St. James Student Continues Family Tradition

When Grace Merkley enters the St. James School building this fall, she is continuing a proud tradition begun by her great-great grandfather, Leo Rexing. He was a student back in 1910 when the school was newly opened, and she is enrolled there today as a fourth grader.

Marianne (Rexing) Schili explains that Grace is her granddaughter. Her daughter is Anne (Schili) Merkley who also attended the school. So did Marianne, as well as Grace's great-grandfather, Walter Rexing, and her great-great grandfather, Leo Rexing.

The school was built in 1909, and currently houses the third and fourth graders in the downstairs classrooms. The art and music rooms are in the two upstairs classrooms.