IDA SHAVER, WHO HAD HUNDREDS OF 'CHILDREN' AT MONONGAH HIGH

 

Ida Foster Shaver, Class of 1943, was a secretary in Monongah so long in Monongah Middle, Junior High and High School that she was more familiar than the red brick building to most of us.

30 years in the Marion County school system including Fairmont West before she took to higher ground and Monongah.

The unforced smiles in everyone in this photo, one of Ida’s many office staffs in Monongah, reveals she was such a joy to be around.

Cindy Shaver Saloky, Ida’s daughter, remembers “This was really special for me! I always tell everyone my brother and I were the only kids to get thrown out of office instead of being sent to the office.”

Cindy added: “Yes, she was my Mom but I think she treated everyone like they were her child. She always told everyone that Monongah didn’t have bad kids but kids that made some bad decisions!”

Sure sounds like the marvelous Monongah where everyone was my surrogate parents when I ran the streets all day till the street lights came on, which was the town signal for youngsters to be home in 10 minutes.

Cindy Shaver Salosky, Ida’s daughter, caught me up on another Cindy in the Ida Shaw photo, Cindy Bashaw Pillo, married to Anthony Pillo and living in Florida. Cindy Shaver Salosky is a niece by marriage to Cindy Bashaw Pillo. I think I just got Cindyers caught in my eyes.

I have married names for Cindy Bashaw Pillo, Marlene Hamilton Connor Stephen, Class of 1972, Cindy Shaver Saloky, Class of 1970, Lydia Marbury Robinson, Class of 1971, Carol Jean Shipco Miller, Class of 1971, Nancy Manzo Boyer, Class of 1970, and Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971. That leaves Mary Pat Porter, Class of 1970, as the only one without a married name. Can anyone help me on that?

Cindy Shaver Saloky tells me that Cindy Bashaw Pillo, also in the photo with Ida Shaver, is her cousin. Cousin Cindy and cousin Cindy. So Ida is in a photo with two other family members. Well, Monongah High is like one big family, right?

Roy Foster, Jr., Class of 1945, is Ida’s brother. Rebecca Thompson Foster is Class of 1972.

Ida was a very popular name choice in Monongah.

There’s the late Ida Amelia Yanero, mother of Paula Bowers Yanero, Class of 1969, and Diane Yanero, Class of 1977.

And Mary Ida Plutro, although she was born Maria Italia Mezzanotte before she married John K. Plutro. Mary Ida’s mother is Michelle Plutro, 1 of 38 named to the Monongah High Favorite Teacher Honor Roll that I published on this blog.

And the late Ida Mae Paknik, who married the late John Paknik, Class of 1946.

And the late Ida Pearl Hardway Humbertson, from Four States, who out-lived husbands William F. Van Zandt and George S. Humbertson. This Ida’s siblings are Rose Hardway Thomas, Class of 1960; Edwin A. Hardway, Class of 1962; Maxine Parrish; Gladys Hardway; Russell Hardway; and Robin Kay Hardway Taylor, Class of 1975.

And Ida Mae Lockhart Paknik, who married the late John Paknik.

And Ida Wood Burwitz, whose siblings were David Wood, Class of 1955; Sally Wood Tarley, Class of 1959; Sherma Addington; Emma "Gene" Peters; Danny Wood; Robert Morris, Class of 1964; Charles Morris, Harley Wood, General Leonard Wood, Mary Lou Morris, Jerry Skormsley and Ruby Lee Wood.