SAGA Newsletter Spring 2015

SAGA Newsletter

Success Continues at NYHS

Nelsonville-York High School has had an award winning year for the third year in a row. In April of 2013, the high school was honored by US News and World Report as Bronze Medal School. This award was followed by being recognized as an Ohio School of Promise in the fall of 2013 and 2014. For the 2014 award, Nelsonville-York High School was one of 42 high schools recognized in the state. A school earns this honor by having A’s and B’s in all state report card areas, by having at least 40 percent of its students classified as economically disadvantaged and by earning at least 80 percent proficiency rate on the reading and math Ohio Graduation Tests for all students and economically disadvantaged students.

In addition to those awards, Nelsonville-York High School scored 100 percent in the category of Annual Measureable Objectives which answers the question, is every student succeeding, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, or disability? Also this past fall, the school and staff was honored by State Representative Debbie Phillips at a school board meeting for earning the 2014 School of Promise distinction and received a letter from the Ohio Senate as well. None of this well-deserved recognition could have been accomplished without the dedicated teachers of Nelsonville-York High School. This group of educators has worked diligently towards making every student successful and that effort is being noticed at the local, state and national level.

                                Elise Stephan, Principal, Nelsonville-York High School

A reminder  from Scholarship Fund trustees  – The 40 percent economically disadvantaged students mentioned in the above article can be helped by your donation to the NHS Alumni Scholarship Fund.  Find the donation form on this blog and please give generously.  

The Nelsonville High School Alumni Association is the alumni organization for the former Nelsonville High School in Nelsonville, Ohio. NHS merged with York High School to form Nelsonville-York Schools in 1968; the last graduating class from NHS was 1967. An annual alumni dinner and dance is hosted each year in May on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. At the dinner, old friendships are renewed and new ones are established with scholarship award winners introduced. The organization created and maintains the NHS Alumni Scholarship Fund whose mission is to preserve the  spirit and traditions of NHS by building a strong foundation of scholarship support for Nelsonville-York High School graduates.

The Route 33 Bypass

It was a gorgeous, cool, and sunny Saturday in September 2013 as runners, walkers, and

cyclists gathered for a once-in-a-lifetime event in our region,  The Nelsonville Bypass

Opening.  Early in the morning, school buses from Hocking College shuttled participants

from the Public  Square to their starting marks on the recently completed bypass. For

a few brief hours the roads were occupied not by cars and eighteen wheelers, but by

people of all ages geared up in their running shoes and bright blue t-shirts. Doubtless

many were captivated by the beauty of the bypass surroundings of Wayne National

Forest. Many were in awe of the rare experience to traverse the now peaceful, quiet

highway soon to be open to tens of thousands of vehicles rushing through the Hocking

Valley.

It has now been over a year and a half since that eventful Saturday, and

the  Nelsonville  bypass section of Route 33 is as busy as ever with vehicle traffic. Many

here anticipated the completion of the bypass for years. They also wondered what the

effect would be on the quiet city of Nelsonville (which, on days like Homecoming or

Parents’ Weekend at Ohio University, wasn’t all that “quiet.”) Route 33, or Canal Street,

was a perpetual bustle of car and truck activity since I arrived to town four years ago. I

quickly became familiar with the oft-repeated phrase, “If you want to get through

southeastern Ohio, you have to go through Nelsonville.” Some businesses thrived from

all of the through-traffic, and certainly fuel and eating establishments popped up

because of it. What was to happen when the bypass opened? How would Nelsonville

fair?

The answer to this question is still in process. Ask a resident in Nelsonville today the question, “How has the bypass affected your life?” and you will hear a variety of answers: How pleasant it is to be able to cross the street without waiting for five minutes. How good it is not to have to drive that dangerous section of Old 33. How some long-time businesses such as a gas station and used car dealers have closed their doors. How others have fought to remain resilient and adaptive. Many I talk to are hopeful about this city, looking for the bypass to help, not hinder, brighter days of tourist activity, thriving small businesses, and “small town charm” to come.  New businesses have opened such as the campground and canoe livery on the East entrance to the city.  Two transportation companies specializing in trucks and trailers have opened on Canal Street, a pizza shop has expanded to include in-store dining  and another existing restaurant in town is moving  to a larger and more accessible location on Canal Street.   In keeping with Nelsonville’s arts heritage, a new art studio and gallery has located on Canal Street.   The Hocking ValleyScenic Railway introduces their restored steam locomotive for the first time this season and has already attracted media coverage. 

The effects of the bypass may take some time yet to unfold, and questions remain as to its long-term effect. Still, there are many households, small businesses, school rooms, offices, and gathering places, in which community, hard-work, and dreams for Nelsonville continue to thrive.

Peter Galbraith

Pastor

First Presbyterian Church of Nelsonville

Good to Know

Route 33 Bypass - The long awaited route around Nelsonville opened in the October 2013 with fanfare. Happy drivers now make the trip from Columbus to Athens and beyond cutting 20 minutes from their drive. Read about the impact of the bypass in an article by Peter Galbraith to be posted on the NHS SAGA blog in June.

Hitch-Hikers music supports Food Cupboard - The Nelsonville High School garage band of the I 960s that entertained at local dances and won first place in the Parade of the Hills Battle of the Bands in 1966 makes music again this year at alumni weekend and the Parade of the Hills. NHS grads from the Class of 1966 Terry Daugherty, Mike Guess and Jon Flowers will play at Stuart's Opera House Friday night of alumni weekend. Daugherty's grandson Zach Daugherty and grandson-in-law Dusty Johnson round out the band in place of original members the late Chuck Mohney NHS '65 and former NHS teacher and coach Phil Fawcett. Concert proceeds are donated to the Nelsonville Food Cupboard.

Ohio Health - Ohio Health s announced plans to build a new medical facility in Nelsonville. With the purchase of Doctors Hospital, Ohio Health became a new community partner in Nelonville. But with changing health care climate, the hospital will eventually close to be replaced by the new medical building and urgent care facility. News articles at the time of the announcement offered some fond memories of the former Mount St. Mary Hospital.

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Update your contact information!

Please update your contact information for the NHS Alumni Association!

Send the following information to

nelsonvillegreyhounds@gmail.com

Name______________________________________________________

Class of____________________________

Address___________________________________________________

City_________________________________________

State________________________________  Zip Code___________________________

Email address____________________

Phone number___________________

Thank you!

Nelsonville High School Alumni Scholarship Fund

The Nelsonville High School Alumni Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for worthy graduates of Nelsonville-York High School.  The program is very successful, and we want to continue to help as many young men and women as possible.

If you would like to contribute, please provide the information requested in the form below:

Nelsonville High School Alumni Scholarship Fund

P.O. Box 472

Nelsonville, OH  45764

______Yes, I wish to support the NHS Alumni Scholarship Fund

______Enclosed is my check for $_______to NHS Alumni, Inc. Scholarship Fund as my gift to help preserve the memory of Nelsonville High School and provide scholarships for future graduates of Nelsonville-York High School.

Name______________________________________________  Class___________

Address_____________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip______________________________________________________

2009 SAGA NHS Spotlight: Robert Sheskey

Robert Sheskey’s Community Spirit Lives on at the Food Cupboard

from 2009 SAGA  

NHS Spotlight:  Robert Sheskey

Robert Sheskey was a familiar face in the halls of Nelsonville High School, on the football field, basketball court, and baseball diamond.  He was admired and respected as a teacher, coach, and colleague.

Mr. Sheskey graduated from Buchtel High School in 1943 and entered the service during World War II.  He served in the CBI Theatre as combat engineer building bridges in Burma.

After being discharged from the Army he attended Ohio University on the G.I. Bill and majored in Physical Education with a minor in American History.  When we sat down with Mr. Sheskey to talk about his lifelong career in education he revealed that he actually began teaching in South Bloomingville, Ohio; then on to Jacksonville-Trimble for five years before his long career at Nelsonville.  He was quick to mention the many marvelous teachers at N.H.S. that he was fortunate to teach with, among them, Mary Sharp, John Daughtery, the Hoffees, Monica Stedem, Kathleen Hartley, Helen Washburn, Roger and Louise Wolf, and countless others.  He also admired Jim Standall, Pres Dexter, and John Clouston, our bus drivers and custodians who took such pride in caring for our school buildings, grounds and students. 

Mr. Sheskey followed in the footsteps of Lowell Cole as “Coach”.  He was varsity football, basketball, baseball, and golf coach at Nelsonville High School during some portion of his long career in the sporting arena.  Coach Sheskey stated that many great athletes came through his hands while he was coach and many were fortunate to earn athletic scholarships to area colleges.  When we spoke with some former N.H.S. athletes they stated that Coach Sheskey went above and beyond what was normal in those days to alert college coaches and scouts about the athletic and scholastic abilities of his players.  Sheskey provided films, made phone calls, and arranged visits for students to interested colleges and universities.  Sheskey was often seen munching his way through a bag of popcorn but his true passion and inspiration were the young athletes he was empowered to guide.

“Our big rival in basketball was Athens; we only lost two games in the Southeastern Ohio Conference play during our ’64 season,” remarked Sheskey.  Both of those losses were to Athens.  The coach stated that hard work, great effort, and team play were always the aspects he stressed to all the young men that he was fortunate to coach throughout his career.  He gave much credit to the success of his teams to assistant coaches, recalling such names as Bob Penrod, Phil Fawcett, Ed Keating, Jack Sowers, and Barney Andrews.  When pressed to name or list the most memorable coaching or teaching event in his career, he laughed at the thought and said there were too many to single anything out. 

Mr. Sheskey was named Principal of the newly created high school in 1969, the second year of the consolidation.  He served in that capacity until his retirement in 1983, ending his thirty-three year career.  He was responsible for helping shape our youthful endeavors during those formidable teenage years and we are sure that some of us challenged him in that respect.

Mr. Sheskey was responsible for the summer athletic program and our city swimming pool between 1956 and 1966 and served on Nelsonville City Council in the 1970’s.  Like a number of our teachers and leaders he wore many hats.

After his official retirement, he his wife Joanne turned their attention to feeding the hungry in our small community.  Mr. Sheskey had witnessed, first hand, hungry school children and Mrs. Sheskey’s career in social work had provided evidence that there was a real need to provide food for the hungry.  For eleven years they spearheaded the Nelsonville Soup Kitchen, which was a collaborative effort among our community churches.  Bob and Joanne helped administer, shop, cook, serve, and do dishes for this worthwhile endeavor.  They have also worked for over twenty years at the Nelsonville Food Cupboard/Pantry, a satellite of the Southeastern Ohio Regional Food Bank/Feeding America.  As we prepare for some tough times Mr. Sheskey continues to lend his hand to this worthwhile project.  We are inspired by his spirit of caring for his neighbor and ours.

1997 SAGA: Lowell Cole

1997 SAGA:  Lowell Cole

NHS Sports

The 1952 NHS Basketball Team was described as the finest ever to play for the Greyhounds.  Sixteen straight wins helped contribute to this reputation.  Coached by Lowell Cole, they were the Southeastern Ohio League Champs, won the Class "B" District Tourney, the Class "B" Regional Tourney, and were the State Runners-up.  Wow, what a tailspin the little town of Nelsonville was in, car caravans originating at Johnny Appleseed Park ushered the team and fans back to the Public Square for a victory lap with horns honking and the band playing.