Montgomery Alumni Senior Scholarship winners include (l-r): Alesha Glass, Sarah Wigg and the Margaret Stoltz award went to Rebecca Hite. With the trio is Daphne Ross, Montgomery Area School District Superintendent of Schools.

MONTGOMERY – Montgomery Area High School alumni were treated to a slide show program featuring photos of school years past, compliments of Larry Stout. The 107th Annual Alumni Banquet was held June 9, 2012 at the Clinton Township Fire Hall.

Historian Leona Dewalt read greetings from those believed to be the eldest living alumni, Dorothy Buck Bingaman, class of 1934 and Paul Herman, class of 1936. Bingaman, a resident at the Williamsport Home just stopped driving last year. Herman who lives in Ohio reported that at age 56, he’d enrolled at Ohio State University in the electrical engineering program. “It’s never too late to enter college,” said Herman who’d retired at age 76.

Present and representing the class of 1937 was Marvene Hain Fogelman, deemed the eldest present and her classmate Marguerite Barto.

The 50 year class had 37 of 55 living classmates present. It’s traditional for classes celebrating their 50th year to pool resources and add to the alumni scholarship fund. John Hinkle of New Castle, Virginia, announced “No class ever exceeded $7, 000,” and when the large mock check was presented to Alumni President Polly Shrey, the amount was $7,019.62, the final four digits noting their class year.

Roberta Pentz Specht compiled a booklet updating fellow class members on their 50th anniversary.

The 25year class returned with 10 present. They sold raffle tickets and winner Richard Andrews donated the $240 to the Alumni Association.

Traveling the greatest distances to attend are: Peggy Huber, NY from the 25 year class; 50 year class, Patrick Kelley, Peoria, AZ and overall, John Bingaman, Sacramento, California.

Scholarship winners from the class of 2012 each received $2,500 and they were Alesha Glass, Brittany Hipple and Sarah Wigg. Glass will attend Lycoming College studying chemistry and biology and advance to Cornell University for Veterinary Science. Wigg will begin a six year program at Misacordia University majoring in physical therapy. Hipple was absent.

Rebecca Hite was named recipient of the Margaret Stoltz scholarship award and also plans to pursue a career in physical therapy.

The evening’s speaker was Montgomery Area Superintendent of Schools, Daphne Ross who was later given a certificate becoming an honorary member of the Alumni Association.

Of the area Ross said, “The community has compassion and commitment and rallies around when tragedy strikes.” She noted the district numbers first of 37 schools in the total PSSA math scores with a 93.1 and first in reading scores.

Of recent happenings Ross said, “We have a declining enrollment, the lowest tax base in the county and dropouts of students at risk.” Enrollment is at 890 which include 60 educating four-year-olds, a program initiated by Ross. To reduce cost, the Elimsport School was closed and staff reduced.

Ross associated the loss of students as “teachers have a difficult time engaging them. We need a complete change in the delivery of content in high school.” The solution will be to provide each student with an I-pad with teacher’s creating their own text books.

Students lost to Cyber Schools cost the district $250,000 for students they never see. “Those who come back are usually behind in their studies and often become drop outs,” Ross said.

The Alumni Association will seek 501-C3 status, making donations tax deductible. Assuming the president and vice president positions for the next two years will be Amanda Walborn Feinburg and Joyce Munns Heiges.

The board consists of Rashelle Carey, Beverly Hall, Robert Hively, Coleen Johns, Joseph Pauling, Larry Stout and James Temple.

(Note: In the PSSA math scores, the East Lycoming School District (ELSD) ranked fifth and Muncy School District (MSD) thirteenth. In reading ELSD ranked thirteenth and MSD fourteenth).