Salem High School Alumni Association, Ohio

The Salem High School Alumni Association awarded its first scholarship in 1908. Since then, it has given more than $7.2 million in scholarships to alumni. Academic Merit Scholarships are awarded to eligible graduating Salem High School students who have a weighted GPA of 3.5 or better.

These awards are made available from the Charles Fox Memorial Scholarship Fund. Born in Lisbon in 1903, Mr. Fox attended Lisbon public schools and East Liverpool Business School. He was employed by the Salem China Company from 1925 to 1950. He then began working at the Salem Label Company where he retired as secretary-treasurer in 1969. A love for music resulted in his becoming a founder and charter member of the Community Concert Association. Mr. Fox was openly enthusiastic about talented young people. Upon his death in 1972, Mr. Fox designated the income from his estate be used to support the Community Concert Association and the scholarship fund of the Salem High School Alumni Association.

Doris Tetlow, Class of 1922, was a long-time junior high teacher for Salem City Schools. A talented singer, she was director of the junior high chorus. Miss Tetlow began teaching in 1925 at a time when teacher salaries were usually less than $1000 a year and women teachers were to be unmarried. Doris lived with her mother Olive, who also left the alumni association a sizeable amount of money. When Doris died in 1982, she left the association $222,000.

Emma Bauman Holmes '43, was a professor of education and child development, emeritus, at California State University, Fullerton. Although a strong advocate of higher education, Prof. Bauman Holmes pointed out that satisfying careers which contribute to society do not necessarily require university study and a bachelor's degree. The Emma Bauman Holmes Vocational Scholarship assists graduating Salem High School students who want to enroll in an accredited certification or vocational program designed to teach skills in a recognized field of employment. A unique aspect of the Holmes Vocational Scholarship is that recipients may be eligible for another scholarship the following year if their studies continue in the same field in which they started, and if they have maintained at least a 3.0 GPA or its equivalent (see college scholarships).

Florence C. Schafer, SHS Class of 1923, was a lifelong Salem resident. Even though a frequent traveler, she loved her hometown dearly and enjoyed reading about its history. She worked for 30 years in the offices of Gem Clay Company in Sebring, Ohio, retiring in 1960. Her father Jesse Schafer owned and operated Schafer's Tavern and Restaurant at 330 East State Street, the location of the current Alumni Association office. For many years Miss Schafer had lived above the tavern on its second floor, which in 1993 became the location of the association's first office. After her father's death, Florence and her brother Tom operated the tavern until its closing in 1974. Florence died in 1996 and left the SHSAA $231,000 for scholarships.

The Floyd and Cora May Reich Stone Vocational Scholarship was first awarded in 1987. Over the course of many years Floyd W. Stone, D.D.S., and his wife Cora May Reich Stone '35 made substantial gifts to the Salem High School Alumni Association through a combination of cash, stocks, and bequests. Floyd Stone was a native of Logan, OH and a graduate of Ohio University. He coached both track and football at Salem High School for six seasons. His 1929 football team is the last undefeated, untied football team at SHS. During his tenure, the first night football game in the state of Ohio was played at Reilly Stadium. In 1934, a time of dire economic circumstances in the U.S., he quit teaching and enrolled in dental school at Ohio State. After graduation, he set up an office in Cincinnati, where he practiced for 37 years. He married Cora May Reich '35 in 1983. Together they retained their fondness for Salem High School and recognized they could help future students through their donations to the SHSAA Scholarship Fund.

Awarded for the first time in 2008, the Greenisen College Leadership Scholarship recognizes the skills and character traits of a leader. Recognizing the importance of leadership, brothers Joel '54 and Philip '61 Greenisen and Philip's wife Marjory provided for this scholarship to honor the memory of Greenisen family members and to encourage leadership development in qualified candidates. Philip Greenisen worked at the Electric Furnace Company for 38 years, retiring in 2003 as president. During a 17-year stretch, he was either a member of Salem City Council or its clerk. Phil acted as the Columbiana County Farm Bureau president for seven years, and for many years he has served as either president or trustee of the Ohio Haflinger Association. His wife Marjory was a supervisor with the Salem Area Visiting Nurses until 2008 after which she worked for Progresa Health Care Systems, retiring in 2012. Both Greenisens keep active with consulting work and volunteering. Joel E. Greenisen held numerous leadership positions during his 35 years with the Kroger Company. While president of the Kroger Co. of Michigan, he served as Vice Chairman of the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce and was active in community organizations such as the United Way. Joel was also founding director and inaugural president of the American Haflinger Registry. He passed away in 2011. A Salem High School graduate attending college will be selected annually for his or her leadership character traits based on the demonstrated ability to facilitate a group of individuals working together to accomplish a goal. Leadership skills may be exhibited during college or university experiences or in special activities inside or outside the traditional educational environment.

Joel E. Greenisen, the SHS Class of 1954 valedictorian, graduated from the Ohio State University in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics. He then began a 35-year business career with the Kroger Company and rose in the management ranks until becoming president of the Michigan Marketing Area. During his time in Michigan, Greenisen served as a Vice Chairman of the Board of the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce and held leadership roles with the United Way. In 2003 Mr. Greenisen generously established this scholarship in loving memory of his father, mother, and paternal aunt, whose leadership characteristics inspired him. The Greenisen Leadership Scholarship recognizes the skills and character traits of a leader: self-confidence, a strong dedication to helping others, and the willingness to step up and do the unusual or difficult thing. A graduating senior will be selected annually for his or her leadership character traits based on the demonstrated ability to facilitate a group of individuals working together to accomplish a goal. Applicants need to have demonstrated leadership during their high school experiences or in special activities either inside or outside the traditional high school environment.

The Hickey Metal Fabrication Vocational Scholarship was created in 2006 through the generosity of Bob Hickey '50, his wife Nancy Howell Hickey '53, their son Leo Hickey '74, their daughter Lois Hickey Peters '77, and Lois's husband Nick Peters '73. A love for their hometown and its schools and the recognition of the need for vocational training spurred the Hickey family to fund this scholarship, which was first awarded in 2007. Hickey Metal Fabrication, which was established in 1942, is a four generation family-owned business. Although it started out as a furnace and heating business, through the years it constantly expanded and adapted to meet the needs of the marketplace, adding roofing and eventually metal fabricating. Outgrowing the plant on Georgetown Rd., the business added a second plant in the Salem Industrial Park in 1995. It now employs 210 people at six locations.

Howard 'Doc' Pardee was a longtime Salem High School band director. As a beloved instrumental music teacher, he was an inspiration and mentor to many SHS students. Pardee was also director of the American Legion-Quaker City Band for 30 years and a driving force behind the construction of the band shell in Memorial Park. Under the leadership of Mary Mercer Krogness '56, Pardee's former students, friends and family established the Pardee scholarships for future generations of instrumental musicians from the Salem City Schools.

Howard 'Doc' Pardee was a longtime Salem High School band director. As a beloved instrumental music teacher, he was an inspiration and mentor to many SHS students. Pardee was also director of the American Legion-Quaker City Band for 30 years and a driving force behind the construction of the band shell in Memorial Park. Under the leadership of Mary Mercer Krogness '56, Pardee's former students, friends, and family established the Pardee scholarships for future generations of instrumental musicians from the Salem City Schools. The award may be presented to a graduating student who will be studying for a degree with a major in instrumental music.

J. Robert Sebo, class of 1954, has generously provided for the funding of this scholarship. A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Mr. Sebo is a noted businessman and philanthropist. He was instrumental in the startup and growth of the nationally known Paychex Corporation, retiring as senior vice-president in 1994 and returning to live in Salem. At Salem High School, he was an outstanding athlete who lettered three years in both football and track. He also participated in the SHS Concert Band for four years and was active in Student Council. The criteria for this award reflect his belief that a student's extracurricular activities help lay the foundation for a successful life.

A graduate of Bowling Green State University, J. Robert Sebo, SHS class of 1954, is a noted businessman and philanthropist. He was instrumental in the startup and growth of the nationally known Paychex Corporation, retiring as senior vice-president in 1994 and returning to live in Salem. He has maintained close ties to both his college and high school alma maters and has generously funded scholarships and educational programs at both.

John Frederick Cone '44, Ph.D., was an educator and an author. He began his teaching career at Montclair Academy in New Jersey in 1949. He taught at Scarsdale High School from 1952 to 1969 and worked briefly as academic dean at North Carolina School of the Arts before joining the faculty at the public high school in Red Bank, NJ. He taught at Red Bank Regional High School from 1970 to 1988 and supervised the English, Art, Music and Foreign Language Departments during his tenure there. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Rutgers University and his Ph.D. in English from New York University. When he was not teaching, Cone conducted research into aspects of opera history. He turned what he learned into books and articles for scholarly journals and reference works such as The New Grove Dictionary of American Music. Along with bequeathing SHSAA the residual of his estate to fund a scholarship in memory of his parents, Cone also designated the Salem High School Alumni Association the beneficiary of his retirement annuity. The John F. Cone Humanities Scholarship, funded from the annuity, was given for the first time in 2011. The criteria for the scholarship reflect Cone's interests in literature, music, art, and foreign languages.

The John Michael Pozniko Engineering Scholarship Fund was established by Dorothy Pozniko Beam '52 and her husband, C. Richard Beam, in memory of her brother, John Michael Pozniko. John Michael Pozniko was a 1945 graduate of Salem High School and a lifelong Salem resident. After serving in the Navy, Pozniko attended drafting classes offered by the school district's adult education program. He found employment with several area firms such as Hunt Engineering, Electric Furnace, and the Salem Tool Company, where he worked for nearly 30 years. While working, he also attended Youngstown State University and earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. A quiet, unassuming man with a strong work ethic, Pozniko embodied the qualities of dedication, perseverance, and trustworthiness.

Leon H. Colley was born in Tennessee in 1897 and came to Salem in 1926. Employed by the First National Bank in Salem in 1928, he rose through the ranks from cashier to vice president and by 1938 was named bank president, a position he held until 1967. He actively supported the community serving on various boards such as the two hospital association boards and the World War Memorial Building Association. He was also a two term president of the Chamber of Commerce. His wife of 47 years, Enid, died in 1973; Mr. Colley passed away four years later in 1977. Mr. Colley bequeathed $601,000 to the Salem High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

The Lois A. Peters Memorial Business Scholarship is designed for students who will be seeking a bachelor's degree in business or accounting. It is open to both graduating Salem High School students and alumni who have completed one year of college. Lois A. (Hickey) Peters was a devoted supporter of the Salem High School Alumni Association and its mission to help Salem graduates further their education. A 1977 SHS graduate, Lois was a successful businesswoman and the Chief Financial Officer for Hickey Metal Fabrication Inc. Along with an outpouring of community memorial donations to the alumni association, Robert Hickey '50, Leo '74 and Suzanne Hickey, Nick Peters '73, Nicholas Peters '98, Benjamin Peters, and Hickey Metal Fabrication Inc. generously established this scholarship in memory of their beloved daughter, sister, wife, and mother.

Max M. Fisher was an internationally known businessman, philanthropist, and political advisor. A member of the SHS class of 1926, he attended The Ohio State University on a football scholarship. He graduated with a degree in business administration and soon became successful in the oil reclamation business. OSU's Fisher College of Business and Detroit's Max M. Fisher Music Center are two of the many, many recipients of his philanthropic largesse. The 1972 Honored Alumnus, Mr. Fisher established in 1973 the first named SHSAA scholarship, which has been given now for over 40 years. Mr. Fisher passed away in 2005.

The Memorial Book Award is presented in memory of those deceased donors who 1) have given $10,000 or more, or had at least $10,000 donated in their name and 2) do not have a named scholarship or award. They are Mary Anderson Dunn, Class of 1897; John Mulford, Sr., Class of 1917; Edith Lynn White, Class of 1917; Dorothy Failer Sullivan, Class of 1921; Fred E. '25 and Doris S. Cope; Eugene '27 and Virginia Young; Wade '29 and Stella Loop; J. Floyd Stamp '32; Mildred Barber Schuster '33; William Guappone '35; John George Birk '36; Henry '37 and Aliliva Juhn; Eleanor Szkola '37; Dr. and Mrs. Harold F. Hoprich '38; Donald and Betty Roessler '42 Greenamyer; Mary and Burt (Carl) '42 Capel Jr.; Dr. David W. Jones '43; Dr. Joseph Kelley '45; Harvey Walken '46; Jack B. Lozier '48; Ruth Ann Altenhof '53; and Olive Tetlow.

In addition to the already established Hickey Metal Fabrication Vocational Scholarship for graduating students, the Robert Hickey family created the Nancy Hickey Memorial Healthcare Scholarship in 2011. It was first awarded in 2012. A hard-working, intelligent woman, Nancy Howell Hickey '53 was an integral part of the family-owned Hickey Metal Fabrication and served as its corporate treasurer. She became ill in 2007 and passed away in 2011. In those years while she was ill, the Hickeys discovered the immense value of caregivers. Family members decided that the creation of a scholarship for students entering healthcare fields, whether they are seeking a degree, a certificate, or a license, would be a way of 'paying forward' the kindnesses they had encountered from healthcare employees.

Howard 'Doc' Pardee was a longtime Salem High School band director. As a beloved instrumental music teacher, he was an inspiration and mentor to many SHS students. Pardee was also director of the American Legion-Quaker City Band for 30 years and a driving force behind the construction of the band shell in Memorial Park. Under the leadership of Mary Mercer Krogness '56, former students, friends, and family established the Pardee scholarships to aid students majoring in instrumental music with their college expenses. A designated amount of money was also set aside to help Salem band students, grades 6-11, attend band camps.

Committed to helping talented students who show exceptional academic excellence and outstanding promise, the Class of 1966 created this scholarship in 2006 on the occasion of its 40-year reunion. The scholarship was awarded for the first time in 2007. A graduating senior is selected annually based on demonstrated financial need and on academic ability and potential, as evidenced by his or her high school achievement, class rank, and success on the ACT and/or the SAT. This scholarship is distributed during the second year of college.

The Class of 1968 Scholarship was first awarded in May 2018 on the occasion of the class's 50-year reunion. In funding this scholarship, members of the Class of 1968 have recognized the difference that teachers make in the lives of young people. This scholarship may be presented to a Salem High School graduating student or a former graduate enrolling or enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university with a major in education leading to a bachelor's degree and licensure. Examples of programs include, but are not limited to, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescent/young adult, physical and special education. Applicants will have a minimum of 3.00 weighted GPA. Financial need is not a requirement but will be considered.