William E. Dimorier (pronounced Dimoree) was born in 1871 in Sanford, NY.

Curiously, he did not graduate from high school until he was 25, but did serve as a teacher in several schools before, during, and after the time he graduated from Colgate University. After his graduation, he came to Erie to teach English.

Mr. Dimorier belongs in the Hall of Fame, because without him, we might not have Veterans' Stadium or the land that Ainsworth Field and the old Roosevelt school stand upon. The contributions of both his time and his money greatly benefited many Erie youth during the first half of the 20th century.

It was in 1903 or so that Mr. Dimorier came to Erie to take a teaching position in the Erie School District. In addition to teaching high school English, he directed school plays, and acted as treasurer of the debate team. He was also interested in sports and in 1913, he led the effort to raise $6,000 for an "athletic field," which is where Ainsworth Field stands along with the old Roosevelt School. He also helped manage the track team and the football team.

When Academy High School opened in 1919, he took the position of assistant principal. While at Academy he was the business manager for the Academy Singers, at the time one of the best choirs in the country. He booked their engagements and took care of other administrative matters for the singers. While at Academy High School, he earned the nickname, Demmie.

A decade after he raised the funds for the athletic field, he led the fundraising effort for around $100,000 for Veterans' Stadium, which was named to honor the veterans of World War I.

Mr. Dimorier was also a poet. Themes include Lake Erie, the sea (which must be inspired by Lake Erie), nature, spirituality, and historical figures, such as Abraham Lincoln. His poems range from the very simple to quite complex in literary devices. He wrote lyrics that two composers used in their choral music.

He wrote his poems in a journal, which I acquired around three years ago from an auction of an old printing house called AKD on West 11th Street in Erie. This is how I became interested in researching Mr. Dimorier.

Mr. Dimorier self-published his poems in a small paper-back book called The West Wind and other Verses, dedicated to his mother and in another book in 1944, called Rhymes and Some Reason. I acquired copies of the two books from the children of Obed Grender, who was the choir director and a good friend of Mr. Dimorier.

Demmie must have given his journal to AKD for them to publish his book of poems and it must have been misplaced. I can only imagine how heartbroken Demmie must have been to have lost his poetry journal.

The Erie School District and Dr. Barker have been very helpful in my research of Mr. Dimorier. They even made Demmie the spotlight in the Erie School District's Poet Laureate program last year and I served as guest speaker.

Mr. Dimorier died in 1951 in Afton, NY, where he had retired and resided with his sister and her husband. Demmie never married nor did he have children of his own, except for the many children he influenced in the Erie School District.

My research of this interesting man continues and I would like to eventually see him formally recognized as a great contributor to the Erie School District with a plaque and ceremony at Veterans' Stadium. I would like to hear his four-part harmony piece sung by Erie School District choir members. Finally, I would like to publish his biography and his poems.

Mr. Dimorier is certainly worthy of being included in the Erie Hall of Fame.

BACK