New Brighton High School - Alaurum Yearbook (New Brighton, PA)

Page 12 text:

MR. S. W. LYONS The following article is in commemoration of our superintendent who is retiring this year alter forty years as an educator. The name ol S. VV. Lyons has hecome immortal in the halls ol New Brighton schools. The ladder ol success was not easily climhed hy Mr. Lyons and none ol the lower rungs were skipped. He was horn in the lowly Lalce Township, lvlercer County, Pennsylvania. His primary educa- tion was received in a small country school, alter which he attended lour years ol high school. He then attended college long enough to ohtain a teaching certificate. A most illustrious career was then loegun in a country school- house Where lvlr. Lyons taught all eight grades. Alter teaching country school lor four years, he attended and graduated from Grove City College. lVlr. Lyons then returned to his teaching career. this time as a supervisor. He received invaluable experience in several different schools. He was principal ol Sandy Lalce School for three years, principal ol Nlonessen High School lor two years, and principal ot lVlcKeesport elementary schools and High School for six years. ln 1918 Nlr. Lyons came to Nexv Brighton as Superintendent, a position which he has competently lilled lor the past twenty-live years. At that time the Central Building was the High School. Since Nlr. Lyons, arrival, many improvements and additions have been made to our school system. The new High School was huilt

Page 11 text:

DEDICATION Xvv. ilu- vlass of nine-lcen Ilundrecl and forly-tlwrc-0. clcclifnlc Unis lwcnly-first cali- lion of lllc Aluurum lo Dr. Lyons. our supcirirllcmleul, in zlpprccinlirm of the exvvllcnl gfuidnnfe wllicll fu' has given us during our lwclvc years of school ucfivilics.

Page 13 text:

to accommodate the rapidty increasing enrollment. The Vvhite Property was purchased and converted into a tine lihrary. with music. art, and domestic science rooms on the second ttoor. The Dawes lxlemorial Gymnasium was huitt, a much needed and deeply appre- ciated addition to our High School plant. Also. the present athletic liietd was acquired and has tween improved until we now have one ol the linest playing lietds in the Valley. The attendance ol New' Brighton Schools has increased trom 1600 to 2500 students, and the enrollment in High School has increased trom 130 to 936. The teaching statt in the high school is now composed ol 28 teachers. whereas there were only 7 teachers in 1918. hir. Lyons is a man of many achievements and varied activities. Among his numerous degrees are included a Ph. B. received from Grove City Coltegeg an honorary D. from Cieneva in 19403 and an honorary Lt.. D. from Cirove City College in 1942. Some ot his activities include heing the founder and second president ot the Beaver County Scho0lmen's Ctuh and an elder ot the First Preshy- terian Church for twenty years. During his twenty-live years as Superintendent ol Nexv Brighton schools, Wir. Lyons has restored order from chaos and has developed one ot the tinest school systems in western Pennsylvania. Xvhen aslced ahout his future plans. he replied, 1 am going to he a returned larmer, not a retired schootmasterf' tn closing, the entire school system wishes to express its deepest appreciation to ixtr. Lyons lor his splendid leadership and to propose this tarewelt toast: utgest wishes to lxftr. t-yons. great educator, out- standing teacter, and highly respected citizen.