Crow Island Alums Planning Epic Reunion for School's 75th

It’s common for old friends to gather at their high school reunion during milestone celebrations i.e. the 5th, 10th, 25th or 50th anniversary. But more often than not, the gathering includes a school’s alumni from only one particular year.

A special celebration is planned this year for alumni of Crow Island Elementary School in Winnetka. But not just from one class, all of them. Anyone who attended the school during its robust 75-year history. The party is for the school, and anyone who feels a strong connection there should know about it.

It will be such a grand party that preparations for it began nearly a year in advance.

A number of events are in the works for the weekend of October 2-4, 2015.

“We have several different things going on,” said Julie Pfeffer, current principal of the school.

On Friday afternoon, a birthday celebration will take place for current students and their families. The main event, stretched out across both Saturday and Sunday, will be for alumni at the school. Plans are for visiting the pioneer room, trivia, scavenger hunts, panel conversations and taking tours of the school will all be options for what is expected to be a pretty big reunion.

“There’s been lots of enthusiasm,” the fifth-year principal said. “The 50th anniversary was big. I think we had 400 to 500 come out. I’d be thrilled if we could have that many come out this time.”

The excitement can never start too early for reunion organizer Lauren Rein, who created a blog specifically dedicated to this year’s anniversary.

“For me, Crow Island was a springboard for imagination,” she explains. “Envision a classroom stocked with its own workroom, washroom, bike rack, and outside courtyard with seating that provided a view of flourishing trees and nature. As a kid, I had no concept of how spoiled I was to attend this school. We were treated to the best teachers in the area in an architectural masterpiece.”

Read more on Lauren’s memories here.

The school provided Rein “a safe and warm atmosphere” to learn and investigate and ignite creativity.

Several alums have special memories of the place. It was one of a kind for many.

Michael Donohue fondly recalls the “mungus apparatus,” the name a physical education teacher called the new telephone pole playground back in the day.

The Pioneer Room and Mrs. Henderson were the first things to come to mind for Liz Davis.

“A week of churning butter and living like a pioneer family. Nothing better!,” she said. “ And while I loved all of my teachers, the best was Mrs. Henderson and watching the chick eggs every day in the incubator, until they pecked out. When they were old enough, we would sit on the rug with them and observe/play with them. Biology in action!”

Field Day was a favorite for Mary Drucker McGraw, while Dan Dent remembers the Great Books program, which was led by 2-3 moms who “had a talent for small group discussion of 6-8 kids.”

“Another memory was Parent Visitation Day where adults would share their stories about work,” Dent added. “My Dad came and played his six string acoustic guitar - a hobby, not work.”

Many of the memories are common happenstances at grammar schools over the years. But something makes Crow Island special.

Maybe it’s the fact that the building itself is a landmark. Or maybe just the fact that a massive reunion of this sort is even possible for an elementary school.

For Rein, much of it has to do with everyone being treated as equals at the school.

“That was a fantastic feeling to have that belief at that age,” she said.

In fifth grade, Rein was called “Harriet the Spy” by her teacher, Mary Mumbrue. The research component of that stuck, she said - much of the reason behind her being the catalyst for making this reunion as large as possible.

“I receive love letters on a daily basis from former students saying how much they adore the school and how much their experience at Crow Island shaped who they are today,” she said. “Many can still rattle off their teachers with relative ease. They can picture themselves sitting in the cubbies in the Resource Room or the auditorium where each bench height changes with the class year. Perhaps, in their minds, they are cooking dinner in the Pioneer Room, feasting at the annual picnic in Crow Island Woods or racing at ‘Field Day’ - signifying the end of the school year.

Seeking more alums

While the gathering of alumni has gone quite well for Rein thus far, she is seeking more emails to add to her database. Contact Rein through her blog to add your name if you are an alum.