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Brunswick Distinguished Citizen 1977

Edna Virginia Wenner

Born: February 24, 1892 – Died: December 1980, buried St Marks, Petersville, MD Brunswick Distinguished Citizen 1977

Brunswick:  100 Years of Memories:  One of nine children of Edna Virginia Garret and Charles Malcolm Wenner, Sr., Edna Virginia Wenner received her early education in Shenk’s Seminary and St. Francis Parochial School, graduating from Brunswick High, then located between East A and Potomac Streets, in 191.  She began her teaching career in 1911 at the West Brunswick Elementary School, located next to the present Brunswick Post Office.  In 1918 she became principal of Brunswick Elementary, continuing in that post until transferring to Parkway Elementary School in Frederick in 1932.  After teaching at Middletown briefly, she returned to West Brunswick Elementary in 1946, retiring as principal in 19598 after 48 years in teaching.  She held a B.S. degree in Education from the University of Virginia and was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church.

From Smoketown History, courtesy of Peter Wenner: E. Virginia (Patty) Wenner was the first woman to serve as a school principal in Frederick County before he came out of retirement to be the first head of the consolidated Brunswick Elementary School in 1952. Descended from a long line of teachers, she was the first woman public school principal in Frederick County at Middletown Elementary School.

Known as a good teacher and tough disciplinarian, Miss Wenner was considered uniquely qualified as a Brunswick native to lead the consolidation of public elementary schools in town. She had to grapple with 2 challenges. First was the merging of 2 schools that had long been rivals. Second was the desegregation of the U.S. public school system that was working its way through the courts in the early 1950s.