The program began with the entire class singing “Peace Hymn.”

Esther Gonzales stepped forward to lead those present in the flag salute, followed by an invocation given by Betty Ramsey.

When she finished, the eighth-grade glee club sang the “Lost Chord” and “The Best Things in Life are Free.”

James Thornton Jr., vice president of Orange Coast College, spoke to the audience on the subject of “The Limit of Vision,” with a presentation of the class by Supt. John Peterson.

Awarding the diplomas that evening were Gerald Lance, Wilber Stanley and R. Alden Tornquist.

A few of the students receiving their diplomas included Donna Marie Fleming, Jessie Leland McCallen, Geronimo Elisalde Pantoja, Betty Jo Ramsey, James Andrew Shandrick and Robert Collins Terry.

The ceremony ended with a benediction, “Now the Day Is Over,” sung by the class.

What made this graduation class so memorable is this was the last for Vice Principal Ethel Dwyer.

Dwyer had decided that it was time to retire after 30 years of service to the school as teacher and vice principal.

Dwyer had spent most of her adult life in the field of education.

In May 1951, PTA President Font Kanawyer announced that Ethel Dwyer would be retiring at the end of the semester.

Members of the PTA and representatives of local organizations met and formed a planning committee to honor their vice principal.

They chose to honor Dwyer with an informal reception at Lake Park Clubhouse on June 8.

Harriet Ethel Dwyer began her teaching career in 1909 in Oregon. Her first teaching assignment in California was for the Ocean View Elementary School in 1912. This single-room schoolhouse was located near present-day Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue. She would remain at Ocean View for the next nine years.

In 1921, Dwyer came to Central Elementary, which at the time was a large, two-story wooden building with a bell tower, located on Orange Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets.

Dwyer worked at this location until the new school building at 14th and Palm opened in October 1923.

In 1929, Dwyer was appointed as school counselor at Central Elementary.

After the great earthquake in March of 1933, students were transferred to church and office buildings for their lessons.

In 1935, Dwyer was appointed vice principal, and for the next 16 years, students entering the second floor of the main building found her seated at her desk every morning as they walked to the end of the long hallway.

On the night of June 8, 1951, more than 250 friends, past and current students, and parents filled Lake Park Clubhouse to honor Dwyer.

The PTA had the room decorated with sweet peas, gladiolas and other spring flowers, with lighted candles on the two tea tables.

There were three tables with guest books for people to sign, with the Girl Scouts in charge.

The scouts included Flora Brown, Sylvia Harwood, Deana Murdy, Margaret Shepard, and Mary Jane and Jo Ann Whittaker.

Each student from Paul Malmeuth’s eighth-grade class brought their pennies to class to finance the purchase of an orchid for Dwyer.

I wonder how many are around today who were part of that class remember bringing their pennies to buy that beautiful flower for Miss Dwyer.

In 1965, the school board again honored her by renaming the school Ethel Dwyer Intermediate School, which today is Dwyer Middle School.

This was a proud moment in the 42-year career of Ethel Dwyer and would remain so until her passing in June 1970.