Manning residents recently learned of the death of Marie E. Perkins, former Manning school principal and teacher. Perkins died of a heart aliment March 22, 1989, at Heather Manor, Des Moines, at the age of 83. Having no immediate survivors, a memorial service was held at Heather Manor Hall. Burial was at Carroll, Iowa.

Perkins was born in Davenport. She was a graduate of Carroll High School and Simpson College. She taught school in Carroll for the spring term, 1928-29, before moving to Manning.

Amos Lee was Superintendent of School when Perkins began teaching in Manning in 1929. For Perkins, it was the beginning of a commitment that would span 22 years. The Commercial Classes she taught included shorthand, typing, and bookkeeping. In 1941 Perkins became the high school principal, a position she held until 1951.

An interview with Marie Perkins is currently on file at the Manning Library, taped by Manning's Channel II in 1987. During this interview she reminisced about her teaching days in Manning stating that for many years she taught typing and bookkeeping at the same time, in one room, before the new gym was erected. She continued to teach bookkeeping and shorthand after she became school principal.

Perkins was the principal in 1948 when Manning won the state basketball championship.
She recalled, "All the men teachers went with the team to Iowa City and I was left to distribute the tickets. There were not enough for everyone who wanted to go so I gave out all I had and went down to Iowa City early and bought up all the tickets I could find. When someone from Manning would come in without a ticket I would sell them one that I had."

Perkins also remembered the years when Manning didn't have enough boys out for football to field a team. "One game day one of the boys was needed at home to pick corn and we needed everyone to make up the team. Ken Koch was superintendent then and he went out to pick corn so the boy could play."

An excerpt from the Manning Centennial Book states ...1939...For the second time a yearbook was published by the Senior Class. Miss Marie Perkins was the advisor, and the book was printed by the Monitor, and was assembled in the basement by members of the class...1943... During the war years, Miss Marie Perkins, Principal, had a "B" book of gas coupons and took basketball players to out-of-town games, "following the tail lights of Bill Steneker's car over miles of western Iowa."

In 1951 Perkins moved to Des Moines where she resided for 37 years. She was employed from 1952-1970 by the Iowa State Education Association, located during her tenure at the Salisbury House in Des Moines. Her responsibilities for this organization was teacher replacement and working with student organization such as Future Teachers of America. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, PEO and TIT and past president of Des Moines Business and Professional Women's Club. Her mother, Harriet W. Willey Perkins, was the daughter of the Willey for whom the town of Willey was named.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Heather Manor, 600 E. St., Des Moines. Heather Manor is owned by the Iowa State Education Association and over half of the residents are retired teachers.