Lockland’s archivist preserves history of Ohio’s oldest schools

By Sheila Vilvens Herald Contributor Founded in 1851, Lockland Local School District is one of the oldest in Ohio. With well over a century of housing students, teachers and staff, it’s easy to understand how a wealth of treasures can accumulate. Striving to sort, organize, and preserve these treasures is Mert Robinson Fritsch. We invite you in to meet Mert, a lifelong Lockland resident, and see the treasures she lovingly strives to preserve. Among them, football legend Roger Staubach’s photo at Roettger Stadium, an antique all-leather football helmet,a “sheepskin” diploma from Lockland’s first graduating class, trophies, class photos, and more. Within this trove lie irreplaceable photographs and albums from Lockland Wayne High School, historically significant for being the country’s first all-Black state boys’ basketball championship winners, boasting an all-Black student body, faculty and support staff. Mert, a secretary turned unofficial archivist, meticulously catalogs and packages these artifacts, preserving them for future generations. At 71, her lifelong connection to Lockland and family members who played pivotal roles in the community make her uniquely qualified for the task. Mert Robinson Fritsch. Photo provided One of her uncles was the chief of police. Another uncle was a patrolman. Yet another was the city...