Congratutions to Nephew Joey!!

Congratulations to nephew Joey, a proud graduate of Margaretta High School, 2012!! Joey is seen to the left with his cousin Amber, also a 2012 MHS grad. This was the first time that my mom, Joyce Parker Orshoski, was unable to be at her grandchild's graduation. (That is of the grandchildren from Ohio.... She did miss some of the graduations of the grandkids who reside in Georgia.) Mom was at Katie & Casey's double graduation celebration in 2010, not long before she lost her battle with cancer. Mom was such a booster of Margaretta High School, and she would have been so glad to attend yet another graduation.






Here are just a few of the Orshoski grandkids who shared in the celebration of MHS's 2012 graduation.
















Our extended family still gets together often, and we think of Mom and Dad every day!

















GO BEARS!!

Visiting with the Margaretta Class of 1949 at Their 62nd Reunion

On August 20, 2011, several members of the Margaretta Class of 1949 met for their 62nd class reunion. This would have been the first class reunion that Mom missed. She was the unofficial historian of Margaretta Local Schools, but of course she had a particular interest in the Class of 1949! Deceased members of the Class of '49 were remembered with a picture and a green votive candle. Our mom, Joyce Parker Orshoski, is pictured on the left side of the image below.

Here is a group photo of the Class of '49.

Everyone had fun looking at the old photo albums.

We shared a lot of tears, but also had a lot of happy remembrances today.

Thanks, MHS Class of '49, for letting Joyce's daughters visit with you and share in the celebration today! She would have SO enjoyed being there!

Russel Alspaugh, the Man who named the Margaretta Polar Bears

Russel Alspaugh, seen in the blue jacket next to his brother Leslie, was born in 1916 to Edward and Della Alspaugh. Sadly, Russ and Les's mother died when they were very young, in 1918. In the 1920 U.S. Census for Erie County, Edward Alspaugh is listed as a widow, with three children: Leslie, age 10; Leona, age 8; and Russel, age 3.

In the 1930's, both Russ and Les Alspaugh were amateur boxers. Russ fought in the featherweight division. In an undated clipping from the local student newspaper from Margaretta High School, an article tells how Russ Alspaugh was responsible for the naming of the "Polar Bears" as the mascot for the local school system in Castalia, Ohio. Denise Paul wrote the article for the Polar Press in the mid 1990's, after her grandmother, Joyce Orshoski, told her of an earlier article about Russ. It seems that since Russ was the president of the athletic association, he was not eligible to submit a nickname for the school mascot. So, he told his friend, Steve Uhas, to submit the name "Polar Bears" to the contest, which was run by the student council. The name of "Polar Bears" was chosen as the name of the Margaretta High School mascot, and Steve Uhas won a dollar for being chosen the winner. He split the dollar with Russ Alspaugh, so they each received fifty cents. Margaretta's mascot has been the Polar Bears ever since the contest which took place in the fall of 1935.

Russ Alspaugh was active in the local community, and remained a fan of the Margaretta Polar Bears for many years. Russ died on February 23, 2006. He was buried in the Castalia Cemetery next to his beloved wife Edie.

Mrs. Ida Gant

On May 31, 1962, the Sandusky Register featured a front page article about Mrs. Ida Gant, who died at the age of 101 in Sandusky. Ida was born into slavery in Oconee County, South Carolina during the time of the Civil War. (The exact date is not known.) She used to tell her children and grandchildren about how the slaves would hide their masters' valuable silver and watches in cabbage heads, so the Yankees would not steal them.

In 1917, after their home was mysteriously burned, Ida and her husband Lucas moved to Sandusky. The only possessions they brought were the clothes on their back. Lucas found work at the Farrell Cheek Foundry, and passed away in 1928.

The Gant family had several children. At the time of her death, Ida had outlived all her children except for one son, Arthur. She was survived by seventeen grandchildren, twenty-three great grandchildren and a great-great grandson. One grandson, London Gant, was an all-star athlete at Sandusky High School. He earned twelve athletic letters, for competing all four years in football, track, and basketball. London Gant was the second African American athlete at the University of Cincinnati. An injury sidelined his football career. London Gant's tombstone is in Block 77 of the North Ridge section of Oakland Cemtery.




Another descendant, Herman Gant, was also an outstanding athlete at Margaretta High School. Herman Gant died at the age of twenty one while serving in South Vietnam.

Ida Gant's descendants attended schools in Erie County, were very active in area churches, worked in Sandusky's factories, and many served their country in the Armed Forces during several different wars. Ida and Lucas Gant were among the founders of Ebenezer Baptist Church. Though there is no marker for Ida Gant at this time, she is buried in Lot Number 8, in Block 77 of the North Ridge at Oakland Cemetery. Her lot is just south of the marker for Samuel Cromer. (Click on the image for a larger view. London Gant's marker is visible behind the marker of Samuel Cromer.)