Salem High School Alumni Association, Ohio
Sustaining Friendships and Memories Since 1882
330-332-1427 - info@salemohioalumni.org
Welcome to the Salem High School
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Salem High School Alumni Association Awards Annual Scholarships |
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On May 18, 2019, the Salem High School Alumni Association |
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2019 Alumni Association Annual Reunion and Banquet Held May 18 |
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A three-star Marine Corps general, a two-star Air Force general, a philanthropic cardiologist, and an educator—all Salem High School graduates—shared insights at the 138th Annual Reunion and Banquet of the Salem High School Alumni Association (SHSAA) on Saturday evening, May 18. The association awarded scholarships totaling $364,875 to 65 Class of 2019 graduates and 17 alumni to help with their postsecondary education costs. Three current Salem students received financial awards to defray the cost of summer music camps. “We all should be very, very proud that we have—and represent—such a wonderful high school,” Daniel T. Moore ’95, SHSAA president, told the 390 people in attendance. Treasurer Wendy Storey Saltsman ’77 reported that the association’s investment portfolio currently exceeds $10.5 million. Since its first scholarship in 1908, the association has awarded more than $7.6 million in scholarships to SHS alumni. The association offered six new scholarships this year as the result of recent $100,000-plus donations from several people.
Both men referred to high school experiences as pivotal to their success as adults. Ruark, who in his second career is CEO of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, talked about the despair he felt as a high school junior when his performance in athletics and academics was uneven. “The only thing that was consistent was my inconsistency,” he said. The first time Ruark took the ACT, his score was so low he feared no college would accept him. He also worried that his strict father would be angry. However, instead of reprimanding him Ruark’s father bet him that if he concentrated on academics, he could earn a full college scholarship. His father’s belief in his capability led Ruark to make better decisions and work harder. By spring of his senior year Ruark had earned a Navy ROTC scholarship to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Ruark told the students that SHSAA had shown similar faith in them. “People believe in you, if they are giving you these scholarships. People believe in you when they do that … so earn it,” he said. Santee, who in his second career is vice president of Strategic Space Operations at Aerospace Corporation, shared that “tough times” in high school made him want to leave Salem behind when he went to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He later realized that his SHS teachers and coaches had prepared him well for learning throughout his life, that he had made lasting friendships among SHS classmates, and that his family had prepared him to raise a family of his own. “I didn’t leave you behind. I took you with me. Class of ’19 you are going to get a whole lot more than money here tonight. You are going to get a whole city behind you,” he said. Santee urged students not to avoid doing things that other people say can’t be done. “If you take on the big things, the hard things that are one in 100, and succeed, they sing ballads about you and they write poems about you. And you’ve already accomplished the biggest thing, which is not letting someone else tell you, 'You can’t.'" “Don’t look at the world the way that others would have you see it. Look at it the way you want it to be,” Santee said. Cardiologist John R. Stratton ’64, M.D., urged the 2019 graduates to pursue “noble careers” in medicine, education and the like that serve others. Stratton and his wife Carolyn Webster-Stratton, Ph.D., traveled to Salem from Seattle, Washington, for the first awarding of a $10,000 scholarship from the John R. Stratton and Carolyn Webster-Stratton Medical Student Scholarship that they created with a $100,000 donation in 2018. Early in their careers the couple provided healthcare in rural Alaska. They then became University of Washington professors and researchers. Prior to attending Yale Medical School Dr. Stratton was a Peace Corps volunteer. Not only are both Dr. Stratton and Dr. Webster-Stratton university educators, but their mothers were teachers, their daughter is a teacher, and their son is a physician. “It’s a fulfilling life of service and I would encourage the Class of ’19 to consider something in service. It’s a very good way to spend your life,” he said. Representing the Class of 1969 as it celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of its graduation, George Spack, a retired SHS history teacher, pointed out that optimism is America’s heritage. “Seniors, in no other country will you find as many opportunities to build a quality life as here, especially if you strive to lead a virtuous life, work really hard, and serve others.” During the association’s business meeting Moore reported that the $425,000 renovation of SHSAA’s office at 330 East State Street would begin in mid-June. The project involves replacement of the façade, stairwells, front foundation and basement to address age-related structural issues. “This is a solid investment in Downtown Salem and we are excited to get started on this renovation project,” said Moore, who chairs the committee raising funds for the renovation. |
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For the first time in its history the association gave its Honored Alumnus Award to two people in one year: retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General Robert Ruark and retired Air Force Major General Jay G. Santee. Both were members of the class of 1977 and served with distinction in the military for 36 years and 33 years, respectively.
Six New Scholarships Offered to Alumni |
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Virginia E. Snyder Scholarship - This award may be presented to an SHS graduating senior or an SHS graduate enrolled in an English or English-related program at an accredited four-year college or university. Examples of eligible programs include, but are not limited to, English, creative writing, American literature, British literature, rhetoric and composition, and journalism. John P. Sharp Jr. Entrepreneurship Scholarship - This award may be presented to an SHS graduate who is currently enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university, entering at least his or her third year, and enrolled in an entrepreneurship or entrepreneurial studies (major, minor, certificate, or master’s) program. John P. Sharp Jr. Engineering Scholarship - This award may be presented to an SHS graduate currently enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university, entering at least his or her third year, and enrolled in an engineering program leading to a bachelor’s degree or beyond. John P. Sharp Jr. Outstanding Performance Scholarship - This award may be presented to an SHS graduate who is currently enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university, is entering at least his or her second year, and demonstrates a versatile college experience. The applicant must show a diversity of interests within multiple areas such as his or her academic program, co-curricular activities, and/or work experience. John P. Sharp Jr. Scholarship of Promise - This award may be presented to an SHS graduating senior who will be enrolled either in a bachelor’s or an associate degree program at an accredited college or university or in a technical program of study at an accredited school. Applicant must demonstrate commitment to his or her future plans and provide examples that show strength of perseverance when faced with a difficult situation. Stratton Medical Student Scholarship - The John R. Stratton and Carolyn Webster-Stratton Medical Student Scholarship may be presented to a Salem High School graduate who is enrolled in a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree program at an accredited medical school in the United States. Applicants must be in good standing. |
New Stratton Scholarship Helps Medical Students |
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John R. Stratton ’64, M.D., and his wife Carolyn Webster-Stratton, Ph.D., contributed $100,000 to the Salem High School Alumni Association in December 2018 to create a new scholarship to lessen the debt load of SHS graduates who are enrolled in medical doctor (M.D.) programs. Stratton is a professor of Medicine/ Cardiology at the University of Washington (U.W.) in Seattle. Webster-Stratton is a licensed child psychologist, an emeritus U.W. professor, a pediatric nurse practitioner, and creator of the Incredible Years® Series of books, manuals, DVDs, and evidence- based intervention programs for parents, teachers, and children that are designed to prevent and treat young children’s behavioral problems and to promote their social and emotional competence. Stratton asked the SHS board to give one $10,000 scholarship from the principal of the couple’s gift each year for 10 years. “We are grateful to Dr. Stratton and Dr. Webster-Stratton for this generous gift, and I am pleased that the board embraced this new approach to help SHS graduates who have taken on the academic and financial challenges of pursuing medical degrees,” said Marilyn Wilson Ward ’79, first vice president and chair of the Scholarship Committee. |
Sharps Leave Large Bequest to Association |
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Ashley Frazer Sperling, the couple’s eldest niece and executor of their estate, will develop criteria for the new scholarships, perhaps assisting with the unmet financial needs of SHS alumni enrolled in the second, third, and fourth year of undergraduate programs and incorporating the couple's interest in entrepreneurial and artistic pursuits. |
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John P. Sharp, Jr. ’46 and his wife Linda Anne Frazer Sharp have left a bequest in excess of $450,000 to enable the Salem High School Alumni Association to create multiple new named scholarships.
Virginia E. "Jinny" Snyder ’43 Bequest |
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SHSAA announces the completion of the funding for a named scholarship based on a $94,598 bequest from Virginia E. "Jinny" Snyder ’43, who taught physical education at the Salem Junior High School from 1953 to 1975. Contributions from two classes and several individuals completed the $100,000 necessary for a named scholarship, which will be given in memory of Miss Snyder for the first time in 2019. The Association thanks the many generous donors who have helped to honor the memory of Miss Snyder through a scholarship that will benefit Salem High School graduates for many years to come. |
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Listen to the Salem High School Band Concerts of the 1950s-1960s |
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Listen to the melodious sounds of the Salem High School concert bands from the 1950s and 1960s led by Howard "Doc" Pardee. Thanks to Doc’s foresight in recording the concerts and the generosity of his children and SHSAA alumni, SHSAA now has more than 15 hours of SHS concert band music online including classical, big band, jazz, marches, and Broadway tunes. Click HERE to listen from your computer, smartphone, or tablet. |
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Salem High School Alma Mater |
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Barbara Butler Greene '44 is remembered for writing and composing the Salem High School Alma Mater as an SHS student. Stephen Navoyosky '53 provided a choral arrangement. He saved an original recording of the 1964 SHS Robed Choir performing our Alma Mater which is now available on our website. |
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Proud of Our Military |
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| Salem High School Alumni Association is proud of the rich military experience of our alumni.  Click HERE to read local newspaper articles about the heroics and sacrifices of our graduates in the military during World War II. |
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Alumni Remembrance |
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Our database includes more than 20,000 alumni from as far back as the first The Alumni Remembrance section includes the ability to display recently deceased alumni and to search by class year or name including family names across generations. You can make a lasting gift to the association in the name of an alumnus/alumna or You can also search through more than 100 years of yearbooks dating back to 1915 |
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The Evolution of Quaker Sam |
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The Salem High School mascot that has come to be known as Quaker Sam has evolved over the decades. Many people think the Quaker man mascot started in the 1950's thanks to the efforts of Coach John Cabas; however, a male Quaker figure made appearances in yearbooks and Quaker newspapers much earlier. Read more in this article prepared with source material from the Salem Historical Society, Salem Public Library, and our alumni association and published in SHS football and basketball programs. |
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Original Quaker Fight Song |
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The original "The Quaker Drive On Song" was "The Quaker Drive On Song" was played by the Salem High School Marching Band from 1936-1948 but disappeared for more than 50 years. Thanks to the detective work of Barbara Butler Greene '44 and Stephen Navoyosky '53, the song was rediscovered in 1994. Click HERE to listen to the SHS Alumni Band in 1994 and read about the song. |
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SHSAA partners with Amazon with the AmazonSmile programSupport our scholarship program every time you shop and at no cost to you. |
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A Century of Memories
The Salem High School Alumni Association in conjunction with the Salem Public Library is proud to make available more than 100 years of Salem High School documents. Search yearbooks for students, teachers, clubs, and organizations. Read Quaker newspapers from the early 1900s. Learn about the early days of education in Salem (written 1876). |
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| What does it cost to educate our children? The escalating costs of college attendance adds urgency to our mission to help provide more scholarships to new Salem High School graduates and alumni. The alumni association is proud to have been able to give approximately $350,000 in scholarships annually in recent years. However, even while trying to help as many students as possible, the association's current funding allows for only about one-third of each graduating class to receive a Salem High School Alumni Association Scholarship. Though the majority of these are substantial scholarships of several thousand dollars each, SHSAA scholarships cover only a portion of college costs. |
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The mission of the Salem High School Alumni Association of Ohio is to award scholarships to qualified students; to manage assets including memorabilia for future generations; and to honor the organization’s past by nurturing friendships and enriching memories. Regular membership of the association is comprised of the graduates and past attendees of the Salem High School in Salem, Ohio. The organization strives to keep alive memories of high school days and friendships by publishing the association newsletter, maintaining a website, interacting through social media, making available yearbooks and Quaker newspapers online, aiding the class coordinator with reunions, and housing in the association office archived records and memorabilia of Salem High School. |
Our History: The Salem High School Alumni Association was one of the first high school alumni groups in Ohio and is one of the most generous in the country. Thirty-three Salem High School alumni met with several of their former teachers on June 14, 1882, and the following year began the tradition of holding an annual reunion banquet. Several years later, association members decided that they wanted to do more than keep alive memories of high school days--they also wanted to help outstanding graduates attend college. On June 20, 1903, the association established the first high school alumni scholarship fund in Ohio. Salem High School graduates and friends were contacted to raise funds, and within four years the group had enough money to buy a $1,000 bond. The $60 interest generated by the bond was awarded as the first alumni scholarship to Walter French when he graduated in 1908. The association is now in its second century of granting scholarships. On May 18, 2019, at the 138th Annual Reunion and Banquet, held at Salem High School, the association awarded to sixty-five 2019 graduates, seventeen alumni, and three current students a total of $364,875 in scholarships. The total awarded since 1908 is approximately 7.6 million dollars.
