Bio: Cornwall, Mary (Retirement from Teaching – 1971)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Cornwall, Siggelkow

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 27 May 1971

Mrs. Mary Cornwall, a classroom teacher in the Thorp (Clark Co., Wis.) Public School for 17 years, will retire at the end of the school year.

A native of Loyal (Clark Co.), Wisconsin, a graduate of Withee High School and of the Eau Claire Rural Normal. Mary Siggelkow Cornwall began her teaching career in 1938 in the Fitzbaugh School in Eau Claire County. She taught in several rural schools before coming to the Thorp School in 1954; among them, Spring Valley, Bi-Centennial, Bee Hive, Poppe, Sunny Lawn, Sterling, and Longwood. During the 17 years she spent in the rural schools, she taught all grades. She married Orta Cornwall, better known as Steven, on June 5, 1935 and continued to teach until her son, Kenneth, was born, when she temporarily retired from teaching.

The shortage of teachers prompted Mrs. Cornwall to return to the classroom. She returned to W.S.U. at Eau Claire to complete her degree, taking extension and summer school classes in order to accomplish this. In 1962 she received a B.S. Degree in education.

While in the Thorp school Mrs. Cornwall has taught first grade.

On Thursday afternoon a party was held in her honor at the Thorp Elementary School with about 35 guests in attendance. She was presented with a corsage and a lovely birth stone ring in honor of the occasion.

After her retirement Mrs. Cornwall plans to travel and pursue her hobbies, among them the raising of flowers. She also expects to spend more time with her son, Kenneth, his wife, Jo Ann, and her three grandchildren, Tina Marie, Kevin, and Kim, who make their home in Norfolk, Virginia.