Eisenhower Teacher Preserves School’s Story in New Book

For more than six decades, Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School has been a cornerstone of the Upper St. Clair community. It is a place where generations of students began their educational journey. Now, its history has been carefully preserved in a new book written by Eisenhower fourth-grade teacher Christopher George.

Mr. George is the author of “Revolution to Renovation: Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School,” a detailed history that traces the school’s roots from the early settlement of the surrounding land through its opening in 1959 and its transformation in the 21st century.

After more than 20 years of teaching at Eisenhower, Mr. George says the school and its staff have become like “old friends.”

“We spend so many hours working, laughing, and crying together – you become like family to one another,” he said. “It’s the connection in the present that made me curious to learn what teaching was like for my Eisenhower ‘ancestors’ going back through the decades to 1959.”

Throughout the book, Mr. George shares memories from the people who helped shape Eisenhower’s identity, including longtime head secretary Kathy Robinson, who served the school for more than 30 years.

“She worked with eight different principals and untold thousands of students and families between the years of 1979-2011 – and she did it with such kindness and grace,” he said. “She recently attended our holiday staff party to chat with old friends and meet some of the newer staff members. Mrs. Robinson definitely belongs on the ‘Mt. Rushmore’ of Eisenhower Elementary.”

The book blends historical research with personal anecdotes, photographs and memories contributed by former students, teachers and administrators from the late 1950s up to the present day. Inspired by a class project back in 2020, Mr. George began his research more than five years ago by exploring local records and district school board minutes. The process has forever changed how he views the school and the land surrounding it.

“So much history is hiding in plain sight. I was surprised to discover how different the original Eisenhower looked when it opened, the unbelievable Eisen-Baker experience in the early 1980s, the dramatic end to a two-state crime spree in the 1990s, and many other events in Eisenhower’s history,” he said. “It has also been fascinating to learn about and understand how the decision to build Eisenhower Elementary is a story unto itself that connects to the deeper history of the township.”

Constructed near the end of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration, the school opened during a time of national optimism and innovation inspired by the dawn of the space age. The late 1950s was also a time of unprecedented population growth within Upper St. Clair. As the district grew, Eisenhower was expanded and continued to evolve with its community. By the early 2000s, the building required significant updates, leading to a major renovation that honored its past while preparing the school for modern learning.

Mr. George hopes the book resonates with current families, alumni and community members, serving as both a historical record and a shared point of connection.

“Having attended, taught, or been a parent at Eisenhower makes us all part of one big ongoing family,” he said. “My hope is that anyone who reads the book enjoys a deeper understanding of the history of the school, the community, and their connection to both.”

He also hopes readers find joy in the memories the book preserves.

“So many interesting and poignant moments have happened at Eisenhower Elementary over the years,” he said. “Maybe it will inspire old friends to reconnect and remember their days of old.”

Mr. George also credits the Historical Society of Upper St. Clair – particularly its president, Rachel Carlson, and archivist, Carolyn Jones Friedrich – for their efforts to preserve local history. He encourages others to share photographs and memories with the historical society at eisenhowermemories@hsusc.org to help continue documenting the story of Eisenhower and the township.

“Eisenhower, the school district, and the township have such a rich history that is meaningfully intertwined and worth understanding and preserving,” he said. “Local history is the best kind of history because it gives you something you can look at or touch, remember, or imagine what life was like for those that were here before us.”

Revolution to Renovation: Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School is available for purchase on Amazon or directly from Mr. George by contacting him at cdg123pvi@yahoo.com.