European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday june 10, 1991 the stars and stripes a a a. It a a a a a a. A a a a a a an emotional last Day Page 9education by Jim i Jones education writer , Germany a the last Day of school Friday at Ulm elementary school ended emotionally Tor Stefanie Murray and her fifth Grade friends. Bunched at the Edge of the school s Lawn they hugged cried wished each other Well promised to write and visit. Then they hugged and cried some More. All would soon be in new communities or new countries. They were saying goodbye. A we grew so close now its closing Quot Stefanie said in tears. A i was so Happy  the army will turn Over to German officials on sept. 30 the 40-year-old . Military Community set in the bavarian town of 100,000 people. Community members estimate 80 percent of the population has moved since the Ulm shutdown plan was released in March. Ulm a sudden closure caught Many who lived Here by Surprise. The army announced last year that it would close the Community but the timing was Uncertain. Later withdrawals from Europe took a Back seat to persian Gulf deployments. Elementary school principal Norman Jaffee attributed much of the Surprise at the closure to recent Community improvements such As upgrades of schools housing sidewalks outside lights and other facilities. A we figured there would be no Way. People were in Shock a Jaffee said Quot now the commissary is closed several Days of the week. Burger King serves burgers and Fries for about three hours a Day. Baskin Robbins has shut its ice Cream cases for Good. Even the local Bookstore has closed. And Community members think the movie theater will be next. A now that its almost Over comes the realization that its going to end. All of their friends the kids parents everybody a leaving a Jaffee said. A a it a not easy for  v a we All have the same lifestyle a said Stefanie who will move to Stuttgart. A a we re so Many different peo pie. Look at us All but we have so much in  adjacent to the elementary school is Ulm american High school. On Friday Quot it was a ghost town except for the Supply persons from other schools who pulled up in front of the schools in trucks to collect computers televisions lab equipment textbooks and other items that wont be needed in an empty school. The graduation ceremony to be held that night was to be the final official function for Ulm the first High school in Germany to close As a re Jaffee suit of   closings. And principal Gordon Gartner visited each class. Room to say goodbye in his own Way. A it might or might not be a big Deal for you but you Are making history a he told students. A not Only is this the last Day of Ulm High school but this is the last class period of Ulm american High school. Whatever its Worth history is in the  Gartner spent Friday with Ulm a graduating seniors at a commencement rehearsal to prepare for the evening . A. A amps my chaos Abram Syrita Boyden left Stefanie Murray Center and Jessica of Connor hug each other on the last Day of school. Among the seniors was Darya Grote who recalled the Ulm of recent months. A two months ago they had guards at the Gates with tanks and guns and Bullet Prool vests a Grote said. A and now there is nobody a added classmate Jeri Wisdom 17. A yesterday i went to the pm and everything in the front area is gone. There Are Only three to mimics left in my  senior class president Bianka Kolb s family was the Only household left in their stairwell. And a Lew hours alter graduation they too planned to be on a flight from the Frankfurt Airport to the United states. For the two Ulm schools staffs the Community a impending closure was not much easier. Jaffee said the closing was a difficult a Tor him As Well As for teachers noting that Many a a touching moments had taken place recently. A in one of our fifth Grade classes today they showed a vital Potape of a program they put on earlier a Jaffee said. Toward the end the children acknowledged every teacher he said at which Point a one of the teachers watching just broke up started bawling a he said. A a it a been the Best two years of my career a Jaffee said of his time at Ulm. A i have never worked with a staff that has been so interested in providing for the education of  but people slowly Are realizing that the old military move attitude must kick in As Gartner said he was reminded by class president Kolb. A the school is closing. We love this school yet it does not close our lives. We go Forward our lives remain open.�?�. A amps Michael Abram a you Are making history a principal Gordon Gartner told students As he visited the classrooms. By Jimi Jones education writer College bound seniors who graduated from department of defense dependents schools in Europe say that getting their eds cation overseas offered them advantages that few in the unite states can match. Dodds schools have a weaknesses As All schools do but it definitely has its Strong Points a said Tracey Hoffman senior class president at Wurzburg High school. A i think in be gotten a great education.�?�. The biggest plus students say is the cultural environment. A academically they do a very Good Job a said Kate Trombley another Wurzburg student. A a you be got the whole world at your Back  Sabrina Tatta a Naples High school senior spoke italian before she did English. A product of the Dodds system Tatta has overseas lived in Naples for All of her 18 years. Access to the overseas environment Tatta said a makes you More culturally aware and less judgmental than people in the  she cited examples of cultural ignorance that she has run into in the United states. A a in be had people Tell me a you speak English really Well a or ask a do you eat Spaghetti every Day a a Tatta said. Jason Frasher 16, attended private parochial schools in the United states before he ent to Naples High school. A a there a a big difference a Frasher said. There Are a a few More options than Here but this year they started advanced placement courses. Last year there were none. Sometimes you feel like you Are a Little behind but living Here helps getting culture and seeing things most people will never have a Chance to  ing Marla Minderman of Hanau High school went to Dodds schools for about six years. She appreciates the overseas school system for a less grouping academically, Dodds emphasis on individual ability rather than comparisons with other local students. A Public schools Are More challenging a not academically but otherwise a Minderman added. Jason Clark of Wurzburg High school gave the system an eight. A a in be been Able to take most of what i wanted academically a Clark said. Plus he added a Over Here we done to see All the bad stuff that goes on in schools and i. Think people do  then there is the Downside of being a High school student overseas. Quot a socially its hard a said Wurzburg a Trombley. A a everything is so far away try ing to do a dance is difficult. Its the Money. In be found that to be a  looking ahead to College however students see Only the advantages of their overseas education. Frasher believes he is academically ready for the University of Miami. A if i Wasny to ready they  have accepted  Yvonne Latimer 18, Hanau High schools salutatorian will attend the University of Virginia in Hampton where she plans to share her cultural wealth with others. A a it of people there probably have never left the state of Virginia a she said. A i have pictures and i Hope they future acquaintances can develop from  and there Are even longer lasting benefits. A a in a thankful that my parents Are Here a Tatta said. A i have friends All Over the