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METROMONTHLY INSIDE VALLEY UPDATE City arsons occur within minutes of each other
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MAHONING VALLEY Students recall impact of The Rayen School
PAGE 8-11
CALENDAR Your monthly guide to events in the region
PAGE 25 INDEX www.metromonthly.net
Volume 15, No. 5 © 2007, The Metro Monthly
Calendar Classified Education
25 38 8
Mahoning Valley 8 Service Directory 39 Museums 28 Valley Update 7 Restaurants 14 Wine Guy 14
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LOOKING AHEAD • REMEMBERING RAYEN • PAGE 8-13 • Former students recall the lasting impact of The Rayen School. | PAGES 8-12. • Group seeks to preserve Rayen mural for future generations. | PAGES 11.
MAHONING VALLEY RECALLING
RAYEN Thanks for the memories. I love the many friendship that I made through my years at The Rayen. My favorite sport was baseball and I played all four years. The Rayen – I will miss you.
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF THE RAYEN SCHOOL
RONALD BETTERS Class of 1974 Growing up on the North Side in the 1950s and 60s, I consider my Rayen School days as one of the great blessings of my life. It was a truly diverse group of students with white, black, Asian, Hispanic, Jewish, Protestant, wealthy, poor and in-between. Like all schools, there may have been tensions at times, but, overall, we got along and learned to appreciate differences. The greatest lesson I learned at Rayen was outside of the classroom: judging a person for their character, not their color or background. That lesson has helped me all my life long and I’ve passed it on to my children as well as to the congregations I’ve served.
REV. DAVID JOACHIM, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Boardman
BY JOHN PATRICK GATTA METRO MONTHLY STAFF WRITER
A
fter the end of the academic year, Rayen will cease to be a city high school, but its memory lingers with many former students who recall how the North Side institution prepared them for life – in and outside of the classroom. For many, The Rayen School was revered for its academic excellence and as an institution that prepared students for higher education. “A high school of the caliber of Rayen, in the early twentieth century is equivalent to a college education today,” said Bill Lawson, director of the Mahoning Valley Historical SEE RAYEN, PAGE 9
MAHONING VALLEY 9
THE METRO MONTHLY | MAY 2007 | www.metromonthly.net
RAYEN, FROM PAGE 8
Because of The Rayen School’s high academic standards, the high school also attracted students from other parts of the state. Society. “It was an academy of higher education, that the community was very proud of.” “Rayen had a great tradition as the first high school in town,” said Reid Schmutz, a 1960 Rayen graduate. Schmutz currently serves as a trustee for the Rayen Foundation and Youngstown Foundation. “You always had a lot to live up to,” he said. “There were a lot of great alumni in town, a lot of role models that you had to live up to. Being a Rayen graduate, it put a little pressure on you to excel and not blemish the name of the school and follow in the steps of those who came before you.” Because of Rayen’s high academic standards and success rate, which saw graduates moving on into top colleges, the school also attracted students from other parts of the state. “The curriculum was widely recognized. People came from all over the Western Reserve Territory,” said current Rayen Principal Henrietta Williams. The Western Reserve area encompassed the Northeast area of Ohio including Cleveland, Chardon, Hudson, Medina and surrounding communities. A trust from the estate of Judge William Rayen created and funded the school and provides an endowment for scholarships. The Rayen School opened in 1866 and did not exclude due to race, creed, gender or color. Although many of its early students were from affluent families, young men and women had to demonstrate academic success. “It was always a public high school but [academic] exclusivity made it like a prep school,” said Lawson. “No one was there to fool around. If you were disruptive, you were out. That gave Rayen a high quality of student body and of academic achievement. For wealthy kids, it was part of their finishing before they went off to college,” he said. Lawson pointed out that most young people at that time only went as far as eighth grade. Then, they moved on to life working in steel mills or other occupations. “After World War I, and more so after the Great Depression, we see that there was a call for mandatory high school.” Williams credited Judge Rayen for his vision. “He was beyond his years,” she said. “It was for all children. It was not meant to be elitist. That was Rayen’s desire. It just so happened that when the teachers sat down, they patterned it after Harvard and top schools in the country.” “So, it was impressive when you came out of Rayen. Those schools would recognize and accept you,” Williams added. Lawson said The Rayen School reached its pinnacle in the early twentieth century, due to its faculty and academic standards. “You must remember that Youngstown was SEE RAYEN, PAGE 10
RECALLING
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF RAYEN: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The editorial staff of the Rayen Record in 1903.
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Rayen School debating team in 1906. (Left to right): Dietrich Bode, Claire Johnson, Russell McKay, Alvin Williams. From the May 3, 1906 debate vs. Oberlin High School at Oberlin, Ohio.
COURTESY OF MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
An interior stairway at the original Rayen School. Artwork depicts classical works.
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Rayen School faculty, 1902-1903. Principal Wells L. Griswold is seated in the front row, third from the left.
R AY E N My name is Ruth Bloom Blankenship, a Rayen alumna, class of 1949. The Rayen School prepared me academically and musically for a lifetime career as a professional musician. I took available summer school classes for two years so I could participate in all of the music offered (band, orchestra, choirs, girl’s octet). These experiences were invaluable in enhancing my interest in pursuing my study of music in college and seminary. I am a choral director, private instructor of voice and piano, and professional singer – still active in all of these venues at age 75. The teacher that I admired most was our choral director, Mr. Nischwitz. I still use some of his techniques and music that he chose for us to learn, especially the Wilhousky “Battle Hymn.” I still sing that in performances of “The Lincoln Show” held at Slifer House Museum in Lewisburg, Pa. Thank you to the teachers, staff and students for The Rayen School and what it has meant to me.“
RUTH BLOOM BLANKENSHIP Lewisburg, Pa. Class of 1949
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The original Rayen School on Wick Avenue, circa 1915. Note St. Columba Cathedral in the background and the residential character of Wood Street and Lincoln Avenue.
10 MAHONING VALLEY
www.metromonthly.net | THE METRO MONTHLY MAY 2007
RAYEN, FROM PAGE 9
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF THE RAYEN SCHOOL: SPORTS
“There’s still a strong tradition in Rayen. It comes to the surface with alumni, students and faculty. Tradition is still there, pride is still there, there are still academic achievements.” – B i l l L a w s o n , d i r e c t o r, Mahoning Valley Historical Society.
COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Rayen baseball team, 1901. Billy Evans, center fielder, is in the second row. The team was photographed after winning the City League.
South and Rayen were football rivals for generations. This program dates from 1942.
COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The 1897 Rayen football team. Charles Owsley, fourth row, was the team’s manager.
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Rayen Baseball team 1901-1902
a very dynamic and affluent city during that period.” He compared turn-of-thecentury Youngstown to the Silicon Valley of today, due to its robust industries and technological innovations. “Rayen followed the fortunes of the city, which have not been so good in the last 30 to 40 years,” Lawson added. Suburban population shifts affected enrollment and the money to support the schools. Lawson mentions that such financial issues have created a degree of difficulty for Rayen’s students to compete with the school’s lauded past. “There’s still a strong tradition in Rayen. It comes to the surface with alumni, students and faculty. Tradition is still there, pride is still there, there are still academic achievements. Still, it graduates kids who go on to top universities, who excel academically and athletically.” Schmutz recalled the dedication of Rayen faculty. “During my senior year, every teacher one or both of my parents had too. They were a dedicated and experienced faculty.” Schmutz said he most remembers the diversity of the student population: “. . . a great melting pot – children of steel workers, first generation immigrants, a mix of where people lived – the North Side of Youngstown – which went all the way down to the projects to those in Liberty who paid tuition. It was a good of mix of kids. “The [Rayen] trustees represent that at this point.” Phyllis Wilkoff, a 1943 Rayen graduate, also remains involved with the school as a Rayen Trustee. Born and raised in Youngstown, she still sees its continued influence in the community. “It’s still a good school. Some very bright kids in that school,” she said. “We have an honor roll dinner every year just before graduation. They tell us what scholarships these kids have earned. There are kids getting $80,000 in scholarships! A lot of these kids are from one-parent families, and they are just such wonderful kids. I just sit there with my mouth open when they say what scholarships they’ve gotten.” “Judge Rayen left money for The Rayen School under the jurisdiction of Probate Court. The school comes to us for money, according to what the Probate [Court] rules. With the school being torn down, the court will tell us what to do. We do give scholarships to Rayen and other high schools, and I believe we’ll continue to do that,” Wilkoff said.
MAHONING VALLEY 11
THE METRO MONTHLY | MAY 2007 | www.metromonthly.net
RECALLING
MAHONING VALLEY ICONS: THE RAYEN SCHOOL MURAL
R AY E N I have many memories of The Rayen School. The day President Kennedy was shot, we were in English class. Mr. McKinney came from the study hall next door to inform our class. We were in an uproar to hear that the President had been killed. I will always remember the ramps, the mural, the trophy case and the people. Long live the spirit of THE RAYEN SCHOOL.
– BERNADETTE HALL Class of 1965 My uncle, the late Rev. William S. Kopiczenski (also spelled Kopicenski) was a 1926 graduate of Rayen High School. While at Rayen, he played guard on the basketball teams of 1925 and 1926. The 1926 team was one of Ohio’s top teams. He was offered a scholarship to the University of Michigan, but declined. Instead, he entered St. Mary’s Seminary (Our Lady of the Lake) in Cleveland to study for the priesthood. He was ordained in 1934. Although short in stature (5-foot, 9-inches tall) he was the spark plug of the team, which was a legendary team at the time. He always was a modest, humble man and priest. He was served in the Cleveland Diocese for 66 years, dying in June 1990. He was the ďŹ rst American of Polish descent from Youngstown to be ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland. Each year a scholarship is given to students of Polish ancestry at the Butler Institute of American Art in the early part of the year. This is done in memory of Rev. William S. Kopiczenski through the Youngstown Polish Arts Club.
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF HARRY MAYS
A detail from the Rayen mural, which measures 65feet long. It was recently removed for installation in the new Rayen Middle School.
Group works to preserve historic Rayen mural for future generations BY CHRISTINE DAVIDSON METRO MONTHLY STAFF WRITER
â—† Visit www.metromonthly.net for more Rayen articles, images.
W
hen we heard that Rayen was going to be torn down, the very thought of the wrecking ball going through that wall and taking down that painting, it was too much. [I thought] this can’t happen,� said Betsy Johnquest, a teacher at Rayen High School on Youngstown’s North Side. Johnquest was referring to what is known as the Rayen Mural. The work is about 65-feet long and 6-feet tall. It depicts school, city and United States history from 1802 to 1958. Through the efforts of Johnquest and others, the mural was recently removed and will be reinstalled in the new Rayen Middle School planned for the site. Johnquest, who began teaching at Rayen in 1989, said the mural captured her attention some time ago. “It [the mural] starts from when Youngstown started and it progresses with local Youngstown history at the bottom, Rayen history coming through in the middle, and national history at the top. So as you walk along and look at the mural you can see what is happening on the national scene, at Rayen and as well as what’s going on in Youngstown.� Thousands of people appear in the mural, including World War I doughboys, Rayen choir members, athletes, scholars, teachers and students. The mural begins with a focus on Judge William Rayen. “Rayen came to this area in 1802 when he was about 21 years old,� said Harry Mays, a 1958 Rayen graduate also involved in the current mural preservation project. While serving as Rayen class president, Mays was in charge of raising the original funds for the mural, which was a class gift to the school. “He [Rayen] started a mercantile store . . . and that store became kind of a central point in the village and on the mural there is a picture of the store with a military man standing in front of a line of recruits. Those recruits were SEE MURAL, PAGE 34
– JOSEPH B. KOPE
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Honoring The Rayen School’s Distinguished History
THE CLASS OF 1965 40th REUNION COMMITTEE
12 MAHONING VALLEY
www.metromonthly.net | THE METRO MONTHLY MAY 2007
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF THE RAYEN SCHOOL
Congratulations to The Rayen School!
JOE McCRAE Youngstown, Ohio
Best wishes to the Rayen School!
ST. VINCENT de PAUL SOCIETY 235 Wick Avenue - Youngstown, Ohio
330-744-1404
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Rayen School after it had relocated to Benita Avenue on Youngstown’s upper North Side.
Our years at The Rayen School were truly memorable. We had the best teachers and great classmates!
PAUL DONNELLY NAPLES, FLORIDA ~ CLASS OF 1954
Honoring Rayen’s Distinguished History
MAHONING RIVER CONSORTIUM
100 East Federal Street - Youngstown, Ohio 330-779-3800
Congratulations to the Class of 2007!
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH 1105 Elm Street - Youngstown, Ohio 44505
330-746-3067 Congratulations 2007 Rayen Graduates! KATHY EARNHART BUTLER INSTITUTE OF ART 524 Wick Avenue - Youngstown, Ohio 44502
330-743-1107 ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Congratulations to The Rayen School!
A group photo in front of the Rayen School auditorium.
DR. JAMES DALE ETHICS CENTER YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO 44555
For a stellar history from the Satre family.
DR. LOWELL J. SATRE YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO
Congratulations to The Rayen School!
VICKI DOE FITNESS, LLC
2 South Main St. - Suite 403 - Niles, Ohio 44446
1-888-544-8822 We celebrate the history of this outstanding North Side school. Let its legacy of greatness continue.
COMMON WEALTH, INC. 1221 Elm Street - Youngstown, Ohio 44505
330-744-2667
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Majorettes from the class of 1947
THE RAYEN SCHOOL: THE BENITA AVENUE ERA
RECALLING
RAYEN As a 1969 graduate of The Rayen School, I am very proud. I learned so much attending school on the North Side. As a member of the 1969 class, I obtained lifelong friends from diverse backgrounds. As a student at The Rayen, my education was one that would, by today’s standards, be equal to a first year college education. We had teachers who cared about us, who demanded excellence. Teachers like Mr. Wilson, who taught 12th grade English, who demanded you know the parts of speech, sentence structure, communication skills, and how to talk in public. The sixties were filled with racism and the Vietnam War, but at The Rayen we felt secure, loved, and respected by our peers. That has resulted in lifelong friendships that have transcended color, gender and religious barriers. Currently, I work for the Department of Labor. I have a master’s degree and am currently pursuing my PhD. I am adjunct professor in the school of business at Indiana Wesleyan College.
BRENDA L. SPENCER Class of 1969 Admissions Counselor/Career Transition Specialist Del-Jen Inc., Ohio Job Corps.
MAHONING VALLEY 13
THE METRO MONTHLY | MAY 2007 | www.metromonthly.net
Honoring Rayen’s distiguished history!
LIEN FORWARD OHIO
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF RAYEN: THE SIXTIES
Best wishes to The Rayen School from Ursuline High School
URSULINE HIGH SCHOOL
20 Federal St. - Suite M5-A • Youngstown, Ohio
750 Wick Avenue - Youngstown, Ohio 44505
330-259-1040
330-744-4563 In Memory of Emmanuel Catsoules Rayen Principal and Superintendent of Schools
Saluting Rayen’s great history!
MVR-CARMINE I. CASSESE
WILLIAM S. PEYKO
410 N. Walnut Street - Youngstown, Ohio
330-746-7067
Vienna, Ohio 44473
ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Saluting Rayen’s Great History!
SZABO & SONS FUNERAL HOME
Football players pose for a yearbook photo (top), and teachers walk the picket line in 1967.
Thanks for your contributions to the arts!
OPERA WESTERN RESERVE
1360 Fifth Ave. - Youngstown, Ohio 44505
1000 Fifth Ave. - Youngstown, Ohio 44505
330-744-1548
330-480-0693
Our years at The Rayen School were truly memorable. We had the best teachers and great classmates!
Honoring Rayen’s Distinguished History
ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH
J0AN DONNELLY WELSH
110 Funston Street - Youngstown, Ohio 330-746-2848
STRONGSVILLE, OHIO ~ CLASS OF 1950
Congratulations to The Rayen High School!
Honoring the Distinguished History of The Rayen School
CCS TRANS, INC.
NORTH SIDE CITIZENS’ COALITION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
221 COURT STREET - YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO
330-747-1331
P.O. Box 233 - Youngstown, Ohio 44501-0233
Congratulations to all Rayen graduates, past and present! ELECTRONIC IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Senior class officers in 1967 (left to right): Eddie Bramlett, treasurer; Patty Browne, secretary; Barbara Fine, vice president; and David Jones, president.
In our June issue, we will pay tribute to Woodrow Wilson High School. Woodrow Wilson has been a fixture on the Youngstown’s South Side since the 1920s. Like Rayen, it will be demolished and rebuilt as a junior high school. If you would like to share your memories of Wilson, please send them to:
Metro Monthly, 26 Market Street Suite 912, Youngstown, Ohio 44503 or email to: info@metromonthly.net Please include your year of graduation.
G E T Y O U R S I N B Y F R I D A Y, M A Y 1 8 t h Proud of all Wilson graduates! We will also be offering ur THE METRO MONTHLY affordable ads so you or yo t 26 MARKET STREET #912 - YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO 44503 business can show$ suppor for Wilson...just 19.95! 330-259-0435 message: name: address: phone: payment (circle one): cash check charge credit card type/number: 3-digit CVV#:_________ expiration: signature: