Her recollection puts her in a unique category of Ellis alumnae who not only remember Ms. Ellis, but attended the school under her leadership. Nancy’s sisters, Elizabeth LARGE Metz ’39 and Eleanore LARGE Anderson ’50, and her daughter Susan BARTHOLOMEW Manecke '66, also attended Ellis. Nancy and Susan are credited with writing the school’s Alma Mater.

A lot has changed at The Ellis School since its founding in 1916, and since Nancy graced its halls. The school no longer sits at its original Ellsworth Avenue location; the uniforms have changed over the years. And, much of the programming students enjoy today would look like science fiction to Ellis students 108 years ago. But change is a good thing—Ms. Ellis certainly believed this, when she sought to establish “a sound and thorough" school to prepare girls for “the rigorous admission requirements of the Eastern women's colleges.”

And, many of the things that matter most—the spirit of camaraderie, the celebration of differences, the pride students feel in the school and each other—have stayed the same.

This is all part of what Ellis second graders learn in their Ellis History Unit, which they study in the fall. The unit includes learning about their own family histories and thinking about who they are in the context of their families and their communities within and outside of Ellis. But students said one of the most interesting things about the unit is learning about the school's history, and Ms. Ellis herself.

“I like that we learned about what Ellis was like when Ms. Ellis was the principal and that I learned something new about where she really grew up in Johnstown and the Johnstown Flood,” said second grader Sloane Greco. She added excitedly, “And I’m glad that she made the school!”

The students also liked getting a close-up look at a recently restored portrait of Ms. Ellis, which has long hung in the school. The portrait, painted by Lawrence A. Powers in May of 1941, was restored by conservator Christine Daulton of Daulton Arts Limited in 2023.

Second grade teacher Katie CILLO Jordanoff ’95 said that an important focus in second grade is thinking about and celebrating who we are, how we are the same as other people, and what makes us unique and different from others. It helps the students build confidence in themselves, while also stoking an intellectual curiosity about history - their own, and the school’s. The students each make a collage of their families, and then talk about what their names mean; some families visit to share traditions and treats from their heritage. Ms. Jordanoff said it’s an important piece of the grade’s diversity and inclusion goals to make sure students have an understanding of different cultures, many of which are represented by their classmates.

The last step in the unit is for students to consider how being an Ellis girl defines them. Ms. Jordanoff and fellow second grade teacher Harry Frazee tee up the conversation by talking about the school's history, and then special guests visit to share their personal connections to Ellis and teach its history in the process.

Charles Altman, who was a drama teacher at Ellis for many years and voluntarily serves as the school’s historian, has visited in each of the last two years. He teaches students about Ms. Ellis’ youth in Johnstown, Pa. in the years after the Johnstown Flood, as well as her career and how she founded the school.

Mr. Altman’s daughter, Sarah ALTMAN Bumstead McSorley ’95, and her daughters Anne Bumstead ’27, Mary McSorley ’28, and Katherine Bumstead ’29 joined him to share their experiences as a multi-generational Ellis family (Mr. Altman’s wife, Liz SUCCOP Altman ’70, has joined the presentation in past years). Whitney OKONAK Sunday ’98, whose daughter and nieces are currently Ellis students, also joined the conversation about what has changed and stayed the same at Ellis over the years.

The students then took a tour of the school, where they saw each Head of School portrait, as well as a piece of the mantle from the second location of The Ellis School at Fifth and Negley avenues. The mantle piece now hangs in the Upper School.

“I really liked going on the tour,” said second grader Lana DiBiase. “It was cool how we got to see Ellis but my favorite part was when a lot of people came in to tell us how it was when they were here and hearing how Ellis has changed over the years.” Lana said she also liked learning about Ms. Ellis’ childhood and why she started the school. “I like learning about how she grew up and about how even though there was a big flood in her town she still went on to do something really big, and I also like how she persists. Instead of just stopping when she went to college she made a school only for girls and it turned out to be a big success.”