“Well, all I know is what I read in the papers,” as Will Rogers is famously known for saying.
Well, it’s funny what one finds out when one reads the papers from nearly 60 years ago.
For example, on Friday evening June 2, 1967, at the Green Valley (how green was that valley?) Country Club, there was a banquet for 312 guests in honor of John Leidich.
“Who was John Leidich?” I hear you ask.
He was the Administrative Assistant at the Eastern Lebanon County High School or Elco for short.
It was a “This Is Your Life” program for the guest of honor and many of the folks from Elco, both students and faculty, could be found in attendance either in the audience or participating on stage.
Senior class member Ken Rittle provided a response to the welcome address and art teacher Hilde Witter led the group singing.
Leidich’s secretary since 1957, Hattie Troutman (she’s referenced in the article as Mrs. J. Joseph Troutman) spoke about his hobbies; I wonder what they were.
Leonard Strickler of Richland, (Class of 1914) revealed that it was Leidich who coined the term “Elco” to refer to the merged Millcreek Township, Jackson, Schaefferstown, Myerstown, and Richland schools. In case you were wondering.
Elco Superintendent Kenneth Good and his wife along with the Reverend and Mrs. John Rodgers also contributed to Leidich’s life story.
Administrative Assistant to the Principal Franklin Bergman (aka, the good principal) presented Leidich with a proclamation signed by the entire high school faculty (under duress, no doubt).
Graduating Elco seniors who were in attendance included Larry Achey, Carol Beamesderfer, Gregory Bergman, Suzanne Bucher, Alvin Bucks, Nana Due, Rickie EbIng, Ann Erb, Kathy Hickernell, William Hickernell, Beverly Keller, Vernon Lape, Michelle Nemec, Donna Riehl, Kenneth Rittle, Charlotte Tice, Gene Weidman, and Thelma Zimmerman.
A little known fact that I’m sure was brought out during the review of John Leidich’s life is the chance encounter he had with Grant Wood shortly before Wood began working on his most famous painting.
