Cuyahoga Falls High School - Cuyahogan Yearbook (Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

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I ABOVE: To encourage business, each I owner pul down a sidewalk of his own and the rail was put up in order to lie the PV horses. This picture may remind us of the WW old west, but remember, this was the old west. TOP RIGHT: The old stone from the original cily hall rests in the memorial park on Broad Blvd. RIGHT: Taylor Library is the second largest library in Summit County; it is located on the comer of Third and Broad. The original library was once just a small brick building. The City 9

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ABOVE: The river front with its new mall and condominums is in direct contrast to the earlier industrial banks of the river. RIGHT: A favorite spot in the summer is Water Works Park. In addition to its park and picnic areas, there is an Olympic sized pool, 32-foot water slide, and sports facilities which provide recreation. Go WestI After Henry Wetmore settled the Cuyahoga Valley, word filtered back to Connecticut that the Cuyahoga valley’s soil and climate made it a favorable place to live and work. The eastern United States, which was experiencing a cold summer in 1816, had suffered the loss of many crops and livestock. Connecticut farmers suffered heavily. The move to the banks of the Cuyahoga River offered the migrants hope for a better way of life. After the corporation in 1836, the development of industry along the river banks was chiefly responsible for the continued progression from a small village to an urban municipality. The ci- ty was then chartered in 1922. 8 The City

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Historical Building Blocks Until the post Civil War years, the “Lyceum,” located in the church park commons served the community as a high school. The Lyceum organization was headed by William H. Taylor, who later established a free public library. The pre- sent Taylor Memorial library is a tribute to him and his wife. In 1869, construction began on East School at 2075 Germain Avenue and was completed in 1871. East served grades 1-12 until 1922 when plans were formulated to expand the high school because its space was inadequate shortly after it was opened. The addition which completed the present “old building” opened in 1927. The completion of this building was a big event as shown in the article from The Akron Sunday Times of 6 May 1928 when it described an “Educational Exposition which is the greatest display of its kind ever attempted in the city.” This expostition provided the public with an opportunity to “visit all the parts of the new high school building and see every phase of the school work as it actually is carried out.” Enter- tainment such as choirs, the orchestra, and “physical training skill demonstrations” sparked the three day affair. The closing of East School in 1938, due to structural problems, overburdened Broad, Crawford, Grant, and Lincoln elementary schools. Construction at that time was impossible because as one Cuyahoga Falls School’s report stated, “A 45% reduction in the tax duplicate during the depression hampered the issuing of bonds for new construction.” Then WWT brought about a shortage of building materials and the post war inflation also was a factor in the shortage of funds. It was also in 1949 that the high school expanded again. This time an industrial arts annex was added so that the metal shop and the two wood shops could have adequate equipment and space while at the same time providing additional classrooms in the building. The 500 feet of the frontage where the high school set back from Fourth Street, served as the site for the next addition opened in 1960. This 3.1 million dollar wing contained 181,269 square feet. Its primary function was to provide the science and music departments with needed area as well as to give the School District Ad- ministrative Staff 23 offices. The last of the wings to be added reflected a change in the country’s educa- tional philosophy. In 1968,the vocational wing opened and offered training in cosmotology, practical nursing, auto ' mechanics, machine trades and drafting. The Vocational Education Act passed by Congress provided funding for such additions. The old building or original building was newly dubbed the “renovated” building after a massive facelift was completed in 1977. It was started during the school year in May, 1977. This was very inconvenient because the third floor couldn’t be used. In fact, all of the English classes had to be moved to other parts of the building, such as the wrestling and gymnastics room. There was also a class in the Board of Education Building and four classes oc- cupied the auditorium. Although the times may have been chaotic throughout the high school’s ex- istence, the building has withstood all of the changes. This view of the original building is from the present between the vocational wing and the original building, day Fourth Street. The stone facing on top of the Unfortunatley this historical piece is tucked away where building .over the front door, now rests in the courtyard few people see it. 10 High School Building History