This summer was to have been the 50-year reunion of my Pendleton Heights High School Class of 1970.

Working on reunion plans, I have reconnected via email, Facebook, telephone calls and in-person visits with many of my former classmates.

Like everyone else, this year has changed all of our plans. Instead of being mad or sad or bitter about the change of plans, I decided one thing I could do was focus on my high school years, trying to look through my 68-year-old eyes instead of just relying on my memories.

This type of thinking brought me to a realization that there were people put in my path, all 12 of those years, who made their marks on my life. Even though I did not have a close relationship with Mr. Ernie Miller, our principal, I have come to realize what an impact he had on so many. I hope you can join me as we ponder on the man.

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Mr. Miller was from Goshen, Indiana. He and his wife came to Pendleton in 1961 when he was hired as principal at Pendleton High School.

Legislation in Indiana to bring about school consolidation was passed back in 1959.

I imagine the idea of consolidation for our schools was already being discussed at the time of his hiring.

As you read the following accounts of the interviews I have done with folks who knew him, worked with and for him, and some of his former students, I hope you enjoy their recollections as much as I have.

Lauretta Gray

When asked what comes to mind when she thinks of Mr. Miller she relayed that he was a true gentleman. He respected the teachers, and they respected him. She recalled that he could handle conflict well, was a good listener and always saw the best in others. She says he was an excellent advocate for the teachers.

She did her student teaching during the ’69-’70 school year, working mostly with the Junior class. She was hired as a full time teacher the next year. She remembers Mr. Miller as a gentle man who was easy to talk with, fair minded, as well as respectful of both adults and students.

She talked about when he called her into his office to discuss with her the new life/death class she proposed. It was something different, and he wanted to know how she could teach such a sensitive and personal topic with teenagers in a classroom setting.

She showed him the curriculum and the format of how it would progress to talk about the tough topics of suicide, terminal illness, sudden death and natural death toward the end of the course. She assured him this class would be one that for sure, each student would use at some point after the class. He supported her and the choice to teach that class. She still teaches the class, which continues to be a popular with many students 50 years later!

Andy and Luanne Klepfer

I ran into these two lovely people while working on a project at Falls Park one day. I shared with them that I was collecting information from a lot of folks who knew Mr. Miller.

When I asked if they have any particular memories they would like to share, Andy chuckled, smiled and simply said “Ernie Miller — he was always the man who made sure I was aware it was time to trim my sideburns!”

He had fond memories of being on the football team, and one Friday morning he and other football players were walking in the main hall, wearing their football jerseys (only allowed on Fridays!) Mr. Miller approached them and stopped to say “Boys, now you know you are going to have to go back and change your shirts!” The boys stood there and Mr. Miller walked on, then turned with a sheepish grin and said “It’s Friday, isn’t it? Go on!”

Luanne shared that as a young girl, coming to the new school from Markleville, she felt Mr. Miller was always very welcoming to her and to all.

Nancy Wynant

Nancy remembered that Mr. Miller sought input from teachers as to what they needed and wanted to make the classes the best they could be.

For example, one of the subjects she taught was shorthand. At the time there was only one year of curriculum provided. She went to Mr. Miller and asked about adding a second year. Even though there was not curriculum for a second year, she told him she would write the curriculum needed. He agreed and second-year shorthand became available. The next year books were purchased for that second year.

She also shared that when the move from Pendleton High School and Markleville High School was being planned, he met with teachers to see what vision they had for the bigger space.

She asked for more business machines and office labs so the students could experience more of what working in a real office would be like. Mr. Miller was very supportive and helped this to become reality.

Paul Wilson

Paul spoke of many things concerning that time period when our schools came together to form Pendleton Heights High School.

He shared that it was in 1959 that the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation for Indiana School Consolidation Bill to become law.

Mr. Miller was hired and started as principal at Pendleton High School in 1961. It was in 1965 that plans for consolidation started. This helps to set the scene of what was going on in Indiana Education at the time.

Administrators and teachers were involved in this time of planning and transition. It seems as if Mr. Miller was brought here at just the right time to bring his experience, his positive personality and his skills as an excellent communicator to the situation at hand.

Paul remembers Mr. Miller as someone who always sought to recognize the potential in every student he met.

Paul stated his world was opened up to many opportunities when Mr. Miller came to PHHS. He started playing football, took part in clubs and classes that helped form his adult skills.

His senior year, 1971, he was awarded the Principal’s Award for Leadership. He told me he hopes he has lived up to the expectation Mr. Miller intended for the recipient of that award.

With the hard work and willingness to make positive changes, not only the college bound students had new opportunities but also students seeking to work in the trades were given new opportunities with expanded vocational education.

Mr. Miller was instrumental in the formation of WEEM radio which came to be located at Pendleton Heights.

In fact, the call letters of the station stand for Ernest E. Miller. He would certainly be proud of what that venture has become today.

Joe and Bev Kilmer

Bev is one of the fortunate folks who came to know Mr. Miller as her principal when she was a student, as a good friend of her parents and then later as her principal when she became a teacher.

She fondly recalled the time in 1964 when the Halloween tradition of “trashing” the front lawn at Pendleton High School came to pass.

It was never a destructive activity, just all in good fun.

This particular night, Mr. Miller — unbeknownst to the pranksters — was hiding in the upstairs window, taking names.

The next day he made an announcement over the loud speaker “inviting” all those on his list to meet outside at the end of the day for cleanup.

She also remembers him as a principal students felt comfortable going to, no fear, just respect. She remembers he attended every activity possible and interacted with students and parents.

Both Joe and Bev were young teachers at Pendleton Heights who knew him as their principal. He was known for always wanting the young single teachers to meet and get to know one another. Steve and Jeannie Custer were also young teachers who with a little nudge from Mr. Miller came to later marry.

As a boss, she and Joe both shared their memory of the day Joe was to find out if he had passed the Indiana bar examine to become an attorney. Mr. Miller excused them to leave school to go together in order to get the news and celebrate.

Joe recalled that of all the responsibilities Mr. Miller had as principal, discipline was the hardest part for him. He much preferred encouraging people than being a disciplinarian.

Charlie Mock

Mr. Mock remembers Mr. Miller as being quiet, humble, and someone who loved the students and wanted them to love him, too.

He did not like to have to punish students. That was a job he often left to Mr. Mock as the assistant principal. He would rather talk to a student in trouble and find out what was going on with them.

He was a teacher’s principal. He respected the teachers and worked with them when organizing curriculum. He wanted teachers as well as students to have all necessary tools and opportunities to succeed at Pendleton Heights.

Jim Crosley

Mr. Crosley worked closely with Mr. Miller at Pendleton High School. He was first the athletic director and then became his assistant principal.

When the move to Pendleton Heights took place, Mr. Mock was named Assistant Principal and Mr. Crosley was named athletic director.

The first thing Mr. Crosley shared with me was that Mr. Miller had a wonderful sense of humor. He was easy to work with and to work for.

He was able to keep most students in line because he related to them in a personal way when guidance was called for, especially behavioral issues or if the student was experiencing hardship at home. He hardly ever lost his temper with a student, but if he did it was because the student lied to him.

The students respected him because they knew he cared and only wanted the best for them. He always worked to make sure students were provided with as many opportunities as possible to succeed in life.

Judy Renbarger

Mrs. Renbarger was delighted that I called to include her in this project.

Mr. Miller was her first principal back in the ’63-’64 school year at Pendleton High School. She taught two classes and was also the dean of girls, which involved being in charge of discipline for the girls.

She fondly remembers Mr. Miller as a servant leader. He had much compassion for struggling students, especially those who were at risk of not being able to graduate for any reason.

She said he would find a way to help, even if he had to teach extra classes or tutor someone. She shared that at one time there was a senior student whose father had passed away previously, so the young man was receiving SSI benefits as a survivor.

He was about to age out of that benefit unless he was enrolled in school. Mr. Miller did all within his power to help. He ended up finding help through Ball State University, where the young man could enroll in a couple of classes and keep his student status even after reaching that age.

She remembers him as a visionary who thought outside the box to bring new ways of teaching to our school.

One example she shared was how adamantly he wanted to create a good space for lectures to become a way of learning. That space at Pendleton Heights is The Pit, as we all know it.

He even wanted to find a way to make lectures available to homebound students. He used interactive phone connections to reach that goal.

She shared that he was a gentle man who had true compassion and empathy for all his students. He trusted the teachers and encouraged each of them to be open to new ideas and practices to enhance education here.

I am sure many of you have Ernie Miller memories.

Please talk about him. Keep his memory alive.

We continue to rely on the school administrators, teachers and staff in our school systems today to provide this type of education to the students of today and the future.