Marjorie Swearingen Erickson and Palmer High School

Marjorie Swearingen Erickson has had a long connection with Palmer’s history. 

She was born in Colorado Springs, grew up in District 11 then graduated from Palmer High School in 1957. She was teaching in an elementary school for 39 years, retiring in 1999.

Starting at Palmer High School was a big event. She was the president of the future teachers. In her junior year she had her first assembly telling about Carol Jegend.

Palmer High School is changing a lot over the years. In the summer of 2025 they took down the old Eagle Wing (built in 1984) and the Vocational Building (built in the 1950s). Marjorie Swearingen feels really strongly about the new buildings at Palmer High School. 

“To be honest it’s such a historical building, and I really believe in maintaining the history of our town as much as we can,” said Marjorie Swearingen. 

She and her husband got married in Palmer High School. They were going to get married under the tower but it was raining all Friday on the day of their wedding. So they got married in the school auditorium. She thought it was amazing that so many people came to see her because she was a teacher for 39 years.

“We got married in the auditorium. Over 700 people came because I’ve been a school teacher for 39 years. We had the auditorium decorated with rainbows. It was beautiful.”

She and her husband had their honeymoon in the castle at Glen Eyrie.

“We spent our first two nights on our honeymoon at the castle.”

Marjorie Swearingen thinks that William Jackson Palmer is a great person who was very kind to the people in the town. He didn’t care about who that person was.

“He brought the children to the castle every year for Christmas.”