Marie Schmidt
Marie (Miller) Schmidt is recognized for her lifelong commitment to education - and especially for the impact that she had on the lives that she touched during her 46 years of service to the Darrtown and Collinsville schools.
In addition to the work that she performed as teacher and principal within the Milford Township and Talawanda school systems, Mrs. Schmidt volunteered as a Sunday School teacher for the St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Darrtown.
Background
A native of Butler County (Ohio), Miss Marie Miller graduated from Reily (township) High School and entered Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) in the fall of 1923. She obtained a teaching certificate and, at the age of 20, began teaching in the fall of 1925. While teaching in Darrtown, Miss Miller boarded with the Fred Schmidt family and, in 1931, she married their son Raymond. Marie and Raymond resided in Darrtown until 1943, when they moved to Hamilton. They continued to attend and support the Darrtown Lutheran Church.
In 1930, the Milford Township schools went to a 6-6 system and Mrs. Schmidt transferred from the Darrtown school to the Collinsville building. She joined the Collinsville faculty that included Mrs. Roberta Laughlin and Mrs. Ethel Finlay. Photos of Miss Miller's earliest classes appear on the Schools 2 - Elementary page of this web site.
Marie Schmidt Receives Lifetime Membership Award
"The year's final meeting of the Collinsville P.T.C. organization turned into a Big Surprise for retiring Principal, Mrs. Marie Schmidt, when Dr. John Trump, District Board President, announced that Board action will be taken this month to change the name of the Milford Township school at Collinsville to the "Marie Schmidt Elementary School."
Honoring Mrs. Schmidt for her 46 years service to the township's schools, the name will join those of Maud Marshall Elementary, Howard Kramer Elementary, and William Stewart Junior High School in honoring veteran educators. It was also announced that the school library will be named in honor of Mrs. Roberta Laughlin, also retiring this year.
Mrs. Marie Schmidt and husband, Arthur Schmidt
"Mrs. Marie Schmidt, seated right center, planning to retire this June after 46 years in the teaching profession, received the tributes of her family colleagues and former pupils when the Talawanda Educators association held its spring banquet at the Heritage Room Friday evening. Shown left to right seated are: her nephew, Dr. Frederick Schmidt and Mrs. Schmidt; Mrs. Marie Schmidt, longtime Collinsville Principal and first grade teacher, and her husband, A. R. Schmidt.
Webmaster notes: The Heritage Room, the scene of this event, was located in the Miami University Student Union. Paul Miller and Marie (Miller) Schmidt were teaching cohorts; both being teachers at the Darrtown School, in the 1920s. Dr. Paul Miller, is remembered on the Recollections of Dale Bufler page.
The 1968 news article at the right provides one example of Mrs. Schmidt's "three generation" legacy.
As noted in the caption beneath the photo, Mrs. Bernice (Weiss) Lindley, her son Fred Lindley, and his daughter, Lori Ann Lindley, were all students of Mrs. Marie Schmidt.
Webmaster note: This news item was contributed by Marvin Russell, in August 2021. Marvin received it from his cousin, Mrs. Donna (Laughlin) Blackwell. Donna's mother, Mrs. Roberta Laughlin taught third grade at Collinsville school for many years.
Click the following links to see more about Miss Grace Marie Miller and Mr. Arthur R. Schmidt
Biography - Mrs. Marie (Miller) Schmidt (1905-1994)
1966
1950
Marie Schmidt Recognized for 25 Years of Service
... TO ITEMS FURTHER DOWN THIS PAGE:
Mr. Paul McDade, P.T.C. President, presented engraved plaques noting both dedications. On behalf of the parent-teacher group, Mrs. Joanne Coombs, a former pupil of Mrs. Schmidt, also presented a large color photo of Mrs. Schmidt to hang above the plaque at the entrance hallway.
Mrs. Schmidt and her husband, A. Raymond Schmidt, are shown [above] with the portrait of Mrs. Schmidt, which was a point of particular interest during the reception attended by more than 300 friends and former pupils on Sunday."
School Named for Marie Schmidt
A newsclipping (circa early June 1971) reported the following.
"To Change School Name Marie Schmidt Elementary"
Shown left to right standing: Carl Garnett, Kramer Elementary School Principal; Dr. Paul Miller, former Milford Township colleague - now superintendent of Cincinnati Schools; Dr. Eldon Wiley, Miami Director of Educational Field Services, Dale Bufler, Hopewell Elementary School Principal, and Fred Lindley, New Miami Elementary Principal, all former pupils of Mrs. Schmidt; Maurice Ittel, former colleague, now Superintendent of the Edgewood District, and another former colleague, D. Russel Lee, now Butler County Superintendent of Schools."
The following news article and photograph (below) appeared in early June 1971.
Colleagues, Former Pupils Honor Mrs. Schmidt
1971
Open House to Honor Schmidt's 46 Years
Click links to see news articles.
1971
1971
Reception to Honor Marie Schmidt - 1
Reception to Honor Marie Schmidt - 2
Sorority Honors Marie Schmidt
1971
1971
School Renamed to Honor Marie Schmidt
1973
Retired Educators Elect Schmidt
If you know of other "three generation" families taught by Mrs. Schmidt, please use the link in the footer below to inform the webmaster, so that their names may be added to the record.
It is believed that, during her 46-year teaching career in the Darrtown-Collinsville community, Mrs. Marie Schmidt taught three generations of several Milford Township families.
