mar_19__1987.html
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Thursday, March 19, 1987
PIX #1 - H.L. Ford - The Ashland High School alumnus graduate from Ashland College in 1919 with an AB degree. Also graduated from Ohio State Univeristy in 1920 with a Bachelor Science degree and a Master Degree in School Administration from Ohio State in 1927. He completed all studies at OSU for a Doctorate with the exception of Foreign Language and a theses. In 1961, Ford was granted an Honorary Doctorate from Ashland College. Ford taught in the Hayesville, Ohio High School in 1920-21, and in Ashland High School in 1921-23. In these schools, Ford was a teacher, also Superintendent; New Haven, 1923-25; Shiloh, Ohio 1925-29; Mt. Gilead, Ohio 1929-32. He was Superintendent at Port Clinton, Ohio Schools 1932-37. His longest career as a Superintendent was in Fostoria from 1937-62. At retirement he was in the Education Department at Bowling Green Univerisyt, 1962-68. For a period of six years, starting in 1958, Ford kept busy at commencement time, talking to graduates in this area and also in Michigan. PIX #2 - Professor R.W. Solomon - He was born in SCott Twp, Sandusky County, Ohio, on a farm. He secured all of his early education at a small school house on the corner of his father's farm. He taught school in the winter and attended Ohio Northern Univerisyt in the summer. While finishing his course at Ohio Northern University, he was principal of schools at Kansas, Ohio. After he graduated fron ONU in 1899, he was made Superintendent at West Mansfield where he continued for four years. He then went to Cuyahoga Falls where he was Superintendent. PIX #3 - Professor F.H. Warren - He received his AB degree from Ohio Wesleyan University. He was one of the outstanding and best loved superintendents at Fostoria High. His jovial disposition and friendly nature made him a friend of faculty and students alike. His keen sense of sympathy and love of human nature endeared him to Fostoria citizens. "Fred" as he was known to many, was engaged in the insurance business after retiring from his school career. He enjoyed teaching men's Sunday School classes as an avocation...this author having been in some of those groups. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Today's article is a continuation from last week, which provided information about the history of Fostoria Public School facilities for educating the youth during their Junior and Senior years. The article also touched, briefly on the differences in the methods and viewpoints then, as compared with today's. Several telephone calls from readers, after publication, indicated pleasure with the content of the article, which leads me to believe that much could be gained by trading, face-to-face conversation about our schools, past and present...sorting out the "best" and determining its usefulness for preparing today's youth for their future. FROM H.L. FORD'S HISTORY Today's article deals primarily with individuals in the Fostoria School System in years past, who made important contributions as teachers, principles and superintendents. According to H.L. Ford's History of the Fostoria School System, there have been 23 superintendents from 1862 up to and including the present. From 1872 up to the present there have been 11 high school principals. Ford's history does not contain the names of the elementary schools principals. Since his history did not get wide distribution, today's article contains names and dates of service for both categories, but more details for the superintendents with more than five years of service where data is available. RECORDS BACK TO 1862 Superintendents: C.C. Nestlerode, 1862-63; B. Porter, 1863-64; James Hays, 1864-March, 1865; Samuel W. Clay, March 1865-Sept, 1865; J.J. Peasley, 1865- 69; I.W. Legg, 1869-71; J.J. Sadler, 1871-73; E.T. Hartley, 1873-83; J.J. Osborn, 1883-84; W.T. Jackson, 1884-90; H.L. Frank, 1890-98; J.S. Young, 1898-1900; W.S. Robinson, 1900-05; S.H. Layton, 1905-08. R.W. Solomon, 1908-17; F.H. Warren, 1917-28; L.S. BuDahn, 1928-30; J.M. Reed, 1930-47; Herbert L. Ford, 1937-62; Ralph D. McCambridge, 1962-Dec. 1979; Paul H. Cramer, Jr., Jan 1980-84; Elaine L. Leach, 1985. Principals - Charles T. Abbot, 1872-93; Frances Gallup, 1893-95; Ida F. McDermott, 1895-1928; P.E. Baird, 1928-29; J.M. Reed, 1929-30; W.W. Hawk, 1930-46; O.K. Caldwell, 1946-64; Robert Latta, 1964-77; Dean Miller, 1977-82; Walter Marshall, 1982-85; Richard Basich 1985. J.M. REED SUPERINTENDENT AND PRINCIPAL Of all the superintendents of Fostoria Schools, J.M. Reed was the only one who also served as principal during 1929-30, and then was named superintendent in 1930, and then was named superintendent in 1930 and held that position for seven years. H.L. Ford holds the record for the longest tenure of all superintendents, with a total of 25 years. During Ford's regime, new buildings were contructed to replace those at the elementary schools known as Bryant, Longfellow, Holmes, and Lowell: with additions to Field and Whittier. In more recent years Whittier was demo;oshed and the school district revamped to accommodate the school enrollment. IDA MCDERMOTT WILL BE LONG REMEMBERED This article would be incomplete without special mention of Ida F. McDermott and her long service career as principal and teacher in the high school. During her 33 years in the school system, she was respected, loved and honored by students, parents, and the community at large. Her firmness in class and study halls created an atmosphere conducive for "learning"...the basic reason for schools. Miss McDermott, unquestionably made great contributions to the lived and careers of many FHS students. From reports this author hears about the Fostoria Junior and Senior High Schools today, more educators like McDermott are needed in our school system today. There were other fine teachers in the past in our schools who did not tolerate unruly students, and did not hesitate to yank them out of their seats and as the old saying goes..."give them what for". Yes, I know, the rules today are "you can't discipline my kid". Was it the A.C.L. that created that ruling...along with "no Bible reading in public schools?". Some of the other teachers whom readers may recall are these: Miss Bourquin, Vera Eger, Edna Longacre Gihuly, Onetia Whiteman, Tom Bener, M.D. Parks, Edna Hatfield, George R. Cameron, Bertha Fenberg, Miss McDormick, Carl Reed, C.W. Lutz, Myrta Nagle, W.R. Ash, Miss McDonel, Ethel Reese Ash, Lucille Mahoney, Isabel Hunt...and probably many more. Perhaps more can be recalled for use with next week's article, which will be continued. CONGRATULATIONS TO FHS HI-Y CLUB In regard to the recent article in The Review Times, under the headline... "Want to encourage your children to use drugs?". A positive approach to the sixteen considerations set forth, would in this author's opinion, be much better. However, all 16 points are important ones today in the lives of youth...both boys and girls. I have often wondered if there was still an active Hi-Y Club at FHS. As a student there in the 1920's. I was a member and officer of the first Hi-Y Club in Fostoria, and attended the summer camp at Nelson dodd at Brinkhaven. Hi-Y back then helped mold the school's standards and the Christian values. Plainly speaking, we helped students say yes to the good things, and no to the evil, in the school and the community at large. What else is on your agenda? What puzzles me is why the female sex serves as advisors instead of males? READER FEEDBACK A letter from Bob Harley, former Fostoria resident who one worked for The Fostoria Times, wrote to Potluck about the railroad series. He said..."I beg to differ with you on the identification of the photo which you listed as the Michigan Central Station". He said it was the Fort Street Depot. Harley should know since he worked at the Detroit News at one time. I knew it was where the C&O passenger trains entered and left, but thought it was the Michigan Central station, since that is the way it was identified on the picture card. It was demolished some years ago according to Harley. He said the Michigan Station is still in use and it is from there that Amtrack trains come and go. CORRECTION: C&O (H.V.) Maxine Kochheiser, 134 E. Crocker St., telephoned about the railroad series. She told me that she rode the C&O when she lived in Marion, OHio and wanted to go to Washington D.C., to visit relatives. I suggested that perhaps she changed trains someplace along the line, inas- much I didn't recall that it went directly to Washington, but further south. However, she insisted that she never changed trains after boarding at Marion. So I must have erred. I travelled so many trains, to so many places. My 82 year memory may be getting the signals crossed. REMEMBER THE JOHN JONES FAMILY? He had the contracting business on S. Poplar St. between the Nickel Plate and B & O. He built the Union National Bank building where Toledo Trust is now. In addition to the father and mother there were four children: Paul, who continued in the contracting business when his father died, and he too, is deceased; Alice, the oldest daughter, has been married to Elvie Heiney for many years and resides in Fayetteville, Ark.; Carl, another son, resides in Mesilla Park New Mexico, and Dorothy, the youngest daughter, lives in New Haven, Conn. Sometime ago I noticed an item in The Review Times, originating from county news, which included the name of Alice Jones Heiney as intereted in family geneology. INTERESTED IN GENEOLOGY AND ROCK COLLECTING Writing to Alice, my old High School classmate, I learned that she has been doing family research for more than 20 years, assisted by her sister Dorothy, but until now have only traced one family, the Poffenbergers, who arrived from Germany Sept. 20, 1733, on the ship Pink Mary. They have discovered that the Flacks came to Seneca County in 1826 and the Nulls in 1830, but that's about all. Perhaps some readers who are involved in geneology will be able to assist Mrs. Heiney. In addition to geneology, the Heiney's are "Rock Hounds", being active in a Gem & Mineral Club, and taking field trips in Arkansas and Oklahoma. There they find invertebrate mineral fossils and quartz crystals. They have diamond saws and polishing equipment, and cut and polish some of the stones.
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