A celebration of the long and storied history of Kruse Elementary School will be held during the school’s “Stroll Down Memory Lane” on May 12.

The event will be held from 5:30- 7 p.m. at the school campus, 400 Main St. in Pasadena. The public, including all former students and faculty, are invited.

Kruse Elementary, the oldest school in Pasadena, was established in 1897. The school moved to its present location and has undergone many renovations over the years. At the start of the 2009-2010 school year, Kruse will move into a brand new campus across the street at 400 Park Ln.

During the evening, community members and Kruse alumni will be able to walk through the “old” Kruse once more and reminisce about their memories of the school.

Since the school has such an interesting history, Kruse Principal Rosie Prusz wanted to invite community members back to the school to share their stories. Prusz is asking former students of Kruse to e-mail pictures to her to share on the evening of the event. Alumni may also bring old print photographs of the school to be scanned.

Alumni and community members wanting to e-mail their photos for the celebration may e-mail them to the school’s technology liaison, Lorri Zuniga, at lzuniga@pasadenaisd.org.

The school’s history began in a one-room schoolhouse on La Porte Road.  Charles Munger, founder of Pasadena, taught the school’s 27 students for $30 a month.  His rough homemade desk sits in the Kruse library.  By 1905, the school moved to its present site where more spacious grounds were available.  Five years later, the brick building was built and further renovations took place in 1915.

The school is named in honor of former school board members Oscar Kruse and Karl E. Kruse. Oscar served on the board from 1905-1909, 1912-1917 and 1920-1930.  After his death in 1930, the school was named Oscar Kruse Elementary School.  Karl served on the board from 1937-1945 and 1946-1961.  In 1961, the school was rededicated and renamed Kruse Elementary in honor of both of them.

In 1990, students benefited from additions to the building.  The school was rearranged to face South Main with new classrooms and major renovations to the existing building. 

For more information on the event, contact Kruse Elementary at 713-740-0624.