Perrysburg's Frank school marks its 50th anniversary

Connie Bricker gets a meal from workers Vicki Sedlak, from left, Lisa Watson, Debbie Rossler, Ellie Patton, and Dianne Bonnough at the Frank Elementary birthday party.

Kelly Ackland, from left in front, Jordan Doore, and Clare Carson, all 10, join other students as the fourth and fith grade chorus sing for the audience at the anniversary kickoff.

Most buildings don't have birthday celebrations. But that's exactly what Frank Elementary School in Perrysburg had last week.

The old school building at the northwest corner of South Boundary and Pine streets celebrated its 50th anniversary. It was originally called Pine Street Elementary but was renamed in 1977 in honor of Robert Frank, its first principal.

The birthday bash was well attended by friends, graduates, and current and former teachers at Frank.

Breanna Schaadt, 9, works with her hula hoop.

There was a sock hop in the gym for parents and students featuring a disc jockey and music from the 1950s. There was a juggler. The Perrysburg town crier read a mayoral proclamation. And the real mayor, Nelson Evans, himself a Frank graduate, was there.

Culinary students from Penta Career Center prepared pulled pork and beef sandwiches for the guests.

Connie Bricker was there too, and she knows the building better than most. She was a student in the inaugural year of 1957 and has been a teacher at Frank since 1980. She also has two grandchildren currently enrolled.

Frank has changed since Ms. Bricker was a child in the building, but not that much. The so-called 400 wing, used for first grade and music and where she teaches, was added in 1990, along with a cafeteria and other improvements.

Connie Bricker gets a meal from workers Vicki Sedlak, from left, Lisa Watson, Debbie Rossler, Ellie Patton, and Dianne Bonnough at the Frank Elementary birthday party.

"That was a big event in the life of this school," said Frank principal Terry Teopas.

Mr. Teopas has held his position for 22 years and is only the third principal in the school's history. Richard Knapp was Mr. Teopas' predecessor.

Ms. Bricker described Frank as "a good place to work. It really is."