Former Harding students, teachers and employees submitted these letters, recalling their memories of the school.
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All Paul Harding High School reflections must emphasize what it was, not what it is or may become.
My best wishes go out to all alums and staff who gave me 25 great years.
I wouldn't trade those memories for any others.
Larry Yant Teacher and coach, 1973-1998
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As a member of the first graduating class from Harding, I fondly remember the good times to be had as a guinea pig in a new and exciting format for learning. A combination of 15-minute mods for class time left a lot of unsupervised free time to enjoy with friends. A faulty attendance procedure supplied plenty of time to explore adventurous off-the-property excursions. Unipaks (individualized study folders) invited easy – if not always honest – opportunities to breeze through class.
We got to decide the school colors, team name, and where the smoking area was located. Unfortunately, as an end result, it was realized too much responsibility was given to an age group not quite ready. Some students thrived on the individuality, while others took advantage of the new concept.
I had a great time, made many good friends, and have been with my high school sweetheart, Brian, ever since. Thanks, Harding, for the memories.
Betty (Sadler) Grawcock
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These are some of the wonderful memories I experienced while driving a school bus at Paul Harding High School from the first day it opened. It was indeed a privilege to transport such neat high-schoolers to school each day. I had very few discipline problems.
I was lucky enough to transport the Harding gymnastics team, coached by Linda Sipe, to their opponents' school. These girls were good and had an excellent record. I was so proud of these dedicated girls.
I enjoyed my time spent with students at Paul Harding High School.
Sincerely,
Nancy Painter
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My name is Molly Borel. I was in the graduating class of 1980. My favorite memories from Paul Harding High School are when I was able to have a short speaking part in the play and graduating with honor cords. Since then I have been diagnosed with aphasia which makes it very hard for me to communicate. I often have to use a computer to speak for me. Because of my impairment I have now, my high school memories are very important to me. I enjoy being able to remember times when I was able to speak and communicate easily to everyone.
Molly Borel
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My father, Jerry Amstutz, was a teacher at PHHS. He would stay after school and play racquetball with other teachers. Since he was my ride home, I decided to get involved in after school sports – particularly volleyball. We would practice for hours after school and balls would fly across the gym. On occasion, the coach's son was there to chase down the balls for us, but sometimes, he would just giggle and kick the ball in the other direction. He was a cute kid, about 5 or 6 years old. Unknown to us at the time, that little boy would grow up to become a 2008 gold medalist for the USA men's volleyball team. His name was Lloy Ball.
Dana Amstutz, 1980 PHHS graduate, Bryan, Ohio
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Paul Harding High School, its students, faculty and staff, and parents will forever hold a special place in my heart. I taught there for 25 years, working under the leadership of three outstanding principals: Mike Bonahoom, Bill Griffith, and Neal Brown and with the very best teachers and staff in the district and retiring from there in 1998. I taught so many extraordinary students during those years, ones who were great both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities including sports, music, art, drama, etc. One of the best parts of being a teacher at PHHS for me involved the collegiality of the faculty and staff. We were so close, always willing to help each other and to work together to benefit the students. To say I loved every minute of those 25 years would be an understatement indeed.
Sondra Mergenthal Teacher at PHHS for 25 years
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For me (Class of 1977), Harding was a new adventure! Paul Harding High School was built and staffed to implement the best practices in teaching and learning methods, and for me the experiment worked! I was in the first full graduating class and taught by the energetic English team led by Mrs. Mergenthal and chemistry teacher Mr. Jerry Miller. I was given guidance and inspiration to successfully direct my own learning. I was even encouraged to write a Unipac used to teach others! Today, I try to pass on the sense of individual responsibility and the "be all you can be" dream to the students I teach at Easton Area High School in Easton, Pa. Yes, I went on to teach biology! Harding's doors may be closing, but the "door" opened for me continues to stay open when I pass on the original vision to the next generations.
Theresa Fischer Biology teacher, Easton Area High School
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Harding High School opened with excitement and enthusiasm from students, teachers and parents. I was one of the fortunate teachers who helped to design the home economics lab areas where education was presented as a life-long challenge and – yes – fun. I was proud to be one of the teachers and excellent students who called Harding High School "their" school. The Thanksgiving dinners prepared by the home economics classes are some of my fondest memories that included families, friends and even a Fort Wayne mayor as guests. I retired from Harding in 1983, but the wonderful memories continue to this day.
Thank you,
Mildred Colderbank Richter Home economics teacher at Harding High School
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I have been an educator at Paul Harding High School for the past nine years. While I am excited to see what the future will hold, I am also sad to see my time at Harding come to an end. Just a few weeks ago, a teacher in the room next to me played the song "We Are Family." It occurred to me at that moment that Harding is like a family, and that's what I will carry with me for a lifetime. Several of my colleagues have become lifelong friends, and I will always value those relationships. Whether it's cheering with the students and staff at a sporting event, making a fool of myself at a pep session, celebrating with students at graduation, or helping students through trials and challenges, I have always felt that Harding is a family, and that is what I will remember and cherish most.
Jessica Hancock Paul Harding High School, English
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During the 1978-79 basketball season, the Hawks became the first county school since the 1948 Monroeville Cubs to win a basketball sectional. The next week they defeated a great South Side team and an undefeated DeKalb team to win the Fort Wayne regional.
Sectional and regional championships were attained in 1982, and in 1985, a sectional. Seven players were offered Division I basketball scholarships during the decade. These players are being mentioned because they, number one, all started for their respective schools, and number two and most importantly, they all graduated:
1980 – Jim Master (Mr. Basketball), University of Kentucky
1982 – Jeff McComb, Indiana State University
1985 – Rodney Haywood, Butler University
1985 – Dylan Howard, University of Alabama, Birmingham
1987 – Duan Cole, Creighton University
1988 – Craig Riley (Indiana all-star), Purdue University
1989 – Jason Edwards, Indiana State University
Thanks for the sacrifice of faculty and staff which laid the groundwork for these kids to be successful.
Harlan Frick Head basketball coach, 1973-1989 Teacher, 1973-1998
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Just friendships and memories that will last me a lifetime...
Peter Trevino Class of 1985
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We are proud parents of three Harding graduates. Imagine our excitement when the school opened in 1973 because prior to that, our middle school children were bused to New Haven or Heritage for high school. Paul Harding was carpeted and air conditioned. WOW. Our son Thom was in the junior class that opened the school and therefore was in the first graduating class in 1975. Thom and his girlfriend, Jacquelyn DeArmond, were the first prom king and queen and just celebrated 32 years of marriage. In that class was George Doehla who became a state champion in shot put and discus and received the first athletic blanket. Our son Rick was in the first four-year graduating class. Our daughter Juli graduated in 1985 and was a cheerleader to the basketball team that featured the 3 H's, Howard, Hardy and Haywood. We have many memories to share and are sorry to see it's closing. We will always remember the Green and Gold fondly.
Dolores and Tony Bada
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One of my favorite things about Paul Harding High School was the common area, affectionately termed “the pit”. It was where our lockers resided, the school buses dropped you off, and most importantly where all students became one. It was a meeting place, filled with conversation, laughter, locker pranks, casual seating (yes, you could sit on top of the lockers), and all around goofing off. It was where friends were made – and kept, where kisses we witnessed (very little privacy), and where everyone convened with no respect to race, speech, or income level. Next to study hall, you lived for the “pit” moments. Winning sectional titles meant more when you could wear your letterman jacket in the “pit”. Each year a return visit seems surreal and then you walk down the ramp to the “pit” and it feels like yesterday you were there beginning your journey into the rest of your life… Forever we will cheer, cheer for Paul Harding High!
Ylorie Anderson, PHHS class of 1992
