The Van Buren High School Class of 1954 celebrated their 55-year reunion Sept. 12 in the community room
of the high school complex. The 26 persons attending included 13 class members, one teacher and 12
guests.
Among that total were several classmates who came from Wood County: Elva (Burrell) and husband Gene
Kirian, Bowling Green; Esther (Ewers) and husband Rolland Creps, Tontogany; Alice (Stahl) and husband
George Loomis Jr., Weston; and Juanita (Karch) Clark, North Baltimore.
Clark and Alice Loomis were both on the reunion planning committee. Loomis designed the name badges which
included a copy of each person’s graduation photo.
Also present as a guest was Marcus A. Hanna Sr., who was born and raised in the house nextt o the school
and lived there until he moved to North Baltimore in 1953. He also had the same second grade teacher,
Lottie Hanna, as did the class of 1954, and attended all 12 years at the school, from 1926 to 1938. He
enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II, serving from 1942 until 1946. He served as mayor of Van
Buren for three years until he was recalled to active duty in the military during the Korean War. After
21 years he retired at the rank of captain. He spent five years in the chemistry department at Bowling
Green State University, before serving Van Buren High School as principal in 1953-54 and superintendent
from 1954 to 1973. He also served as mayor of North Baltimore in 1980-81.
The door prize for the classmate who returned their reservation first, a Longaberger basket, went to
Esther Creps.