Alumni Hall of Fame
Service to St. Marys City Schools (2025)

Allen A. Meinerding was born in 1947 to Wes and Rita Meinerding, the eldest of six children. He graduated from St. Marys Memorial High School in 1965. Al was named a Jennings Scholar at Bowling Green State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1969. He was hired by the St. Marys City Schools to teach seventh grade Social Studies at McBroom Junior High School in 1969 while also pursuing his Master of Science degree in Education from Saint Francis College which he received in 1973.

Dozens of Mr. Meinerding’s former students including his son, John, wrote in support of his nomination to the Hall of Fame, describing him as one of the toughest teachers they ever had, and that they were glad for it! He was an excellent communicator, a master of classroom management who demanded the best from every student, a teacher who taught not just History but about life, and a teacher who listened and treated every student fairly. His former students wrote that he made studying more exciting by adding humor to the classroom, he encouraged and enabled them to maximize their potential and develop a strong work ethic, and he led by example, showing them that honesty and integrity were values you lived. Many former students remember Mr. Meinerding as one of the best teachers they ever had, whose impact on their life extended long after they graduated. His son, John, wrote, “These thousands of lucky students not only learned the states and capitals, the presidents of the United States, but they learned about learning. They were taught to the highest standard …. For 34 years Al got up and came to McBroom with the goal to educate the uneducated.” Al inspired his students to become educators themselves and to serve St. Marys as well, including those who are now teachers like Chad Doll, Chris Kuenning, and his son, John, as well as the current St. Marys School Superintendent, Bill Ruane.

Al’s dedication extended well beyond the classroom. He helped start and chaperone the annual eighth grade trip to Washington D.C., a popular program that is still in place today. He and other Social Studies teachers held mock presidential elections where students were divided into separate states where they learned how the popular and electoral votes worked. He also taught students about the importance of reading the newspaper and being informed about current events. He was nominated for the St. Marys Jaycee Outstanding Young Educator award in 1974.

 Al also served as a Driver’s Education instructor at Memorial High School and headed up the “Get Hooked on Fishing not Drugs” program at McBroom. There he took staff and students to the lake to teach kids how to cast and get their lines untangled. He served as the head of the Junior High Scholastic Bowl Team where he and his team brought home many awards for the school. He also sold football and basketball game tickets at events for many years and served as a General Educational Development (GED) examiner for eight years.

In his “spare” time, Al also worked as a Realtor for Wm. Klosterman Real Estate. Al retired in 2004 after teaching thousands of students over 34 years. He taught one year of seventh grade Social Studies, eighth grade Math, and seventh/eighth grade Physical Education at Holy Rosary Catholic School before he was rehired at McBroom Junior High School. Al married Janet Carmean in 1970, and they are the parents of six children.

For 34 years of dedicated service to St. Marys City Schools as a Social Studies teacher, mentor, advisor, and role model, for inspiring generations of St. Marys students with a strong work ethic and love for learning and history, Allen A. Meinerding is inducted into the St. Marys Memorial High School Alumni Foundation’s Hall of Fame for Service to St. Marys City Schools.