The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

August 30, 2009

Celebration marks Reynolds school district’s 50 years

Reynolds presents recap of its past

By Patrick Cooley

REYNOLDS — Frank Fenton, a 1962 graduate of Reynolds High School, described his experience of being told he was going to be moving into a new district after his sophomore year.

“I was a little apprehensive at first,” he said. “I didn’t know what I was going to get into. But I had some great times, I thought the people were outstanding, I made a lot of friends, and it turned out to be one of the best times of my life.”

Fenton joined students from adjoining districts, including Greenville and Jamestown, as well as from Fredonia and Delaware Township, in coming to the fledgling district in 1960 when it first opened its doors to students.

The 2009-10 school year will be the 50th for the district, and on Sunday, the milestone was commemorated with an anniversary kickoff celebration at both of the district’s buildings.

Activities began with a car cruise in the parking lot of the high school featuring dozens of classic cars. Later, several speakers, some of whom are graduates of Reynolds, shared their experiences, and a guided tour of the elementary school building was conducted.

In the school there were different stations, some celebrating the district’s academic achievements, others its athletic exploits.

“It looks like they really did a good job of getting all the different areas (of the school) covered,” said Suellyn Wright, who graduated from Reynolds High School in 1962 and now lives in Alaska. “They covered academics, the plays, music and the sports.”

When Tim Brandt, Reynolds class of 1983, was asked how the buildings have changed since he graduated, he laughed and said, “I don’t know where to begin.

“There are a lot of little things,” he said. “It’s a little bit bigger, the weight room is in room 15 now — it used to be in a different room.”

Not all has changed, Brandt said.

“This floor has been here the day it was built,” he noted.

Many of the alumni said they enjoyed coming back to see their old classmates and teachers.

“Make sure you check this guy’s references,” a Reynolds teacher said about Brandt as others were talking to him.

In the gym, there was a tribute to the history of Reynolds athletics, which includes individual and team state championships by its powerhouse wrestling program as well as in track and field, and its many outstanding football teams.

Wrestling coach Brian Hills and former longtime coach Neal Lineman brought some of the memorabilia they’ve collected through the years, including medals, letter jackets, and even the wrestling shoes of all the individual state champions.

“I think we’re the only team that kept all of this stuff,” Lineman said.

Ron Park, Reynolds all-time leader in rushing yards on the football team, said that coming to the kickoff and seeing the memorabilia was the first time he’s been in the building since he graduated from high school.

“I was impressed with the new bleachers (in the gym),” he said. “They really went the whole nine yards.”

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