Monday, September 8, 2003
Once again, Youngstown's East Side showed its pride and its blue-and-gold colors at the East High School all-alumni picnic at Roosevelt Park in Campbell.
An estimated crowd of between 2,500 and 3,000 alumni and their families poured into the park Aug. 16, and you could just feel the love.
Smiles, laughter and a lot of hugs were evident as classmates, some of whom traveled from Kansas City, Mo., Atlanta and Houston, renewed friendships and spent time reminiscing about "the good old days" at EHS.
Members of the Class of 1931 spent time talking with alumni from the classes of 1934, 1946, 1952 and 1998, the high school's last graduating class.
In attendance
Former high school athletes, majorettes, cheerleaders and homecoming queens also made the scene.
Atty. Percy Squire, Class of 1968, came up from Columbus for the event. Former principals George Ritz and Claude Bentley also came out.
The reunion picnic, open to all alumni and anyone who ever attended East High School, was conceived by a core group of grads -- the East High School Alumni Association -- who thought it would be nice to have an event that all alumni could attend.
Most reunions are year and class specific, but the association thought a picnic would be a great way for all classes to come together and relive East Side pride and high school spirit.
It was the first time for such a picnic. Judging from the comments of those attending, it won't be the last.
A woman from the Class of 1945, I believe, told me, "This is very nice. I'm surprised no one thought about doing this before. I read about the picnic in the paper, and I told my husband we need to come."
"Mr. Brown, I forgot you graduated from East," said Kent Wallace of Boardman. Kent had the misfortune of having me as a teacher at the former Lincoln Middle School in 1975-76.
I worked the alumni registration table, and had a chance to see many classmates I hadn't seen in years. I also got to meet a woman who said she had a "major crush" on my father (Class of 1946).
Attendees also were treated to classic 1970s standards by the local singing group Charisma. The four singers, some of whom also are EHS grads, did an outstanding job and their performance was well received. Kudos also go out to WRBP-102 JAMZ for providing musical entertainment and live remote broadcasts.
Some alumni even stayed after the affair ended at 9 p.m. to help with cleanup duties.
More event coming
The picnic is the first of several events the alumni association is planning to continue celebrating the high school's history. The next all-EHS alumni affair will be a blue and gold dinner dance Dec. 27. The time and place will be announced later after details are finalized.
The association encourages all grads and school attendees to come out to the planning meetings. The next meeting is at noon Sept. 13 at East Middle School, 1544 East High Ave.
The association charter membership drive ends Sept. 30. The fee is $100. Donations, of course, are always welcome. Checks should be made out to East High School Alumni Association, c/o Debra Jones, acting association secretary, 267 E. Avondale Ave., Youngstown 44507.
The association intends to create a scholarship program for neighborhood children attending East Side schools and also get involved in other education-related activities.
Naming of school
One issue discussed at the picnic was the renaming of the new East Side high school. Most alumni I spoke with were pretty adamant in their position: They want the new school named East High School.
There is a community movement under way, however, to rename the school P. Ross Berry Central High School. Plimpton Ross Berry, a black 19th-century brick mason and architect born in Lawrence County, designed and laid the bricks for numerous city buildings, including the original Rayen School building, which now houses the Youngstown Board of Education.
There also is a new middle school being planned for the East Side. Seems to me that school could be named after Berry and the high school could keep its beloved East High moniker.
The school board is scheduled to make its decision Tuesday. Will Golden Bear alumni attend the board meeting to lobby for East High? Stay tuned.
ebrown@vindy.com