Elizabeth Ziegler

After graduation she taught for a year in Breslau, followed by two years teaching in Bloomingdale.^[4]: 35 Ziegler returned to Waterloo County in 1875, after accepting a teaching position at Central School during a period when women made up less than half of the teaching staff in the area and were unable to marry if they wished to continue on as teachers.^[4]: 35 She taught a range of subjects at the school including reading, spelling, arithmetic, geography and drawing.^[5]: 72 Ziegler was later appointed as the principal of Alexandra School, Waterloo's second elementary school, making her the first woman principal appointed in Waterloo County.^{[4]: 35, 36 [6]} She retired from teaching in 1930.^[3][7] To mark her lengthy career the Canadian National Railway gifted her a return ticket to the Pacific Coast.^[4]: 36

When construction began on Waterloo's third elementary school, local teachers requested that it be named in Ziegler's honour.^[8][4]: 36 She initially resisted the recognition but was eventually persuaded by members of the Waterloo Public School Board.^[4]: 36 The school opening on September 2, 1931, was attended by Ontario Premier George Stewart Henry who commented that: "This splendid building is a monument to the purpose, integrity and inspiration of a woman who has helped fashion the lives of the citizens of this community and has helped them to make the best use of their lives."^[3] Her teaching certificate signed by Ryerson hangs at the school along with her portrait.^[3][9] In addition to having a school named after her, Ziegler is a member of the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.^[3]

Ziegler spent her later years living with family in Kitchener and London.^[10] In 1941 Ziegler moved to Simcoe to live with a sister, where she died a year later.^[4]: 37