Rayen mural may find new home at last

YOUNGSTOWN

The Rayen Mural that graced the walls of the Rayen School for 49 years may finally be getting a new home.

The city school board appears willing to give or loan the 65-by-6-foot painting to the Mahoning County Historical Society.

The mural, depicting much of Youngstown’s history, was painted in 1958 by art teacher John Benninger and was given to the school by that year’s graduating class. It was removed in January 2007 as the building was to be razed. It was to find a new home in a proposed Rayen Middle School, which was to be built on the same Benita Avenue site as part of a $190 million district rebuilding program.

However, that new school was never built.

Harry Mays, president of the Rayen Class of 1958, approached the school board Tuesday with a suggestion that the mural be given or loaned to the historical society to hang in its West Federal Street building.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.