When Fred St. John moved into South Madison County in 1946, he immediately began to impact young lives. For the next 28 years, he served as a teacher in the classroom, a 4-H leader on the farm, and a mentor to youth who participated in FFA. People who knew St. John say he was strongly dedicated to his community.
Lapel resident Bob Myers was ten years old when he met St. John. “He was my first and only 4-H leader,” said Myers, who was in the 4-H program for 10 years. “He was like part of the family,” Myers added. “Other than my parents, I wasn’t closer to anyone than Fred.”
Myers, now retired, fondly remembers being along on many of the out-of-state trips which St. John chaperoned as an FFA advisor and Lapel High School senior class sponsor. “He was a fair-minded and well-respected disciplinarian,” said Myers.
Pendleton resident Fred Wolf recalled St. John’s dedication as a teacher of vocational agriculture. Wolf, retired Pendleton Heights High School ag teacher, often worked alongside St. John at FFA events. He said St. John particularly liked coaching the demonstration teams. “He coached several FFA winning teams, who went on to national contests,” said Wolf. “We worked very closely. I always enjoyed his company. If you needed anything at all, you could count on him.”
St. John’s passion for education carried beyond his teaching years. He actively served another 16 years as a member of the Frankton/Lapel School Board.
The community lost a very dear friend when St. John passed away in October of 2005. Dedicated to his memory, a group of Lapel High School alumni established a scholarship fund in his honor. Stewarded by the South Madison Community Foundation, the “Fred St. John Memorial Scholarship Fund” benefits deserving Lapel graduating seniors pursuing their dreams of attending college.