CHS history now ‘in the books’

By Carol McIntire

Editor

Thanks to a local historian, the 154-year history of Carrollton High School is, as they say, “in the books.”

It’s literally “in the books” thanks to Ronald J. (Ron) Colaprete, who recently finished and published a 400-plus page book that chronicles the history of the school back to its opening date on Nov. 15, 1869.

The former history teacher spent the last three years searching historical documents, talking to former superintendents and the families of deceased officials and compiling the information into the book, “The History of Carrollton High School – One hundred fifty-four years and counting”. The book became available for purchase on Amazon July 11. 

His look into the past will answer many questions for Carrollton High School graduates, such as the origin of the school colors, mascot and outline the story behind the alma mater. (How many graduates can remember the words to the alma mater?). 

Colaprete, who graduated from Carrollton High School in 1972, returned to his alma mater to work in the audio visual department and then was hired at the newly-built Buckeye Career Center (Buckeye Joint Vocational School at that time) in the same department. He worked at the New Philadelphia complex as the librarian and then a history teacher until 1979 when he retired from teaching.

Strangely though, it probably wasn’t his background in history that led to the publication of the book, it was the detective in him that led him to search for missing names on school historical sports photos.

As Colaprete was working in his “second career” as an assistant athletic director at Carrollton, a position he was hired to fill in 2009, he came across a photo in a box of memorabilia in the athletic office.

“One day I came across a box of old pictures, letters and sweaters that were donated and collected by the athletic director at that time (Jason Eddy, also a historian),” Colaprete said. “In the box I found a 1910 postcard and picture of the boys basketball team. There were only a couple names you could read. The detective in me had to find out the rest of the names. I did. And, then I found other pictures. I thought if I didn’t know the names, then a lot of other people didn’t either. It just snowballed from there.”

What started as a search for names, turned into two parts: Superintendents and CHS and the Carrollton Schools and 23 chapters.

“It started out as gathering information on sports teams and win-loss records,” Colaprete explained. “As I went through micro-film and old newspapers, I found out other things that led to other things and chapters in the books.”

“I found out three of our superintendents fought in the Civil War, two fought in World War II, one in Korea and two in Vietnam,” he continued. 

“Did you know one superintendent, J.B. Essig, was shot in the eye with a cannon ball and survived to become superintendent?” he asked turning the interview into a question-and-answer session.

“What I enjoyed the most about doing the research was that around every corner was a surprise,” he said with a laugh. 

On the pages, readers will find biographies on all superintendents. the names of all valedictorians and salutatorians since 1924, history of the school bell, how CHS became “the Warriors” and the history behind the school colors. The sports pages bring history to life with the names and faces of those who started sports programs at the school, delves into the Carrollton v Minerva rivalry and touches on heartbreak the school, teachers, staff and administrators endured. 

Colaprete’s research efforts led to the celebration of CHS Day every year on Nov. 15, the anniversary of the day the school’s doors were opened in 1969. 

He pitched an idea to the school board in early November 2023. The  board liked the idea and agreed to declare Nov. 15 of each year CHS Day and to conduct a celebration with students. 

The first celebration was held Nov. 15, 2023, and included cake, ice cream and, of course, some history trivia questions. 

Colaprete is donating proceeds from his labor of love to the Carroll County Genealogy Society. 

“I don’t want to profit from the book, I want to share the history of the school,” he said. 

Plans are in the works for book signing events, but have not been finalized. 

Books can be ordered on Amazon or by emailing Colaprete at [email protected] as he will have a limited supply available for signing events. 

What’s next for the man who’s spent over 50 years in the field of education?

Could it be another book?

Colaprete won’t commit but says he would like to complete a book he started a few years ago before but put it aside to complete the school history book.

“We’ll see,” were his final words.”