There’s a new addition to the campus of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron: an Ohio historical marker at the corner of North Maple and Smith streets.
The sign was unveiled and dedicated during a ceremony on April 28.
(See the photo gallery above.)
Rainy weather forced the festivities to relocate inside the school’s LeBron James Arena. Students, faculty, staff alumni and others participated in the event.
The marker describes the histories of the two founding parish high schools, St. Vincent, established in 1907, and St. Mary, founded in 1897, as well as the religious orders that began the school’s tradition of excellence in Catholic education.
School officials acknowledged the attendance of two Dominicans, Sister Christine Mendiola and Sister Marilyn Ambrosic, and Merrylou Windhorst, a former Dominican. Sister Ambrosic is a 1962 St. Mary alumna and Windhorst is a former faculty member who still volunteers at STVM.
Also, Bill Helmkamp, St. Vincent class of 1971, the Alumni Association and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation were thanked for their financial support and efforts to secure the historical marker for the campus.
The first class graduated in 1901 from St. Mary High School. The first football team was formed in 1922. The basketball team won the state Class B championship in 1929. In 75 years of operation, St. Mary High School had 4,351 graduates. Two members of the first graduating class – Merle Schwalbach and John Gilhooly – were ordained priests.
St. Vincent High School’s first class graduated in 1910. In its 65 years of operation, it had 6,626 graduates.
The two schools merged and became St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 1972 with an enrollment of 700 at the new, $3 million building at 15 North Maple St., Akron. The first STVM class of 237 students graduated the following year.
STVM is a four-year, coeducational college preparatory, Marianist sponsored and STEM-designated Catholic high school that has been part of the Akron community for more than 125 years. The school has more than 17,000 alumni.
Leo Hyland serves as president and Kimberlee Gorr is principal.
Click here for more information on STVM.