In this area we reprint articles that have been printed in our Alumni Occident newsletter that have featured former teachers and distinguished alumnus. Page down to read articles on the following (in order from the most recent to the oldest): John Morlan '65 Susie Griffith Conrad '64 Jim "Jimmie Lee" Hill '49 Jim Malanowski Howard Wilson '32 Jerry Ocock Gary Link '57 Terry Elliott '64 Margaret Harold Dwight Black JoAnne Georgiton Stamatakos Dave Dobos '73 Phil Wallace '72 Pat Cozad Smart '47 Frances Evans E. Thoburn Stone Dick Weber '43 Dale Rose M.E. "Mack" Pemberton

(The following article was in the July 2010 Alumni Occident publication.) John Morlan '65 Before entering West High, John attended Dana Elementary and Westmoor Junior High. At West he was president of the Varsity W, was on the Student Council, and was a captain and quarterback on the football team. He led the city league in scoring his senior year with 72 points. He was voted all city, all district, and all Ohio his senior year – the first west football player to be voted the best player in the central district since the 1940s. He was named to the All Ohio Football Team. He led the Ohio South football squad in the High School All-Star game in Canton, OH. However, like many high school athletes, John also excelled in another sport and for him it was baseball. He was voted All City his junior and senior years as a picture and outfielder. His senior class voted him the Best (male) Athlete of their class. In 1965, the Cincinnati Reds drafted John in the 8th round. For a 17-year-old, John said it was a lot of pressure, and it was difficult to turn down the money they were offering him to sign him to a contract. While it wasn’t the signing bonus money players get today, for 1965, and a kid just graduating from high school, it was a lot of money. John’s mother told him even if he could play professional sports, he needed an education for his future and he would go to college. While he wasn’t sure that he even wanted to attend college, his mother insisted. There was no discussion – John was going to college! He didn’t sign with the Reds. And like most who listen to their mothers, he later learned it was the best decision. It isn’t surprising that John would play a sport in college – but which college and which sport? The legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes recruited him. John said there was a lot of pressure in high school to go to Ohio State, but in the end he turned down Woody Hayes and Ohio State. He said it probably worked out for the best for him and OSU. The next year they recruited Rex Kern who went on to become the great OSU quarterback from 1968-1970. John decided on Ohio University who had also offered him a scholarship. John played baseball for OU, but the professional baseball teams kept their eyes on him. John had worked in the summers during high school for John Galbreath, a far west side Columbus resident and owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mr. Galbreath was aware of John’s work ethics and his baseball abilities. In 1967, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him 12th in the 1st round. Again he didn’t sign. In 1968 the Cleveland Indians drafted him in the 4th round, and he didn’t sign. Finally, in 1969, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him once again. John was graduating from college, and he was the 5th pick in the first round - this time he signed with Pittsburgh to become a professional baseball player. John met his future wife, Susan, while they were both at OU. When John started playing, he was assigned to the Pittsburgh minor league teams. He said it was difficult for a guy who now had a wife and later a baby daughter. As a family, they traveled to wherever he was assigned. Since he had gotten a teaching degree at OU, it allowed him to teach in the off-season. He took a position as a physical education teacher in Columbus elementary schools. He worked at one school for a month, then moved to another school for a month. He taught from September to February for four years, leaving in February when spring training started. Had he been teaching a regular class, it would have been more difficult for him to leave each year when spring training started. For John and Susan, life during the baseball season was difficult. The minor league players’ lives were not all glamour. They traveled to games in busses and stayed in nice, but lower quality hotels. He said there was a sorority of sorts with the wives who often attended games together and brought their children. John played outfielder and pitched. Then, in 1973, the break all minor league players are hoping for - he was called up to the majors and pitched for the Pirates. John had teammates that many will know by name – Willie Stargell, Al Oliver, Dave Parker, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few. At that time (and for many years) the Columbus Clippers were the Triple-A farm team for the Pirates, so many on the Pirate team played at one time or the other in Columbus. While playing for the Pirates, the mode of travel and hotels were a step-up from the minor league. They generally flew to away games and stayed in top quality hotels. They were given $65 a day for food. John said while several on the team did their best to use their entire daily stipend on their meals, he tried to save as much of his money as he could. He recalled when Pittsburgh played at the San Diego Padres, and each Pirate team member found ten McDonald’s coupons in his locker. As it turns out, Ray Croc, who owned McDonald’s, also owned the Padres! He wanted the visiting team members to eat at his restaurants! John said some of his teammates didn’t especially want to eat at McDonald’s, so he would offer take their coupons. He would use some coupons himself and used others to pass out to some of the kids who were always after the players to throw them a baseball. John would give the kids a ball and a McDonald’s coupon, and the kids were thrilled. During the years John was playing little league baseball, the kids were allowed to pitch an unlimited number of innings. For growing kids, this can be detrimental. John feels he may have started to develop bone chips in his elbow as a young pitcher. John’s injuries were probably made a little more worse each year, but like most athletes, they know they have to play through a certain amount of pain. The rules were changed several years ago to limit the throwing time of younger players to help prevent these injuries. When playing for the Pirates, John developed more serious problems with bone chips in his elbow that were affecting his throwing. At the end of the 1974 season, when he was 27, he had surgery to remove the bone chips from his elbow. The next spring he was sent to the Columbus Clippers to rehab his elbow in the hopes he could make it back to the big league, but it didn’t happen. John said he knew pretty much soon after he started throwing after the surgery that he probably wouldn’t make it back. John ended his pro-career with the Clippers. Since he did get that college education that his mother had insisted on, John had his teaching degree to fall back on. He was hired as a physical education teacher at West. While coaching baseball would seem inevitable, John said he didn’t want to coach baseball, but he did agree to be an assistant coach on the football team. About five years later, Gary Link ’57 (who had been teaching and coaching at West since 1962) asked John if he would take over as head coach for the girls’ softball team. John only agreed when Gary assured John that Gary would do most of the actual coaching and John would do the other coaching duties. John said he thoroughly enjoyed coaching both football and softball. When he retired from teaching and coaching six years ago, he had coached West football for twenty-four years and West girls’ softball for nineteen years. He has been asked to coach little league baseball several times but says he doesn’t want to deal with the parents. Per John, “They take the fun out of coaching!” While teaching Phy. Ed., John didn’t have to spend a lot of time in a formal class room. That is except for one 6-week period when Sara McPeek Sampson ‘69 asked him to take over her health class while she was on maternity leave. While he was hesitant, he agreed. However, prior to saying he would take her class, he didn’t ask what the subject matter would be. He soon learned the class assignment was sex education. He was horrified. First he wasn’t comfortable being in front of a class, and secondly, teaching sex education, to a mixed class of teenage boys and girls – it was the worst situation he could think of. Sara told him all he had to do was turn the lights off in the room and play videos and slides! He said he got through the six weeks, but he has never forgiven Sara for what she did to him. John’s athletic ability apparently came from good lineage. John’s father, John M., was a minor league catcher. His uncle Joe was a minor league catcher and later a scout for the Cleveland Indians. And several other family members played professional sports. Being a former major league baseball player, of course John had a baseball card with his picture! To this day John said he averages receiving a letter about every two weeks with one of his baseball cards included. The letters request he sign the card and return it to them. He has gotten a wide range of reasons on why they want the signed card – someone remembers him from his playing days, they may be a Pirate or major league baseball fan, they may be asking for an ill child, or maybe the person is just a collector. With the help of the Internet, apparently it is easy to track John down! John and Susan live in the Grove City area and have one daughter who is an RN and who works for a group of cardiologists. John and Susan have two granddaughters who are seven and eleven. In retirement, John said he doesn’t do a lot. He enjoys golfing, although says he isn’t very good. He has been a faithful participant in the Alumni Association Golf Outing. Prior to coming to the May 5 Retired West Teachers’ Luncheon, he was at the golf course. (We didn’t ask for his score.)

This picture was taken when Susie started teaching at West in 1967.

This picture was taken of Rich and Susie with the Columbus Zoo Carousel horse they purchased in Susie's mother's name.

Susie Griffith Conrad '64 and Rick Conrad '64 Susie Griffith started at West in the 7th grade. She was only there one year before going to the new Westmoor Junior High. The Student Council was given the task to choose the school colors, mascot, and motto. Susie was a Student Council officer and helped to make those decisions. While at Westmoor she was president of the Future Teachers of America (FTA) club for two years. While still at Westmoor, West High American History teacher and Athletics Manager, Mr. George Williams, came to the school to identify the top three math students. He was looking for students to work in the West High Athletic Office the following year. Susie was chosen. Part of her ‘job' was to sell football and basketball game tickets. Mr. Williams asked her to prepare the pay envelopes for the game referees and she collected the student athletes' grades every Friday so the coaches could determine who was eligible to play sports that weekend. At West Susie was VP and president at the FTA, senior class treasurer, and VP of the West Y-Teens and president of the Y-Teens for the city of Columbus. During her junior year she spearheaded a city-wide Y-Teen ‘Hootenanny' to raise funds to buy a piano for a Japanese Y-Teen group. Their goal was $500. All of the Columbus high schools were invited to send their best musical acts to perform. They arranged to have the OSU wrestlers' fraternity take tickets. The program was a huge success, raising $4000. This was one of Susie's first involvements in fund raising, and she enjoyed it. Her senior year, Susie was on the Homecoming Court and voted Most Popular by her classmates. She was in the National Honor Society, French Club, GAA, VCY, Student Council, and on the Class Mixer Committee. When Susie graduated from West, Principal David Randall (who was in the 1935 West Class and a 1998 Alumni Hall of Fame Honoree) asked her to start a West Alumni Association. The last Alumni Association had not been active for several years. So, from 1964 to 1967, when Susie was at The Ohio State University, she was president of the West Alumni Association. During those years Susie organized the Homecoming activities and the Homecoming Dance. Susie took college classes year around, completed her degree in three years, and was graduated with a BS degree in Education to teach history with a minor in Special Education. After graduation she thought she might like to travel, maybe become an airline stewardess. Her father said she got a college education to teach, not fly on planes, and he strongly suggested she look for a teaching job. Susie knew West Principal Mr. Randall, because he had been her Sunday School teacher at Glenwood Methodist Church. When she talked with him about teaching, he told her since she was only twenty at the time, it may be difficult for her to get a job teaching in her major - history. Also, it was typical at that time for most of the history teachers to also be coaches. However, he did have an opening in the Special Education Department, and if she wanted to teach her minor, she could have a position at West. In 1967 Susie returned to West as a special education teacher. In 1970 Susie moved from the class room to become the Work Study Coordinator. She placed students in the Career Centers from both West and North High. When North closed, she added Whetstone and later Briggs. While in charge of the program at West and Briggs, she had 280 students in the Work Study program. She was the Student Council faculty advisor which she did with Mr. Dick Weber (also a West alum from the 1943 class). She also was an advisor to the National Honor Society, the Y-Teens, the Girls Athletic Association, and the Homecoming activities. She encouraged her special ed students to be active in all of the clubs she worked with and encouraged those involved in the clubs to help tutor the special ed students. It was an arrangement that both groups benefited from. In 1971 Susie married her high school sweetheart, Rick Conrad ‘64. In addition to a life partner, Susie got a partner for her fund-raising endeavors. She didn't have plans to retire from teaching until 1996 when her mother became ill. She took her mother to a Houston, TX hospital for surgery where her mother was in intensive care for six months. This finalized her decision to retire after teaching for twenty-nine years. After retiring from teaching, Susie became involved with several community programs. With the Junior Columbus Symphony she found a way to get instruments for Columbus Public Schools' students. Through her Junior League involvement she got on a project with the Columbus Zoo Zoofari. When Zoofari started it was most often held in the backyards of Zoo members who lived in Upper Arlington. When Zoofari was moved to the Zoo grounds with volunteers preparing the dinners, 283 attended the first year. That increased each year to about three thousand and was still being held with volunteers preparing the food, which was becoming a huge effort. At that time the Zoo brought in big name entertainment which they had to pay to attend, which cut into the event profits. Director Jack Hanna had heard that the New Orleans Zoo had a successful Zoofari and enlisted Susie and Rick to visit the New Orleans Zoo to see how they organized their program. They learned that the New Orleans Zoo invited local restaurants to set up tents and provide samples of their food and drinks for the event attendees. Susie and Rick brought this idea back to the Columbus Zoo. After modeling the Columbus Zoofari after the New Orleans Zoofari, attendance has grown to approximately six thousand attendees. The Columbus Zoo also started utilizing some its great local talent to perform at Zoofari. It cost less and promoted the local talent. In 2009, nearly ninety local restaurants served appetizer portions of their signature dishes and drinks. The annual event raises money for conservation and education. Susie has been a Zoo Trustee since 1983. In 2001, when Colo, the very popular and beloved Columbus Zoo gorilla who was the first gorilla born in captivity was forty-five, Susie chaired a committee to start a "Colo Club." Those who donate $1000 become members of the Colo Club. These funds also help support Zoo conservation and education projects. Each year the Zoofari committee asks a noted central Ohio resident to be the honorary chair. They are typically company presidents or others who hold a significant position in the community. The 25th year of Zoofari, the last year Susie was involved, they asked Susie and Rick to be the honorary chairs. The project benefiting from Zoofari that year was refurbishing the wonderful Zoo Carousel and placing rocking chairs in the area for anyone to sit and enjoy the park. Susie decided to purchase a carousel horse in her mother's name. So the next time you are at the Zoo, look for "Susie Belle Sr.," maybe even let your child or grandchildren take a ride, or enjoy some time in a rocking chair, while thinking about the Zoo programs that provide these great amenities. Susie and Rick live in Dublin. Susie continues to volunteer at the Zoo as a Trustee. Rick participates in a golf tournament each year that pays tribute to deceased golfer Payne Stewart. Both Susie and Rick chaired the Alumni Hall of Fame program for three years, have been on the committee the past two years, and have been life members of the Alumni Association since 1996.

Jim "Jimmie Lee" Hill '49 (The following article was in the July 2005 Alumni Occident publication.) When Jim Hill graduated from West High School, the list of activities he had participated in was extensive and was certainly heavy in the realm of music - Senior Orchestra 1; Dance Band 1,2,3; Christmas Parade 2,3; Gondoliers; Christmas Cantata 2; Spring Festival 1; Kiwanis Horse Show 2; Circleville Pumpkin Show 2; Choir 1,2,3; Drum Major 3; Latin Club 1; Reserve Band 1; Marching Band 1,2,3; Concert Band 1,2,3; Scrap Drive 1; Scrap Paper Drive 1,2; Band Variety Show 1,2,3; Musical Arrangements for Band Variety 1,2; All City Band 1,2,3; P.T.A. Festival 1,2,3; Glee Club 1,2,3; Spanish Club 2,3; Student Director 3. Jim Hill became a professional at an early age. He actually got paid for his musical talents as early as the 7th grade. Being involved in just about every musical event at West, it is easy to understand Jim Hill pursuing a career in the field of music. Jim attended OSU from 1949 to 1952. When starting at OSU, he wanted to join the marching band but learned he needed to play the trumpet - which he had never played before. He spent four months learning the instrument and earned the position of 2nd trumpet in the OSU Marching Band. He can now play any instrument - woodwind, brass, and string. He left OSU before graduating to join the Air Force, playing in the Air Force Band, as a way to pay for his college. He did go back to OSU in 1956, graduating in 1958. After being graduated from OSU, he got a job as the band director at Jonathan Alder High School in Plain City. In 1960 he moved to Marion Franklin High School in Columbus. He started a drill team there based on ideas he had seen work elsewhere. He felt that ‘props make the show,' and he wanted to make the Marion Franklin Band be a real ‘show.' He had various props built into their program to add pizzazz to their shows. At the end of the 1961 school year both West Principal Mr. Robert Darrow and West Band Director Mr. John Dale ‘47 left West. Incoming principal Mr. David Randall ‘35 had previously taught and coached at West. Jim Hill had been in David Randall's History class. Mr. Randall hired his former student to be the West Band Director. Wanting to put some pizzazz in the West Band, in the summer of 1961 he got the idea for a marching corps named the Weskets. He enlisted the help of Terry Randall ‘63, Mr. Randall's 16-year-old daughter, to put the word out about the new group being formed. The first year thirty-five ladies made the Weskets. And add pizzazz to an already award-winning marching band it did. Their silver sequined outfits were stunning. It was during Jim Hill's tenure as band director that the West band changed to an all brass band. Having marched in the all brass OSU band, he liked the sound and knew it was something that would make the West Band stand out from other bands, which it did. One of the highlights of his tenure was the January 1969 band trip to march in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. Another highlight was getting Doc Severson to perform at the West Variety Show. At a time when Doc was requiring performing fees into the thousands, for his friend Jim Hill he performed for $800. Jim Hill left West in the early 70s. He changed directions going into the financial planning field for fifteen years. In the early 80s he took a job as band director at Licking Heights High School, which he also changed to an all brass band. He then moved to Lancaster High School for a year before going to Ridgemont High School for thirteen years. When he took over at Ridgemont, a small school, there were ten in the band. In three years he built it up to 43. Using techniques he developed to have the band perform in different formations, it produced the sound of a much larger band. Through the years Jim Hill has played with many of the big-name bands - Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, Bob Crosby and the Bob Cats, The Four Tops, Swinging Sammy Kaye, and The 5th Dimension. Locally he played with the Chuck Selby Band at Valley Dale. He has taught dancing for Arthur Murray. For the last 8-10 years he has been teaching at Colonial Music, in Hilliard. He currently has sixty students! Jim Hill has been married to SueAnne Louise Hill for forty-three years. They have two sons, John and Jeff, and a daughter Debbie. Debbie has given them their only grandchild, a 2-year-old daughter. Per Jim Hill, he has ‘had a ball all his life.' He can't imagine anyone going through life not enjoying what they are doing. He still enjoys teaching music to anyone who has an interest in learning. Even at seventy-three he said he might be interested in taking over a band program and building it into a first-class band. The picture of Jim Hill was taken in his Colonial Music office. He has lined the walls with some of his favorite pictures. Several are from his days at West. One is of one of the favorite events continued today at Football Homecoming - Script West. Update: At the 2007 Homecoming, Mr. Hill was invited back to West to direct the Alumni Band during the pre-game ceremonies and again at half-time when they did their famous Script West and played the Alma Mater. This is the first time Mr. Hill had been back to West since he left in the 70s. Many of Mr. Hill's former former band students returned to both participate and watch the event. He repeated the event at the 2008 Homecoming when he directed the combined Alumni Band and West Band. Note: Mr. Hill died April 10, 2009

Jim Malanowski, daughter Emily, and wife Lorene
(The following article was in the October 2004 Alumni Occident publication.)
Say hello to former West teacher Jim Malanowski.
While at West High from 1971-78, Jim Malanowski lived and breathed school. He was Class Advisor to the Class of '76, Social Studies Department Chair for three years, at various times coached Girls Basketball, Boys Tennis, Track, and Football, and was a CEA Building Representative. It's no wonder he decided to take a rest by going off to graduate school. Malanowski completed a Masters in Adult Education at OSU in the summer of '78 then trekked off to Bowling Green State University to pursue a doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision which he completed in 1981.

Since then, Jim has seen a broad spectrum of education through the many roles he has played. He taught graduate classes in teacher effectiveness through BGSU before taking a position as Assistant to the Head of the Wood County Area Teacher Center. While at the Wood County Office of Education, he served as a Secondary Supervisor and the county's Attendance Officer. He then did a brief stint as Curriculum Director in the Findlay City Schools before becoming the district's Director of Personnel and Community Relations. In 1988, he became the Georgia Coordinator for a professional development firm called Performance Learning Systems (PLS) and was soon named Vice President of the Southeastern Region for PLS. With PLS, Malanowski worked with colleges, state departments, and school districts to develop relationships that brought PLS programs to teachers across the country. He traveled internationally as a presenter and keynote speaker and helped PLS develop curriculum and programs for educators.

Shortly after moving to Georgia, Jim and his wife, Lorene, were blessed with a baby girl named Emily, fulfilling a life-long dream. Emily often "presented" with Jim on his travels. Not long after 9/11 and the death of a very close friend who was younger than him, Jim decided to come off the road and "took a call" to become Headmaster at an Episcopal school in South Florida. Emily is in the 7th Grade at his school, and he gets great pleasure in seeing her on campus every day.

Malanowski says, "At 55, I don't have the same energy I did when I was 25 and at West, but I still get energized by the kids." He goes on to say, "When I grow up, I want to be like Doug Lowery!" (2003 National Middle Level Principal of the Year, who was Senior Class President when Malanowski was Advisor!)

The Malanowskis reside at 1009 Nassau St., Delray Beach, FL 33483 and Jim can most readily be contacted at pr4mnc@aol.com. You can also find him at his school website, www.sjsonline.org.

Frances Peters Wilson' 39 and HOWARD WILSON '32
(The following article was in the January 2004 Alumni Occident publication.)

Howard Wilson graduated in the first class to go all four years at the ‘new' West High School on Powell Ave. He entered Ohio State University in the fall of ‘32 with the intent of becoming a lawyer. He entered the Arts college and was in the pre-law program. Other West classmates attending OSU with him were Martin Sharp, Norman Broadway, Claris Jones, and Rachel Richards. Howard graduated from OSU with a bachelor's degree in 1937. While he still wanted to pursue a law degree, he needed a job. He learned if he took some education courses he could teach school, so he did that and in 1938 received a BSC in Education. He received one offer to teach for $400 a year and two for $800 a year but felt that wasn't enough. He took a part-time job at Federal Glass working his way up in the Shipping Dept. They paid a bonus for piecework and Howard was fast, so his resulting salary was more than he would have earned teaching. In 1942 he married another West graduate, Frances Peters ‘39.

While at OSU Howard was in the ROTC. World War II called him to active duty in 1942. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in Field Artillery and stationed at Lowery Field. The second week of active duty he was assigned to the Air Force with the 49th Twin Engine P-38 fighting squadron stationed in Atchem Field in Shropshire England. This was an abandoned British Air Force Base that had been turned over to the US. In October 1942 he was sent to North Africa for the invasion. There until November 1945, he was promoted to Captain as a Squadron Intelligence Officer.

Returning home in 1945, he decided to use his degree and return to Education. He was first hired as a substitute teacher at Mound St. Jr., High then getting a permanent position teaching History and English at Roosevelt Jr. High. A teacher's salary had risen to $4000 a year. He then was hired at West Jr. High. While at West, he was founder and advisor of the West High Student Court. As a result of his interest in amateur radio, in 1962 he established and advised the first amateur radio station at West. They obtained a radio station license to operate the system. He continued teaching at West Jr. High until Westmoor Jr. High opened in 1962. At that time he moved to the position of West Activities Coordinator and taught Business Law at the high school level for a couple of years.

During his early years of teaching Howard decided to pursue the law degree he still desired. He attended Franklin University night school and in 1953 obtained his LLB (Bachelor of Law) degree. He later earned an MA in Education Administration from OSU and was awarded his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Capital University. While teaching at West he used his home office, with his wife as his legal secretary, to practice family law, real estate law, probate, and prepare wills. Since the Court House was open on Saturday, he could continue his duties at West through the week and make any necessary trips to the Court House on Saturday. He eventually was hired by the Columbus Schools system to work at the Board of Education Central Office to administer their Worker's Compensation program as director of Safety Education. While on duty at the Central Office he requested and was granted a two-year leave of office. He spent the two years as an assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio as director of the State Department of Health and Education as their legal advisor. He has served as Commander of the American Legion Post #98 where he chaired the Legion's Boys' State program for several years. Howard is a former president of the West Franklin Kiwanis and was recently awarded his 47th year as a member of the Columbus Downtown Kiwanis.

Howard retired from the Columbus School system with 38 years of service. One of the students he most remembers is Debbie Draper ‘61, Columbus Judge Draper's daughter. Howard continued his law practice until very recently. The Columbus Bar Association and Ohio State Bar Association recently gave him a commendation for having fifty years of service. Being long-time Hilltop residents, Howard and Frances' three children are all also West alumni. Edward ‘64 lives in Columbus, has a Ph.D., and is on the faculty at Devry University. George ‘67 lives in Columbus and is a color paint specialist with Lowes. Margery ‘70 has a Master's Degree and is an assistant director at the University of Buffalo. Probably much to their dismay, two were students at West when their father was teaching there. The Wilsons have three grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
Update: Frances Peters Wilson died June 10, 2005.
Howard Wilson died June 2, 2006.

MARGARET HAROLD
(The following article was in the Winter 2001 Alumni Occident publication.)

This newsletter we introduce you to MARGARET HAROLD who taught Spanish and French at West from 1945 to 1959. She transferred to Columbus Whetstone High School when it opened in 1959 and continued there until she retired n 1980.

Mrs. Harold grew up in Oberlin, Ohio, going to high school and college there. After graduating from Oberlin College, she taught 6th grade at Loraine County Elementary school in Oberlin. Teaching in her second year there she married Frank, who was in the Army. She was a substitute teacher in Oklahoma for nearly two years, until Frank transferred to Ft. Bragg, NC. She saw a newspaper ad there for a combined French and Spanish teacher and Librarian. Knowing she was qualified to teach both French and Spanish, and felt she could fill the Librarian duties, she applied for and got the job. Being the newest teacher at the school, she believes they gave her the "problem" classes. One included eight girls and thirty boys. Her psychology and supervisory skills were tested and honed there.

After five years in the military, in 1945 Frank entered medical school at OSU. This moved prompted the Harolds to move to Columbus and was when she started at West. In 1948 she earned an OAS Scholarship that took her to Havana, Cuba for the summer to study language development. In 1959 she earned a Fulbright Scholarship that took her to Colombia to study language. She also received an NDEA Grant in Montreal, Canada. She accomplished everything while living throughout her life with a congenital eye condition that affected her corneas. Having had both cataract and corneal transplants, thanks to the continued development of technology, she now sees better than ever. Her husband, Frank, was in private practice as an internist prior to moving to General Motors where he was their plant doctor. He achieved the position of Brigadier General in the Army Reserve before dying at the age of 55. At the time of his death he was commander of the 2291 Medical Unit in Columbus.

Although Mrs. Harold retired from teaching in 1980, she has stayed very active. She is a gourmet cook, even preferring to cook for just herself rather than eating out. At the age of 62 she became involved in karate, having obtained her second degree black belt two years ago. She is still active in karate, although she says she no longer does "sparring." Through her involvement in the Upper Arlington Senior Center, in 1985 she started racing Malibu Grand Prix cars. These are the scaled-down Formula One cars. And, she won her first race! Matter of fact, her claim-to-fame might be (according to her) when a couple of years ago she, and others in the group, appeared on the back page of an issue of The National Inquirer. The title of the article, "Racing Grannies Feel a Need for Speed." It started by saying, "Columbus, Ohio has its share of fast women - 75 little old ladies who put the pedal to the metal." A video of one of her big races was even shown in central Europe. She continues this activity. The fall season ended with 200 individuals racing cars and culminated with their annual banquet.

An eight-year cancer survivor, she continues to have a great interest in language. She writes every week, having written enough poetry for three books. Although she did not retire from West, she is involved in the Retired West Teachers group who meet for lunch several times throughout the year.

She is a long-time member of the Grandparents Living Theatre, that includes over eighty active seniors. Frequent practices and numerous performances (seven in October alone) keep them all very busy. Another group of Grandparents Living Theatre members has a poetry reading group that Mrs. Harold participates in. She has had her poetry printed in the Short North Gazette and is in the International Poetry Hall of Fame.

For those who would like to visit her web page it is: www.poets.com/margaretharold. Our thanks to Judy Jeckell Fisher ‘60 for suggesting the article on Mrs. Harold and for getting us in touch with her.

(Update: Mrs. Harold died in April, 2002, in Oberlin, Ohio. She had moved there in 2001 when her health became worse. She had a nephew and his family there who she was close to. According to a note from her nephew, Margaret was active as possible up until the week before her death.)

Myrtie and DWIGHT BLACK
(The following article was in the Summer 2000 Alumni Occident publication.)

Dwight Black taught history at West from 1958 to 1968. Talking candidly, he said it was becoming more and more difficult to discipline the students. And, he decided it wasn't worth the aggravation. He started his teaching career at Hamilton Township, then to Canal Winchester, then Big Walnut, and then Scioto Valley (which is now Buckeye Valley). He taught and coached three to four years at each school before coming to West.

Dwight said back then coaches weren't paid, they just got an extra free class period. However, at West he didn't even get that. He coached reserve basketball for ten years at West. During his 6th year there, Principal David Randall asked him to also take on coaching baseball when William Schmitter quit coaching. Dwight coached baseball for four years with one of his more notable student/athletes being JOHN MORLAN ‘65, who went on to play professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates before becoming a teacher (also see reference in the Homecoming article). When John pitched for the Cowboys, Coach Black said they won seventy-plus games, a feat he is proud of. However, in 1947, he coached his Hamilton Township team to a state championship.

After leaving West, Dwight was involved in chemical sales in Ohio and surrounding areas. However, when his wife, Myrtie, had some health problems, he decided he needed to "get off the road." He had owned 67 acres in Ostrander for awhile, which he farmed part-time. Farming was a lot of work and wasn't extremely profitable. He had been a pretty good golfer and decided his farm land might be a good location for a golf course. He didn't have any experience in designing or building a golf course, but with a lot of planning and the help of a few people, including a son-in-law, he got it done. In 1972 he started building the Mill Creek Golf Course, 7259 Penn Rd., opening the first nine-hole course in 1973 and the 2nd nine holes in 1977. His house is on the Golf Course. A few years ago he bought the land across the road from his Mertie and Dwight Black golf course, in case he ever wants to expand his course again.

Mill Creek Golf Course is truly a family business. Dwight and Myrtie (or Myrt as Dwight calls her) have been married fifty-eight years and have five daughters. Their oldest daughter, Donna, previously worked at the golf course. Now she and her husband own the Liberty Hills Golf Course. Donna's daughter is involved with the Disney golf courses, in Orlando. Dwight's daughter Jean schedules outings at the course and has a daughter who is a tennis coach at Ohio Wesylan and a son who was on the golf team at Columbus Academy High School and Georgia Southern University. Janice is the bookkeeper for the business. Her oldest son, Ben Curtis, is currently the Ohio Amateur Golf Champion, attending Kent State. He plans to join the pro circuit after graduation. And yes, Ben has golfed with Tiger Woods, both losing to him and beating him! Janice's youngest son golfs in high school. Dwight said his grandsons have been golfing since they were very small, when they could walk out their back door to the practice area. Dwight's daughter Nancy previously taught school in Houston TX, but now works at Mill Creek with her husband where they are in charge of catering and ordering the inventory for the Pro Shop. One daughter not involved in the family business is Linda, who is a police officer in Evanston, IL, near Chicago.

All of Dwight's daughters were home in June when they celebrated with an early 80th birthday for their father. Dwight made sure we knew he wouldn't be 80 until August. There were some West Alumni at the party including MIKE CARNEY ‘65, JOHN MORLAN ‘65, GARY LINK ‘57, who also taught at West for over thirty years, and STEVE BARNARD ‘65 who is the accountant for the golf course. Dwight said former students he either had in a class or coached often stop by to golf or just say hello. He keeps an inventory of West Yearbooks from his years at West in a cabinet in the Pro Shop, which he often brings out, like he did during his party.

Also working at the golf course is GENE BAY, West Vice-Principal from ‘67 to ‘74 and Principal from ‘79 to ‘86. Gene said he used to be Dwight's boss, now Dwight is his boss! By the way, Gene is married to LOIS HUNTER NEFF's sister, CHARLOTTE HUNTER BAY. CAROL SPRING, who didn't graduate from West but did attend West during her Sophomore year in 1963, is the postmaster in Ostrander. ROBERT DARROW, former West Principal who left in 1961, stops in the gold course occasionally. Dwight said CHARLIE CASTLE ‘63 manages Grove Brook Golf Club, in Grove City.

For you local golfers who have not been to Mill Creek, put it on your list. It is a beautiful course that always has room for West Alumni!

(Update: In the spring of 2003 Mr. Black's grandson, Ben Curtis, qualified for the 2003 PGA Tour. Mr. Black died February 23, 2003 at the age of 82.)

(7/20/03 Update: Today Ben Curtis won his first PGA event, the most prestigious British Open. Coming into the event Ben was ranked around 400th in the PGA ranking and was in his 16th PGA event. He just recently qualified for the event by finishing 12th in the Western Open. In England the betting field had him at a 500 to 1 shot of winning. He played well throughout the event, even leading by two shots at one point during the final day of play. However, during the final nine holes he lost his lead. Ben was a few holes ahead of the last to play and went in to the 18th probably thinking he had finished 2nd or 3rd. But as a result of the players behind him stumbling, and Ben finishing with a par, he won the event by one shot. During the Sunday play several times the announcers contacted Ben's father in Ostrander at Mill Creek Golf Course (the course that Dwight Black built). When asked what the biggest influence was on Ben's golf career he said it was Ben's grandfather (Dwight Black) who built the golf course and supported Ben in his golf. After Ben had won the event and the announcers talked with Ben's father again, he said the clubhouse erupted when it was final that Ben had won. We're sure Coach Black was watching from above, using his coaching abilities once again to give his grandson, Ben Curtis, that little extra he needed to bring home the win.) And, in 2008, he was chosen to be on the Ryder Cup team.

JOANNE GEORGITON STAMATAKOS
(The following article was in the Fall 1996Alumni Occident publication -
written by Lois Hunter Neff '55.)

JoAnne Georgiton Stamatakos not only distinguished West High teacher, but a well-known Hilltopper with great ties to its history. It is only fitting that JoAnne was born in 1947, the same year that her father, George P. Georgiton, opened Georgiton's Candy and Ice Cream Store at 2763 West Broad St. (the southwest corner of Hague and Broad.) As the years went past, Georgiton's identified itself with that intersection, the heart of the Hilltop. George worked for his brother John P Georgiton who had a candy business at West North Broadway and High St. in the 1930s. John then had a candy/soda business at Eureka and Broad in the early 40s until his death during WWII. Brother George returned from active duty to take over and moved the business to Broad and Hague in 1947. (For a short time in the late '50s, Georgiton had a business at Westmoor and Broad.") Georgiton was active in the Hilltop Businessmen's Association, a founding member of Luther B. Turner Lodge, a Shriner, and a Board Member of the Greek Orthodox Church on Park and Goodale. He was active in many Hilltop Bean Dinners and family Pancake Nights at L.B. Turner.

Mildred and George P. Georgiton

JoAnne recalls living at 171 N. Ogden Ave. until 1959-60. She played daily at Holton Park and occasionally at Westgate Park with neighbors from the Culp, Eperson, Carmeans, Caldwell, and Grashel families. She attended West Broad Street Elementary School and was in the first seventh grade class at the newly-constructed Westmoor Junior High School. However, the family moved to 2600 Georgesville Rd., when she entered the eighth grade, so she attended West Franklin Middle School and Franklin Heights H.S., Graduating in 1965. Following high school, JoAnne attended Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, graduating in 1969. JoAnn recalls that, on the first day of school, the principal of Norton Middle School called and asked where she was: apparently, she had been hired by the Southwestern Board of Education as well, but had not been notified. (Their loss, our gain!) Fortunately, JoAnne had many close ties to West due to the many friends in the neighborhood and also from her father's store.

JoAnne started working in the store at age 5 - standing on a stool putting the top curve on candy canes. The store was famous for its candy canes at Christmas and Easter eggs at Easter. Many families came to the store late at night the eve of Easter to get chocolate eggs decorated with their children's names. Many readers and West High grads well remember those candy canes of all sizes hanging in the window at Christmas - a magical sight!

Georgiton's was THE West High handout for years, and the place where families came from all over the city for the best homemade candies and ice cream as well as Coney Island sandwiches. Mr. Georgiton was asked many times for his recipe for his Coney sauce, but he took it to the grave, never divulging it to anyone. At one time, Broad and Hague was the hub of the Hilltop, and Georgiton's store became synonymous with it. Everyone from the Hilltop stopped in the store at one time or another for good food, candy canes, candy apples, Easter eggs, and ice cream floats. It was also a place where you could find people such as Mayor Sensenbrenner, Mayor Westlake, judges, doctors, lawyers, and movers and shakers of business from all over Columbus, as well as the mechanic, gas station attendant, or grocery clerk.

It is true that the store developed an unfair reputation in the later 1950s when juvenile gangs would hang around outside the store on the corner. Many parents forbade their children to go to Georgiton's at lunch, after school, or after ball games. That hurt George Georgiton, but he also understood their concern. However, the truth is that inside the store George held a tough control on behavior. He did not permit roughhousing, discourtesy, destructiveness, loitering, and so on. He maintained lists of youth suspended from the establishment, and often would call parents about behavior he thought was unacceptable. Many parents appreciated his concern and many of those supposedly "rough" kids ended up becoming policemen, doctors, judges, and so on. JoAnne remembers one young man who came in wearing a priest's collar and carrying a Bible. He asked to speak with her father, and told him that as a youth, he had stolen boxes of candy and ice cream from him and wanted to repay him for the wrong he had done/. George's eyes welled with tears, and he said "Young man, you couldn't have repaid me more than by becoming the ethical man you are today. I accept no payment but a hand shake." Georgiton was more than a proprietor, he was a mentor of troubled youth a friend to parents who needed community support, and a natural educator of the finest sort. In JoAnne's eyes, the biggest negative influence on the Hilltop occurred in the early 1960s with the loss of the small businesses, proprietors who were the eyes and ears in the community who knew each other and who helped parents raise children. That extended support system has been lost.

Mr. Georgiton and his wife, Mildred were active in community needs in another way that most people are unaware of - they, along with two other local couples established the first Franklin County School for the Retarded since, in the early 1950 the city had no adequate school to train retarded children. JoAnne's oldest brother John was severely handicapped, as was the daughter of one of the other couples. Her parents refused to institutionalize John, which was the practice at the time. They also refused to treat him as an unseen member of the family. He was taken everywhere and never treated as a burden. It was not until they, along with the other parents, demanded a day school for help in training their children that the public school system added programs for the mentally handicapped. Today, with the inclusion program, it seems strange that as late as the 1950, society took no interest in such children. The program began with just one teacher who was a gift to these children and a wonderfully patient and innovative educator.

Looking back, JoAnne realizes that her father's example and the need she saw in young people by working in the store influenced her decision to teach. Coming from a home that respected teachers and the power of education, there was no nobler profession. Of course, though, JoAnne did not start out wanting to become a teacher; she wanted to be an artist. Unfortunately, George died in 1963 at age 52, before JoAnne graduated form high school. Her mother felt that a more practical use of college money for a female would be in a career as a nurse or a teacher. She chose teaching mainly because she had learned from her father that the best way to build the community is to guide its youth; that good teachers mentor the mind and nurse the soul, and tha no profession could be more creative than teaching. She has never been sorry for her decision. Georgiton is now in her 28th year of teaching at West and teaches American Literature and Advanced Placement Composition. She has also taught Speech and every grade lever and skill level in English.

Georgiton began her career in a bath of fire at West - racial unrest, war protesting, split scheduling, School Without School, drug abuse, teacher's strike, etc. For the first ten years, she didn't experience traditional education as she had been taught, but the thing that kept her going was that this was her neighborhood, her home. Its youth are her legacy, and she refuses to give up on our youth and continues to demand the excellence from them that she knows they can deliver. She also credits the pleasure of working with a superior staff of teachers who had been innovative leaders, setting standards for others to emulate. "Sometimes," JoAnne remembers, "in our haste to judge, I think we forget the many cruses our school and neighborhood had endures. When we consider the social and economic problems against which we have been struggling, we have done remarkably well with our students. West students still have pride in their school. Community concern is evident and involvement is frowing. However, we still have much to do to help our young create better lives for themselves."

In 1984, the PTSA gave JoAnne a prestigious honor - Central Ohio Teacher of the Year. Because it came from parents and students, it was more of an accolade for her contributions than she could imagine. She considers the fact that it was a tough compliment to earn from her critical youth and a tougher one to live up to, and states that she is still trying to deserve it. JoAnne, you HAVE deserved it!

JoAnne Georgiton is married to John C.Stamatakos who is an attorney in private practice. They have no children of their own, but a wealth of children from her extended West High family whom she has nurtured JoAnne has shown her support of the West High School Alumni Association by becoming the first "Friends of Alumni Life Member." Thank you, JoAnne, for your support, understanding, and dedication.

DAVE DOBOS '73
(The following article was in the Spring-Summer 1996Alumni Occident publication - written by Lois Hunter Neff '55.)

Dave Dobos, Class of '73, is this month's "Distinguished Alumnus," and well deserves the honor. An honor scholar and graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dave is making his mark on the Columbus School System as a member of the Columbus Board of Education.

A 10th Grade English teacher, Barbara Teal, who served only 6 months at West, first prodded Dave and a few other students to look to much higher education because she felt they stood away from their classmates in academic ability. By his Junior year, Dave had written to 30 colleges for information, and eventually chose MIT. He went on to receive an S.B. in Economics with an undergraduate minor in History; then further studied in business and finance at the Sloan School of Management (MIT) and the Ohio State University . After graduating from MIT, Class of 1977, Dobos worked for two years in their Admissions Office before returning to Columbus in 1980.

Dobos grew up on the Hilltop, attending West Mound Elementary and Hilltonia Junior High School. While at West, he lettered in Cross Country, and ran track and played JV Basketball. He was also a member of the Orchestra and President of the Student Council. One of his best memories at West was participating in the "In The Know" Team, coached by teacher Robert Zadrozny Out of 40 school teams, West made it to the Final Four before being eliminated. These were the days when Hunt Carlyle was the MC. Others that participated with Dave were Fred Van Dyke, Duane Baker, and Garth Rinehart.

Upon his return to Columbus, Dave worked for AccuRay for four years, from 1981-1984, as a Systems Engineer and later, an Assistant Controller. During this time, Dobos was also on the the first elected members of the newly-formed Greater Hilltop Area Commission, serving as Secretary. In 1984, Dave started working for Micro Center as a Sales Representative, and was responsible for starting their Direct Marketing program. With his help, the company grew from profiting $2 million to over $20 million a year in just two years time.

Dobos left Micro Center in 1987 and started his own business, Direct Micro, a direct marketer of microcomputer supplies and accessories to education, electronic shopping, consumer end user, and international markets. In 1993, he was named one of the "Top 10 Businessmen under 40" in Columbus by Business First newspaper, and in 1994, was awarded the Ohio Governor's Export Excellence Award.

Dobos served in the InfoPort Task Force from 1992-1994, having been named by Mayor Gregory Lashutka to the 27-member task force being charged with designing the strategic plan for the Columbus trade point center. He assisted in the development, writing, and presentation of the plan for this United nations-sanctioned initiative to increase the amount and efficiency of international trade by utilizing computer information and technology.

Dave served as an elected member of the Franklin County Republication Central Committee from 1984-1994, Ward 38, near West Mound School. He served briefly in Clintonville before resigning. Dave also was affiliated with the Big Brothers / Big Sisters of Franklin County from 1982-1993.

Dobos recently entered his current business venture: WorldWise Computer Supplies and Accessories, located on West Broad Street near Hague Avenue, serving as a re-seller of microcomputer supplies and accessories to the K-12 education market.

One of Dave's biggest accomplishments was being elected to the Columbus Board of Education in November, 1993. This seven-member board determines policy for the Columbus Public School system. He is the Chair of the Finance Panel, and is pleased to have been part of several important decision, including the compilation of the first eve strategic plan for the district, including defining goals and objectives; passing the student assignment plan that will end forced busing; and revamping the entire Math and Science division. He is more than pleased that Proficiency Test Scores are up significantly in the school system. Future personal goals on the Board include helping to enrich college admissions counseling and helping champion the cause of gifted children.

A program that has benefited school on the Hilltop is the School Net Program, initiated by Governor George Voinovich. Of the 150 pilot school in the state of Ohio, 6 are in Columbus, and of those 6, 3 are on the Hilltop: Highland, Westmoor, and West. Designed to eventually be implemented in all schools, this program involves wiring school for advanced communications.

On March 20, 1993, Dave married the former Lora Gingerich, which , in itself, is an interesting story. Lora was a student at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, where Dave was studying at MIT. The mostly make MIT had a formal relationship with the female Wellesley, one joint venture being a combined Orchestra, in which both Lora and Dave played violin. While they knew one another, they didn't date.

After graduation, Lora joined the faculty of The Ohio State University as an Associate Professor of Music and head of the Theory and Composition area of the School of Music. Coming to Columbus, she remembered Dave, looked him up, and the rest, as they say, is history! The Dobos' lived for awhile in the Clintonville area, then moved to the Hilltop in the house of the former Dr. John Thompson at Roys and Crescent Dr. Both play in the orchestra for the Hilltop Community Theater, and are members of the Overbook Presbyterian Church.

An important event this year for Dave was West High's Graduation June 8, at Veteran's Memorial, where he assisted , representing the Columbus Board of Education.

This writer had the interesting experience of working with Dave Dobos in 1991, trying to save West High stadium. Just in the talking stages of forming an Alumni Association, we committed this future group to support repairing the current stadium, promising to compile a list of names on Dave's computer and organizing a fund raising drive if necessary. At the time, we felt as if we were literally putting out collective necks on the "chopping block". After several meetings with West's Principal, Athletic Director and various others, the stadium was indeed restored to its original beauty. Needless to say, the Alumni Association became a reality, and far surpassed our expectations. Thanks to all of your for your support of our Alma Mater.
(Update: In 2008, Dave was inducted in to the Alumni Hall of Fame.)

PAT COZAD SMART '47
(The following article was in the Winter 1995 Alumni Occident publication - written by Lois Hunter Neff '55)

Nurse (nurs) n. One trained to care for the sick; to treat; to take special care of; to treat carefully. (From the Latin Nutrix)

All of the above apply to one special woman: Pat Smart, who retired this past year after 25 years of service as a School Nurse, 22 of those year at West High School.

Pat's interest in nursing came naturally, from her Aunt Mary (her mother's sister) who was a nurse in McArthur, Ohio. Pat would visit her in the summer, and learned to help roll gauze sponges in return for a swimming trip to Lake Hope. Many minor surgeries were performed in Doctor's office, especially tonsillectomies, that required lots of sponges. She even went with her Aunt and the Doctor to deliver a baby, with the mother's consent.

In Columbus, Pat Cozad lived with her mother and father and younger sister Eleanor on S. Richardson Avenue, right across from john Burroughs school. Many pleasant memories were recalled from J. B., including Spelling Bees, May Day activities out side in the field, attending live performances at the old Veteran's Memorial Hall, and the principal, E.B. Graham. Living a stone's throw from the school did not insure being on time, thought, and Pat tells of many times getting in line just before the tardy bell!

Upon finishing 6th grade Pat and her class looked forward to attending West High School at 7th graders, but the school was so full that her class had to stay at Burroughs for the first half of the 7th grade. When the January class graduated form West her class finally made it! Pat graduated from West in 1947, and enrolled in the School of Nursing at The Ohio State University. At that time, nursing students went 4 years/16 straight quarters with no summers off. Her studies were finished in September, 1951, but she didn't graduate until December, 1951, and was considered a Graduate Nurse during that time. By the end of March, 1952, exams were released, and Pat became a Registered Nurse. She recalls working the day her notification came; working a split from 7-12, and 3:30-7. She went to a classmate's apartment, and found that the classmate had received her certification. Pat immediately called home to see if the mail had come, and her mother was almost afraid to open the letter. She relayed the information over the phone: "You passed!" Of the 75 students who started with Pat, 31 graduated in Nursing.

Pat married in 1951, and three days later her husband left for Korea. She moved to Indianapolis for a short time, and worked at the Methodist Hospital there. Returning to Columbus, Pat worked for a while in Public Health, then took the next 12 years off to raise her three daughters. During this "off" time, Pat worked Private Duty on occasion, and also at Polio Clinics.

In 1969, a classmate called asking Pat to substitute for her for six weeks as she was due to have surgery. Pat worked the last six weeks of the school year for the Bexley School system, and then applied for a position, a job she held for the next 25 years.

Her service to Columbus Public was at most of the Hilltop and Franklinton area schools, and she has worked at West Mound, Wayne, Lindbergh, Westgate, Highland, Georgian Heights, Binns, John Burroughs, Dana, Chicago Ave., Sullivant, Hilltonia Jr. High, and West High. She has worked at as many as five schools at a time, serving one-half days. She was the school nurse at Hilltonia Jr. High in 1972 during the first there. In the fall of 1972, Pat started at West.

Pat has attended Burgess Avenue United Methodist Church since being a child, and as an adult, has served the congregation in various jobs, including youth work, Bible School, Sunday School, Secretary, and as a member of the Pastor/Parish Relations Committee, even serving as Chairman of that group. Another love of Pat's is ushering at OSU home games, a job she had done for over 20 years. An avid Buckeye fan, you would always see Pat in scarlet and gray on Fridays before a game.

A single parent following divorce, Pat has always had time for her three daughters, Becky, Brenda, and Beverly. In 1980, Pat married Sid Smart, West High Chemistry and General Science teacher, and well respected by his students. Their marriage lasted six years before Sid's untimely death in 1986.

Pat recalls enjoying working with students at all the schools she served, especially at West. Her general duties included doing health appraisals, blood pressure screenings, and working on various health-related projects with other teachers. She remarked how interesting it was to work with the staff at West, and watch their children, as well as her own grow into maturity. One goal she successfully worked on was to get students to be responsible for their own health, kind of "early" preventive medicine.

Retirement plans for Pat include golfing, attending the theater, reading and traveling. A trip to Ireland, Scotland, and England is planned for this summer with her sister and friends. Mentioning her sister, Pat is quick to point out that Eleanor is an ordained Presbyterian Minister, having received her Doctor of Divinity Degree this past May. She resides near Austin, Texas, and is the Director of Admissions and Vocations at the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Her husband is a United Methodist minister.

Pat will also be spending time with her girls and grandchildren. Eldest daughter Becky lives in Indianapolis and has one child and one due in mid-February. She is a teacher at Ivy Technical State College teaching Total Quality Management and Business courses. Daughter Brenda lives in Hilliard with her three children, and is a Computer Analyst for Columbus Life Insurance Company. Both graduated from West. Youngest daughter Beverly graduated from Briggs in 1979, has two boys, and is employed at Nationwide Insurance as a Project Systems Leader. Pat's mother, Edna, still resides on the Hilltop, and also attends Burgess Ave. Church. This pat summer, to celebrate Pat's retirement, all the girls and their families went with Pat for a vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina where they shared a six-bedroom cottage. Nice memories!

From all your friends, family, and former students, have an enjoyable retirement , Pat. you certainly deserve it.
(Update: Mrs. Smart died November 8, 2006.)

FRANCES EVANS
(The following article was in the Fall 1994 Alumni Occident publication -
written by Lois Hunter Neff '55)

Frances Evans has taught Latin, English, and French, and served as Librarian at West High School prior to her retirement in 1988. Frances was the youngest of six children (4 girls and 2 boys) born and raised in Portsmouth, Ohio. Her family name is Kopp. She attended St. Mary's Elementary School in Portsmouth, and graduated from St. Mary's High School, being Valedictorian of her class. Following high school, she attended and graduated from the College of Mt. St. Joseph-On-The-Ohio, Mt. St. Joseph, Ohio. Evans graduated Magna Cum Laude in three years and two summers, earning a Bachelor of Art degree with a Major in Latin. She earned a Teacher's Certificate with certification in Latin, English, French, Social Studies, Biology, and Physical Education.

At The Ohio State University, Evans earned a Master of Arts with a Major in Latin, and, in later years, earned credits n Psychology and Counseling. She attended the Portsmouth Branch of Ohio University, studying Spanish, and Ohio Dominican College for five full semesters, completing the Ohio Certification in Library Science and Media, grades K-12.

As a Senior in high school, Frances worked Saturdays in the Kresge's 5&10 (five and dime, or Ten-Cent Stores , as they were known). After high school, she worked at W.T. Grant Department Store during summers and college vacations, selling ready-to-wear. She also worked almost six months at the Cathedral Book Store on East Broad St. in 1953.

Evans taught at Minford High School, Minford , Ohio, for seven years after college graduation. She was only 20 years old when she started her teaching career. Minford School was a rural consolidated school with all 12 grades in one building: grades 1-6 on the 1st floor, grades 7-12 on the second. Her first-year teaching salary was a "whopping" $1600, for a full year! There were many times when pay day would roll around and the Principal would say, "Sorry, teachers, the Board cannot pay you this month; however, you may go to the bank and borrow your money with interest paid by you!" Teachers with family responsibilities often had to do just that.

There were no conference periods or free periods for teachers. All taught straight through the day from homeroom to day's end. There was no lunch periods as such. At about noon, a bell was rung after the first twenty minutes of class, and all would open their sack lunches and eat in the classroom, including the teacher. After twenty minutes, the ball rang for class to resume another twenty minutes. By the end of the fifth year at Minford, "Miss Kopp" and all the students and teachers were able to leave the classroom at the 20-minute bell and go down stairs to a new lunchroom to eat for 20 minutes before returning to class.

Subjects taught by "Miss Kopp" were Latin, English, and Girl's Physical Education, grades 7-12. Classes in Physical Education were large in size with ages ranging from 7th graders to 12th graders. Besides the usual team games, calisthenics, and the like, "Miss Kopp" taught gymnastics and tumbling. An avid participant in such exercises, she developed in a few years an outstanding Tumbling and Acrobatic team that performed at Basketball Tournaments, County Fairs, and even the Ohio State Fair. Those were seven very happy and memorable years spent in that consolidated school where Evans' students excelled n State Scholarship tests in Latin and English.

Frances resigned her position at Minford to marry Alva Evans from Minford, and move with him to Columbus where he was employed. Of her experience coming to West High School, Frances recalls: "Bug-eyed and quaking in her shoes, Mrs. Evans entered West High School . . . that enormous school with three floors, gymnasiums separate from the auditorium (Minford had only one gym that doubled as an auditorium), and an Auditorium larger than any movie theater in the whole city of Portsmouth. 2600 students and 100 staff members inhabited the school." She fondly remembers 35 years of happy days and hard work teaching Latin only for 17 of those years. From 1970 - 1980, she taught Latin, English, and French, and from 1980-1988 worked as a Librarian and Media Specialist.

Evans recounts many memories for readers: The Latin classes themselves with the many accomplishments of the students - first advanced placement classes in the Columbus Public Schools with great results; achievements of the National Latin Examinations with median scores of all West students as much as ten points above the national average; State scholarship winners with one little girl coming out second in the entire state; students with near perfect scores in the college board tests; those students went on to college to become successful Latin teachers themselves; all wonderful boys and girls whom she had the privilege to teach.

Other experiences at West: French classes; 1980 Spring Break when 15 brave souls (8 West students, 2 mothers, 2 Briggs students, and 2 teachers, Evans from West) flew to London, England and Paris, France for a ten day tour of Paris, the French Chateau country, and a weekend in London. The Library: Eight years as a school Librarian and Media Specialist closed out a teaching career that spanned 42 years; needless to say, the years spent as a classroom teacher were by far the most rewarding and challenging. The constant interactions between teacher and students will never be forgotten.

In her words "Just think - those Latin classes opened with the saying of the Lord's Prayer and the Pledge to the Flag in Latin. On test days, many students would ask to say additional "Pater Nosters'." "At Minford, the end of the 1st year of teaching when I felt this was not for me; on the last day of English class a big, burly Freshman said: 'Miss Kopp, you must start the school year tougher than you did this year. Let all the kids know who's boss. You are going to be a good teacher'. After a summer job at Mt. Clemens, Michigan, working as a lab technician in a hospital, I decided to try teaching again for one more year (I was still only 21 at the to,e), so I returned a tough, hard-boiled disciplinarian who took on anyone and everyone for 42 years."

Memories at West: "During the 70s, problems arose making my teaching days difficult and unrewarding. These were problems stemming from administration situation created by the school; difficulties that I experienced arose from differences in ideologies and the very essence of education itself. I went home from school one day fully convinced that I could no longer continue teaching under such circumstances. I fully intended to turn in my resignation; but when I arrived home, there was a letter for me. It was from a student who had graduated from West several years earlier. She had studied four ears of Latin with me at West, and had graduated from The Ohio State University. She was married to a wonderful man and she was now teaching. This was first communication from her since she had left West, and in the letter, she began to recall her days at West, especially the Latin classes, and paid tribute to me as her teacher. Her wonderful words of encouragement and praise could never had come at a better time! I interpreted her letter from afar (another state) as a sign from the good God above that I should dismiss my notion of quitting the career I loved too dearly and continue my work, upholding my own standards and ideals. I immediately answered her letter telling her my plight and the timeliness of her correspondence. We still write each other to this day."

E. THOBURN STONE
(The following article was in the Spring-Summer 1994 Alumni Occident publication - written by Lois Hunter Neff '55)

Chemistry class and Rope Twirling - anyone who attended West High School knew what these two things had in common - teacher E. Thoburn Stone. Mr. Stone was respected by students in and out of his class.

After graduating form high school in Buffalo, Ohio in 1924, he attended Muskingum College. It took him ten years to get through college, as he had to work and could attend limited hours and summer semesters. Remember, this was during the Great Depression.

Following college graduation in 1934, Stone's first teaching assignment was at Blue Bell School, located between Pleasant City and Cumberland, Ohio. The school had grades 1-8 in one room. Stone recalls walking railroad tracks four and one half miles each way to and from work. He taught there until 1937, at which time he accepted a teaching position in Byesville, Ohio. Classes included 7th and 8th Grade History, High School Science, Bookkeeping, and Physics. While teaching at Byesville, Stone met and married his wife, Esther, who was also a teacher in training. Their marriage lasted 46 years until her death in 1985. Stone remained at Byesville until 1942 when he accepted an assignment at West.

Arriving in September, 1942, Stone taught Chemistry almost exclusively for a brief period of time when he had an occasional Remedial Arithmetic class. While a teacher, he also taught night school at The Ohio State University for four years during which he taught every Chemistry Class offered to evening students. Stone retired from West in 1971.

While a teacher at West, Stone observed to Principal Irvin Young that "since West High School has started, we have been known as the Cowboys, but there was nothing to identify aus a such." With the help of Young, it was decided to start a group of boys and girls who were willing to learn some of the tricks of Cowboys. The Rope Twirlers of West High School were started in May, 1947, and performed at the first night football game in West's stadium. The twirlers and horseback riders became a valuable addition to the Marching Band's shows.

In 1948 Clothing instructor Rhoda O'Harra designed costumes for the Rope Twirlers, as shown in the picture on this page. The girl's costumes were green and white frontier blouses and short ballerina skirts with white rangerette hats, boots, and belts. The boys wore green shirts and burnt sherry trousers. The Rope Twirlers also participated in the Band Variety Show for the first time.

Over the years, the Rope Twirlers appeared at many functions and events. One such occasion stands out in Stone's mind: performing in the Hall of Mirrors at the Netherlands Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati for the National Convention of the National Association of High School Principals. This appearance was at the request of then West Principal Irving R. Young.

But wait! This man's busy career has one more component to it: E. T. Stone is also an accomplished magician, an art he has practiced for over 65 years. Performing mostly for charity, he has presented magic acts for patients at Children's Hospital for over 9 years. His association with the Magicfest began in 1842 with his arrival in Columbus.

Stone is also interested in flowers, and has won Grand Prize Trophies and served as a Judge in various subjects as roses, African violets, mums, and rabbits. He celebrated his 87th birthday in November, 1993.

E.T. Stone was a hard teacher, expecting perfection from students, but personally assisting those who showed real promise in the field of Chemistry. He organized and presided over may Science Fairs while at West. Stone is a complicated and diverse person who pursues goals with a single-minded determination. He demands excellence of himself and others, and is deserving of the plaudits that have been bestowed upon him.

We thank retired West faculty member and current Alumni President Dick Weber for providing this information about E.T. Stone, and share Weber's personal comments: "Whatever success I attained in the educational field I owe in a large part to the guidance and advice given to me during my Student Teaching in which Mr. Stone was my Supervising Teacher."

DICK WEBER '43
(The following article was in the Fall 1993 Alumni Occident publication -
written by Lois Hunter Neff '55)

Dick Weber, former math and chemistry teacher at West, had his roots in the Hilltop area. After attending John Burroughs Elementary School, Dick attended West Junior and Senior High School, graduating in 1943.

Following graduation, he served in the United States Army Infantry and Corps of Engineers. Dick married Donna Inboden (WHS June '45) in September 1948. He attended The Ohio State University and graduated in March, 1949; he received his M.A. in December, 1951.

Dick did his student teaching at West from January-March 1949, and then began his teaching career at Linden McKinley High School. He transferred from the staff at Linden to West High in September, 1966, the same time Donna came to West as a secretary. Their son, Bill, came to West that same year , from Hilltonia Junior High.

While on the staff at West, Dick was:
PTA West High Teacher of the Year; West High Martha Holden Jennings Scholar of the Year; The first Instructional Coordinator for West High; Chairman of the Self-Study portion of the School Evaluation for the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools; Served as Summer School Supervisor for 9 years; The sole surviving West Alum to have been at West as a student, teacher, student teacher, and administrator. One of his most enjoyable experiences at West was accompanying the West High Band to the Rose Bowl for their January 1, 1969 performance there. Son Bill marched in the Rose Bowl Parade as a West High Senior.

Since retirement in 1986, Dick has served as Chairman of the visiting evaluation committees for many Central Ohio Schools, including Briggs, Linden McKinley, and West, the three Columbus High Schools where he was a teacher and/or administrator. He also is superintendent of more than 700 ushers at each Ohio State home football game.

An active member of Burgess Ave. U.M. Church, Dick is currently the Assignment Supervisor for the Billy Graham Crusade at Cooper Stadium September, 1993. He also teacher part-time at Bliss College West.
(Update: Mr. Weber has finally relinquished his OSU usher superintendent position in favor of going to Texas a little earlier in the fall so he and Donna can spend more time with their son and his family. They return to Columbus each spring.)

1937 (then) - DALE ROSE - (now) 1993
(The following article was in the Mid-Winter 1993 Alumni Occident publication -
written by Lois Hunter Neff '55)

Dale Rose served West High School as a coach from 1937 - 1941, coaching Football, Baseball, Wrestling, and Reserve Basketball. Following High School graduation from Clarington High, Clarington , Ohio (on the Ohio River), Rose graduated from Ohio Wesleyan and became Principal of his old school plus teaching 7th and 8th grades.

In 1937, Dr. H. H. Reighley, principal of West High School in Columbus, visited Rose's classroom, and subsequently invited Rose to come to Columbus and interview for a job. He was hired as a math teacher and coach at the unheard-of salary of $1000 per year! Coaches he worked with in the West Athletic Department included Harold Wise, George Collins, George Williams, and Rufus Glass. Upon leaving West in 1941, Rose became Football Coach at Capital University.

Prior to leaving West, Rose acquired a new assistant, M.E. "Mack" Pemberton. Coach Rose fondly remembers many of his players at West and Capital. Other coaching jobs included Upper Arlington and The Ohio State University.

M.E. "MACK" PEMBERTON
(The following article was in the Fall 92 - Winter 93 Alumni Occident publication - written by Lois Hunter Neff '55)

Mr. Pemberton served 32 years as teacher-coach and school administrator, 1945 - 1957, at West. He coached West's first All-American Aurelius "Reedy" Thomas. He received his mater's Degree from OSU, served as Principal at Hilltonia Jr. High, was affiliated with Boy Scout Troop #45, and was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1966. Mack Pemberton touched the lives of many alumni.
He passed away in June, 1980.