Mary A. White celebrates 50 years; Family Sock Hop is Thursday night
Wed, Apr 29, 2009 
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BY KYLE MORONEY
kmoroney@grandhaventribune.com
Students and staff at Mary A. White Elementary School have been celebrating "50 Years of Learning" throughout the month.
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The celebrations commemorate the school's 50th anniversary.
"With all the physical changes the school has gone through, the heart of the school is dedicated to learning — hence the theme," said Valerie Livingston, the school's principal. "Throughout the school year, we've been using the 'celebrate learning' or 'where learning is celebrated' statements. ... The one thing that has remained constant is the learning — the passion and dedication that teachers, students and families have of learning."
Students and school staff have celebrated the school's golden anniversary with a special flag-raising ceremony, a Mary A. White Day where students wore the colors blue and gold, a "backwards" day and oldies day.
A garden — in which state Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, recently planted its first tree — is also being planted on the school grounds to help commemorate the special year.
"Part of our 50th celebration is having something to start new, so we are in the process of starting a garden," Livingston said.
The Kids Hope Garden will be dedicated at 6:30 p.m. Monday before a Grand Haven Area Public Schools Board of Education meeting.
Photos of former teachers and students are also on display in the school's main hallway for public viewing.
The school is also hosting a Family Sock Hop from 6-8 p.m. Thursday in the gym of the school at 1400 Wisconsin St. The free event will feature music from the 1950s to today. Guests may enjoy pizza, pop and popcorn at '50s prices — all for $1.
There will also be an open house Wednesday, May 20, from 4-6 p.m., when anyone who has been affiliated with the school — past to present — is invited to view the new garden, tour the school, view the "photo stroll" and visit with other Mary A. White friends and family. Guest readers — consisting of former teachers and staff members — will also read to all the classrooms during that day with a reception at 4 p.m.
Mary A. White Elementary School opened in 1959 and was named as a "school with clean lines, purposeful design and beauty," Livingston said. It was dedicated to the memory of Ottawa County's first teacher, Mary A. White.
The school has undergone two renovations — one in 1963 to add classrooms and the library, and a second in 1990 for more additional classrooms. Currently, there are 14 classrooms with 353 students.
"The original mosaic still hangs in the hallway," Livingston said. "One thing I think is special to Mary A. White is that it's nestled in the dunes, and is less than a half-mile from Lake Michigan and right in the city of Grand Haven. ... The environment speaks for itself. It's a very welcoming and comfortable school."
