Pine Lake Cemetery Highlights: Laura Todd Harger

On October 5, Pine Lake Cemetery Tour volunteer docents will highlight notable community member stories. One is Laura Todd Harger, elected West Bloomfield Township’s female first clerk at age 43, in 1919. However, she could not even vote until fall of 1920, when the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution to extend voting rights to women became effective. She served as clerk from 1919 through 1931. She was also a teacher at Pine Lake School. Laura passed away in 1947. She, her husband Stephen, and her son Douglas are buried at Pine Lake Cemetery.


Window(s) to the Future at St. Mary’s Academic Building by Sue Williams

A 1905 postcard donated by Steve Hinzman of Wixom prompted another look at the majestic Academic Building on the Orchard Lake Schools campus, home of St. Mary’s Preparatory, on Orchard Lake.

The three-story building was the largest on the campus, one of 19 originally built on the 112-acre site by the Michigan Military Academy and completed in 1890. Its primary purpose was for classrooms and labs, offices for school officials and a library that contained over 2,000 books. After the closing of the academy in 1909, it became the Orchard Lake Schools bookstore, offices, library, biology lab, chemistry and physics lab, employee residences and faculty apartments. Later the building was used as the chancellor’s office, business offices, switchboard, and St. Mary’s offices for the president, academic dean, admissions, registrar, and rooms for student instruction.

A major renovation was done in 2018, funded by Clarence and Lillian Constantakis, (Clarence was a St. Mary’s Prep graduate in the 1950s.) It is now called the Clarence and Lillian Constantakis St. Mary’s Preparatory Building. Today, the building houses a student lounge, computer lab and the principal’s and secretarial offices.

GWBHS member and 1972 St. Mary’s graduate, Paul Mellerowicz, salvaged one of the old windows in its frame during construction. An upper section with the top arch is now on display on the porch of the Orchard Lake Museum. According to Mellerowicz the new windows were made by a company in Poland for an exact fit in the opening, requiring no filler. Mellerowicz has an extensive collection of photos of the entire Orchard Lake campus buildings, from its day of the military academy to today.


Programs

GWBHS hosts and sponsors programs covering a wide variety of history topics throughout the year. Visit GWBHS.org for more information and final event details.

Celebrating 50 Years of History Open House
Sunday, September 8, 1-4 p.m., Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road

1975 & 2024 GWBHS Historic Highlights Map Presentation
Wednesday, September 18, 7 p.m., WB Library Main Meeting Room, 4600 Walnut Lake Road

Pine Lake Cemetery Tour
Saturday, October 5, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Pine Lake Cemetery, 4351 Middlebelt Road East side of Middlebelt Road, north of Lone Pine Road

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Open House
Sunday, October 13, 1-4 p.m., Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road

Orchard Lake Nature Sanctuary Autumn Nature Walk
Sunday, October 20, 2-3 p.m., 4700 Pontiac Trail GWBHS Military Collection Open House Sunday, November 10, 1-4 p.m., Orchard Lake Museum, 3951 Orchard Lake Road

50 Years of GWBHS History Presentation
Wednesday, November 13, 7 p.m., WB Library Main Meeting Room, 4600 Walnut Lake Road