Mannheim Elementary School closed for good on Friday with a celebration and a picnic capping its 66-year history.

Students danced the "Bobcat Boogie" and sang songs, while former students reminisced about their time at the school.

When it opened in 1946, 55 students were enrolled, according to the Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe website. During the height of the Cold War, enrollment was more than 2,200, making it the largest school in the Department of Defense Education Activity, according to the website. For its final year, 139 students went to class.

The Mannheim military community is in the final phase of closure due to the realignment of U.S. forces in Europe.

A Short History

The first school in the Mannheim area was opened on 14 October 1946 in a house in Feudenheim. Enrollment was 55 students. The enrollment increased and the school expanded into two houses which were used until 1949. In that year the school moved into a renovated barracks in Funari Barracks and continued there until the opening of the new school building in Mannheim-Kaefertal in October 1952.

The large yearly increases in enrollment necessitated the construction of another school building in Mannheim-Kaefertal which was completed in August 1955. Because of the large overall increases in the HACOM schools it became necessary to convert Mannheim School #1 into a high school.

Operation of the Mannheim High School began in September 1956. The enrollment at the elementary school for kindergarten and grade 1 through 6 was 1276 students, and for the high school it was 504 students. Enrollment for the elementary school during our closing year has been 139 students.

Remembrances, Timeline

For our Alumni, please send us your remembrances, thoughts, and images. Let's celebrate together the special years you have spent at this school and community. As you email them to us we will post them here.