History buff asks BOE to proclaim Nov. 15 CHS Day

By Carol McIntire

Editor

Ron Colaprete made a pitch to the Carrollton Exempted Village School District Board of Education last week to proclaim Nov. 15 CHS Day.

Colaprete, the school’s assistant athletic director and a history buff, addressed the board during the Oct. 10 meeting, saying the day holds significance in the school’s history.

“It was on that day in 1869 that Carrollton High School opened its doors for the first time,” Colaprete said. “It marked the beginning of a new era in education for the Carrollton School system along with a newly built school called “Union School.”

He provided a copy of the official notice, printed in a local newspaper at that time, announcing the opening. The notice announced the first term of the school, the winter term, would commence Nov. 15 and continue 16 weeks. The spring term would open the first week in April.

On the bottom of the notice, the “Term of Tuition” was listed.

Colaprete explained the school was built inside the village of Carrollton and tuition was free to residents of the village. However, students living outside the village were welcome to attend, however, they were required to pay tuition. Cost to attend the high school department was $2 per month; grammar department $1.50 per month and primary department $1.00 per month. Also of note was an announcement on the bottom of the notice that “Boarding and rooms can be had in Carrollton, as low as in any other town in Eastern Ohio.” 

The notice was signed by the three members of the board of education. 

Colaprete spoke with High School Principal Jason Eddy and Assistant Craig Brooks about possible plans to celebrate.

The board agreed to discuss the proposal at the Nov. 7 meeting.

In an unrelated matter, Superintendent Dave Davis noted administrators are discussing the district’s Report Card with building administrators and teachers and looking for ways to improve for next year. Davis told the board he believes one area of improvement will help in all other areas is the attendance rate. 

“We had 21 percent of students miss 18 or more days of school last year (either excused or unexcused),” he said. “Clearly, if we get kids here more often, they will perform better in their classes and on the state tests.”

The superintendent also reported on the recent Grandparents Day, held in the middle school – the first time in the new building. He called the number of attendees, between 150 and 200 persons, “a great turnout,” noting choir students sang the National Anthem, band students played the school fight song and several students got up in front of the entire auditorium and read poems they wrote about their grandparents.