Articles on Cuyahoga Falls Schools


Posted on Sat, Oct. 25, 2003   AKRON BEACON JOURNALstory:PUB_DESC
No one was math teacher's equal, admirers say
Stow woman, staffer at Falls schools valued education, loved ones
By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal staff writer

Former students of Virginia Lorraine Swain say she was the best math teacher they ever had, someone with just the right formula for teaching: She made math fun and she taught it one equation at a time.

Mrs. Swain, 81, who taught math in the Cuyahoga Falls school district from 1959 to 1986,died Oct. 2 in Bloomfield, Mich., where she had lived for the last eight months.

The former Stow resident died of complications from multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone. She has already been cremated, but a memorial service is scheduled today at 11 a.m. at the Cuyahoga Falls United Presbyterian Church, 2819 Hudson Drive.

Born in Flint, Mich., Mrs. Swain earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan in 1943. She moved and received a master's from Kent State University in 1953.

``My mom placed a strong value on education,'' said Robert Perdue of Michigan. ``She was very proud of her education. Not many women in her era had access to education.''

Mrs. Swain's mother also had a degree. And she pursued college like her mother, just as her two brothers became carpenters like their father.

Mrs. Swain's granddaughter, Jennifer Perdue, a physical therapist, said her grandmother taught her to stand up for herself. ``She taught me to be a strong independent woman.''

Mrs. Swain was described as someone who stayed active and believed in caring for others.

``It was very important to her that you don't forget the people around you,'' her son said. ``She also believed in doing the right thing and doing things right. She was a compassionate person.''

Former student -- and later co-worker -- Linda Gates of Cuyahoga Falls said she and her daughter, who was also taught by Mrs. Swain, agree she was a fantastic teacher.

``She was a joy to have in high school. Then, as a staff member, I enjoyed talking to her even more. I saw her in a different light when we worked together at Cuyahoga Falls High School, and the age thing just blended together. She was genuinely nice.''

Mrs. Swain and her husband, William, who died in 2000, had their own pet cheering section for many sports at Falls High, even more so after she retired.

She enjoyed traveling, and she didn't let her age ground her. Just last year, she went to London and Paris.

``She didn't let the world go past her,'' her son said. ``She valued her history, but also lived in the present. She enjoyed her family and friends, and although she enjoyed retirement, she really loved teaching. Whatever it took for her students to learn -- she tried it.''

Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or 800-777-7232 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com
 
 
Cuyahoga Falls News Press
by Edna Sexton

First Graduating Class Featured Eight Students

If you had been in the senior class of Cuyahoga Falls in 1880 you would have graduated with seven other students.

East, built in 1871 on Germaine St. for $39,020, until 1938 was used as an elementary school. Now it is used as a warehouse.

As the Falls began to grow rapidly, around 1920 the need for a new high school was evident. The Board of Education purchased 11 acres on Fourth St. to build the new high school. The general plan was a square, dark red building with stone trim.

When the building was dedicated on October 26, 1922, the community boasted a population of 7,000. One of the interesting features in the old auditorium was  a moving picture booth.  The first movie shown was "Silas Marner".

The library was in the front of the building on the second floor. What are now rooms 212 and 213 were part of it. It held 4,000 books and the students could spend one or more periods a day there. By comparison the present library houses 14,000.

Comparing the 25 organizations students can join today, in 1920 the Athenians, Delphian and Chestnut Burr Literary Societies were the only clubs.

Some of the subjects offered around the turn of the century were the three R's, spelling, geography, music, drawing, Latin, algebra, German and history.

In 1925 uniforms were bought for the 40 band members. Now the marching band led by Mr. Robert Feldbush contains 90 members.

The yearbook was called "Hi-Echo" in 1920 and then "Re-Echo" in 1924. In 1927 it was titled "Hi-Times."

A look at sports in the 1930's shows that a staff of only two or three coaches were responsible for football, baseball, basketball, track and tennis.  Today 15 coaches coach 10 sports. The teams usually perform for a capacity crowd of 350. Of interest to the girls; in the 1920's there was a girl's varsity basketball and baseball team.

Many alumni of Falls High have gone on to receive their doctorate degrees. In 1949 six graduates received doctorates. From 1957-1962, 18 doctorates were earned, one by a woman.









Cuyahoga Falls City School District