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On January 1, 1961, Vienna Township schools officially consolidated with neighboring Fowler Township to form the Fowler-Vienna Local School District. Members of the Board of Education, appointed by the County Board, were Maurice Clute, Rudy Schuller, Genie Ulp, and Dale Bartholomew. Gertrude Lewis was appointed Clerk, Ralph Scott, Assistant Clerk, W. M. Hammack, Executive Head, and Andrew Cvercko, Principal.
The consolidated district began to operate in September of 1961 with 1,227 pupils.
The Vienna Centralized School building was used as the high school for the newly formed district. Fowler's school building housed the junior high, grades 7 and 8. It became necessary to rent rooms at the Youngstown Air Base to house several of the elementary grades. Hendricks I and Hendricks II were the names of the barracks where students attended classes at the base, named after Colonel R. Hendricks.
The Board planned and built two elementary schools, one in each township. Construction for Vienna's elementary school began in 1965 and it was named after Beryl Baker, a long-time elementary school teacher in the Vienna school system, while Fowler's elementary school building was named after Daisy Currie, a longtime music teacher in the Fowler school system. Both buildings were opened in time for the 1967-1968 school year.
The 45th Annual Commencement ended an era in public high school history in Vienna. The Class of 1961, all 49 graduates, was the last to obtain diplomas with "Vienna High School" inscribed upon them. The baccalaureate occurred on Sunday, May 21, 1961 followed by the commencement exercises on Wednesday, May 24, 1961. Both events took place in the Vienna High School Memorial Auditorium.[1]
In 1962 the high school was renamed Mathews High School, in memory of Ithel F. Mathews, a revered former teacher and beloved friend of many in the community. Mathews High School's First Annual Baccalaureate and Commencement celebrated the achievements of 56 graduates in the Class of 1962. W. M. Hammack served as Superintendent and Andrew Cvercko served as Principal and Music Director. The baccalaureate occurred on Sunday, May 20, 1962 followed by the commencement exercises on Wednesday, May 23, 1962. Both events took place in the Mathews High School Memorial Auditorium.[2]
1960 DIPLOMA:Before consolidation, "Vienna High School" was listed as the school on a graduate's diploma.The district name was omitted but the school was considered part of the Vienna Township Rural School District.Image courtesy of Barbara Powell Scott
1961 DIPLOMA:1961 was the final year that "Vienna High School" was listed on a graduate's diploma.Note that the name of the district changed in January 1961 to "Fowler-Vienna School District."This diploma shows that the district is "Fowler-Vienna," even though students were not combined until the 1961-1962 school year.Fowler High School diplomas from 1961 also read "Fowler-Vienna School District."Image courtesy of Joseph Kollar
1962 DIPLOMA:After consolidation, graduates of the class of 1962 were the first to receive diplomas that read "Mathews Senior High School."Note that the district was listed as Fowler-Vienna Local School District in 1961 as well as 1962 on diplomas.Image courtesy of Barbara Haun Mazzella
The district kept this name until September 1, 1982 when it was renamed the Mathews Local School District.
Updated 8/13/2020
This article is adapted from Fred L. Martin and Genie Ulp, "Vienna Township Schools, Then and Now," in Vienna, Ohio, "Where We Live and Let Live": Town 4, Range 2, of the Connecticut Western Reserve (Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1999), p. 171.
[1] Vienna High School 45th Annual Commencement Program, Class of 1961.
[2] Mathews High School 1st Annual Baccalaureate and Commencement Program, Class of 1962.
[1] Vienna High School 45th Annual Commencement Program, Class of 1961.
[2] Mathews High School 1st Annual Baccalaureate and Commencement Program, Class of 1962.
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