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Wogaman alum recalls school days

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By Virginia Burroughs, Staff Writer 11:03 AM Thursday, October 22, 2009

On Sept. 9, this column featured a planned reunion of Wogaman Elementary School alumni. Charles Linebaugh, 96, read the article and decided to attend. He was the oldest alumni in attendance, and shared some surprises with the group.

Although many “younger” alumni thought the school became integrated in the 1940s, Linebaugh says, “there were black students in all my classes, from first grade up.”

And, he brought a 1923 panoramic school picture to prove it; there were quite a few black students in the photograph, which he will donate to Wogaman.

“I went there when it was the Harrison School, and Mr. George Wogaman was our principal,” he said. “There was an explosion at the school in 1919 and so the building I went to was a pre-fabricated wooden structure that can be seen in the photograph. My class of 1927 was the last one in that building; they opened the new school, named for our principal, in the fall of that year.”

He recalls much about school, including “milk days.”

“Milk was hard to get, but if we took in two cents, they would take us to the cloakroom and give us a cup of milk from a big pail.”

A Dayton native who currently lives at 10 Wilmington Place, Linebaugh grew up on South Gettysburg Avenue. “There were no sidewalks then, and we had to walk up and down Germantown hill about a mile each way. It was rough walking on the side of the road.”

His family lived in the house originally built for the first governor of the Soldier’s Home (VA). “It was later bought by the Powell family and moved, and it’s still there.”

After Harrison, Linebaugh went to Roosevelt. When he graduated in 1931, “it was the deepest part of the Depression, and I couldn’t find a job. Everyone suffered through the 30’s, and my family had to go on relief — it was a very bad time.”

But, in 1935, something good happened for Linebaugh. “I was still living at home, and that area opened up — they started adding streets and building houses. Lo’ and behold, a family moved in right behind ours with a daughter, Marian, and I married her that November.”

Eventually, Linebaugh did find work — part-time at Frigidaire, as a carpenter, and as a WPA worker digging out the site for the present Air Force Museum. Finally, he got on at the U.S. Post Office where he worked in various jobs until retirement.

He and Marian had three children; she died in 1982. He later re-married for another 21 years, until his second wife passed away in 2004.

Wogaman principal Saundra Collie is thrilled to receive the four-foot panoramic photo, which Linebaugh has traced to identify students and staff.

“The picture is remarkable, but not as remarkable as Mr. Linebaugh, who is able to recall a great deal of facts about Harrison School, now Wogaman PreK-8 School,” she says. “He’s a gem.”

Contact this columnist at (937) 276-4441 or vburroughs@woh.rr.com.

HEREABOUTS virginia burroughs

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It is just so interesting to read of the Wogaman School. Our family came from parts of Ohio and Indiana from Pennsylvania. I had heard of Wogaman Elementary School over the years and am just thrilled to see anything on it. After reading this and seeing that a George Wogaman was a principal (possibly the person school was named for). Not sure if we're related.

George Wogaman
10:54 PM, 11/11/2009

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I went to Wogaman from 82-84 and Mr. Rucker was my principal too. I didn't like that school very much.... I remember having Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Holmes. Although I didn't have her, I remember Mrs. Palmer, I didn't like her....

Britt
2:13 PM, 11/10/2009

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Wow I am only 45 years old. He is in his 90's and remembers that. I went to Wogaman. I don't remember the year but I am guessing around '72-'73. I just remember we used to go to the stor at Lakeview on the way to and from school. I remember the Principal was Mr. Rucker. I remember teachers Mrs. Gay, Mrs. Hornbeck and Mrs. Smith. Wow I am just amazed that he can remember all that.

Brian Blosser
1:53 AM, 10/27/2009

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