CEDAR MANOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
9400 Cedar Lake Road

Most of the material for this section was taken from the PTA scrapbooks listed at the bottom of the page.

The 1950's were the peak years for expansion on the north side, and an additional school was sorely needed.  A 28-acre site south of Cedar Lake Road was favored by the School Board, but in 1953, builder Adolph Fine donated a $50,000 piece of land for the school.  The 7 acre property had been platted for 35 home sites. The school, which was originally to be called Westwood Hills School (parents objected), was built in 1957 for $952,476. With 24 classrooms and 3 kindergartens, it was built with a capacity for 900 students.

1957-58

The first Principal was Helen Hansen. Census: 894 students, 28 teachers.

1958-59

A pop concert, appropriately given by fathers of the PTA, was given in February, and featured dads in drag.

1959-60

The theme of the PTA year was “Living and Learning in the Space Age.” In December they watched a film “Operation Survival,” and in May they held a Science Fair. The lighthearted Club Manor Revue was put on by parents and teachers in February. Census: 887 students, 29 teachers.

1960-61

Principal Helen Hansen married Ray Newberg, principal of Ethel Baston Elementary School.  Naturally, the new Mrs. Newberg retired. Census: 982 students, 29 teachers.

1961-62

The new principal was Leo Siegel. PTA programs included “Survival Preparedness” and “Don’t Deny Them Discipline,” a program held just for fathers by Dr. Robert Smith, Professor and Minister at Bethel College, St. Paul.

1964-65

One unusual topic for the PTA was “Education of the Average Child;” surely all of the students at Cedar Manor were above average. Another down topic was “Delinquency and Potential Dropouts.” Also discussed was “Sex Education at the Elementary School Level,” sponsored by Planned Parenthood. On the lighter side, the third annual Flap Jack Flip brought out 80 dads to help dish out pancakes. In 1964, the Cedar Manor PTA sponsored Boy Scout Pack 385.

1965-66

Student Council materials indicate that social awareness was on the minds of students, as they participated in the Jr. Red Cross, Unicef, and the Heart Association. They gave Christmas gifts to people in hospitals and institutions, and collected Halloween candy for patients at the Moose Lake, Faribault, and Cambridge State Hospitals. Another organization was Save the Children Federation, a nonsectarian, nonprofit organization that held “Bundle Days” in the school. Children would collect unwanted clothes, which would be sent to needy families in Appalachia. In the 1965-66 campaign, a poster with the likeness of Andy Griffiths was used. The next year, schools could choose to contribute to Appalachia, Latin America, Greece, Korea, Africa, Vietnam, or American Indians.

1968-69

An interesting speaker for the PTA was Arsham Ohanessian, an “Internationally Known Speaker (He once made a speech in Winnipeg)” speaking on the subject ”Housewife – Man’s Last Connection with Sanity.”

1970-71

Harder issues were being addressed by the PTA when they hosted Bob Olander, a Park High grad who had been a drug addict since he was 14. Olander talked about the 15-hour LSD trip he was on when he hit bottom, and how he was now on methadone.

1971-72

Drugs were a concern the next year, as the PTA saw the film “it is on your doorstep,” by Art Linkletter, who had lost a daughter to drugs.

1972-73

An ecology mural was painted on school walls by students in February 1973.

See the school’s website at http://www.slpschools.org/cm/.

The Historical Society has the following materials from Cedar Manor:

PTA Scrapbooks and Materials: 1957-76
Student Council Minutes, etc.: 1965-71

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.