Class of 1968 in Mrs. Howe's kindergarten
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I may get in trouble for posting this photo. You'll soon figure out why.
This photo represents some of the members of the eventual Bluffton High School graduating class of 1968.
This is Elfrieda Howe's private kindergarten during the 1955-56 school year. It is located at 118 S. Spring St. Today it is the Jon and Sally Weaver Sommer residence. It was a morning kindergarten.
Down the street, one parking lot and one house to the south, was Mrs. Gratz's afternoon kindergarten. During the 1956-57 school year, kindergarten became part of the Bluffton school programming. The 1956-57 school year was the first year that the current elementary building was open. The class of 1968 was the first--ever first grade in that building.
Front row from left, Mary Herr, Linda Marshall, Connie Sommers, Kathy Kirtland, Ann Balmer, Pat Benroth, Barbara Basinger, (unknown) Anderson, Rick Emmert.
Second row from left, John Simcox, James Henry, Fred Steiner, Ron Benroth.
Third row from left, Chris (unknown), Michael (unknown), Judy Lehman, Beth Dailey, Candy Swank, Dan Steiner, John Lehman (with kitten), Jon Sommer, Mrs. Howe.
Fourth row from left, Mona Reichenbach, Judy Westrick, Raleigh Habegger, Kent Kinsinger, Barbara Diller, Janice Luginbuhl.
Stories Posted This Week
Thursday, October 15, 2026
- DeWine announces $200M Rural Health Transformation program award
- Herb program with Marge Lafollette, Oct. 15
- Prairie seeding activity at Bluffton University, October 24
- Food for thought: Choline for the brain
- Results for 5K on October 2, Bluffton University Homecoming event
- 15 minutes with Sherry Miller, senior center activities coordinator
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 14
- CANCELLED Main St. closure on October 15
- Frederick Clyde Warren founded True-2-Form Plastics
- October 15 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Pirate boys soccer beats Wapak in regular season finale
- Pirate girls soccer defeats Liberty Center
- Mennonite pastor to explore ‘good news’ in creation
- Bluffton University earns recognition in U.S. News & World Report rankings
- Obituary for Deborah "Debbie" Welch, 74
- Spirits and exorcism presentation during University Spiritual Life Week Forum
- Dodging bullets: Bluffton oral history 90+ years after Dillinger robbery
- Nora Matthews named BHS Student of the Month for September 2026
- ICAPP analysis on charter status and local autonomy
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 13
- Bluffton area Women in Business meeting October 15
- Leo club glasses collection
- Night at the (Swiss Historical) Museum, October 24
- Woodcarving ornament workshop at Swiss Heritage Center
- Barefoot nature walks at the Nature Preserve
- Pirate volleyball seeded 4th
- Beavers sports roundup, October 6-11
- Bluffton leaf pickup scheduled for last week of October
- Pirate boys soccer shuts out Bellefontaine
- Watch an after school movie at the Bluffton Public Library
- Dunlap awarded OSBA humanitarian award