Hanau ES (formerly Hanau Dependent School) History
Opened: 1952
Closed: 1982
Hanau Dependent School was opened in 1952 and had grades kindergarten through eight. High school students attended school at Frankfurt American High School. When the new high school was opened in 1976, the elementary school was renamed Hanau American Elementary School. Hanau was located on the Main River approximately fifteen miles east of Frankfurt. The city was the home of the famous Grimm brothers, authors of fairy tales. The school was located about two miles from the city of Wolfgang.
For the 1954-55 school year, the principal was Earl Casper and there 407 students in grades K–9. A yearbook for the school was first published for the 1957-58 school year. In the 1959 yearbook, the principal was listed as Sarah Parks and the assistant principal was Calvin E. Venters. There were four ninth grade homerooms with a total of 107 students. There were 156 students in the seventh and eighth grades. Activities for the junior high students included Student Council, Junior Red Cross, and a Projectionist Club. The school newspaper was called Jottings. The school had a band and a junior high chorus. There was a boys’ basketball team and cheerleaders for girls. The elementary school had over 1,050 students.
When Hanau Dependents School became Hanau American Elementary School for the 1976-77 school year, the first volume of the Hanau Elementary School yearbook was published. Phil Harr was the principal, and the two assistant principals were Bea McWaters and Mr. Schyberg. There were almost 1,400 students in grades K–6. The elementary school had a fifth/sixth grade chorus that performed throughout the school year. The school had a safety patrol, and school wide holiday programs were held throughout the year.
Hanau Elementary school had four annexes in addition to the main building. These annexes included Roseland adjacent to Wolfgang Kaserne, Sportfield, and building 409. The annex at Sportfield was a group of Quonset huts that were painted in fairytale motifs. The students referred to their classroom as the “Rapunzel” class or the “Red Riding Hood” room. This motive was used because Hanau was the home of the Brothers Grimm. The Sportfield complex had grades one through three.
By the 1977-78 school year, there were 1,770 students and 100 faculty and staff at Hanau Elementary.
A new building was occupied in the spring of 1982 to replace several substandard facilities. When the new building was opened, the school became Argonner Elementary School.