The Rayen Retrospective

Introduction

Rayen School. The Rayen School. It’s known by both names. For thousands of students from 1866 through 1922 on Wick Avenue, and from 1922 through 2007 on Benita Avenue, it was our school. Rayen School comes to an end in the fall of 2007, its students transferred to the new East High School. The Benita Avenue building will be coming down to make way for renewal and modernization.

Rayen School was two beautiful buildings. We can talk with pride about the classic design of the Wick Avenue school, and about the unique ramps and beautiful auditorium in the Benita Avenue school, with its large hallways found in no other school, and the great football games in the stadium. But it would be a mistake to define Rayen in those terms.

Ask any graduate to reflect on what Rayen did for them and their education and they will all give you the same answer. It was the teachers who pushed us and commanded us to do our best. The environment they created in the classrooms was a catalyst for learning. The mix of students: color, creed, ethnic group, neighborhood, religion, and education, that sense of family, all made for a wonderful place to learn.

We did not set out to write a history of Rayen, although there is a great deal of that in our book. This book is an attempt to look back on those 141 years of Rayen School and try to answer the question, what was The Rayen School and why did it mean to so much to so many students? Starting in 1866 with the endowment from Judge William Rayen, Rayen School was so unique that it took the state legislature to pass an act to carry out the instructions in his will. Trustees managed the school for many years, before turning it over to the Youngstown City Schools.

We called our book a “Retrospective”. We looked back on the many years with lots of pictures and stories, a compilation of as many different activities as possible. So many graduates did so well after Rayen; doctors, lawyers, scientists, scholars, sports, government, that it was impossible to research this and write their stories, although I’m sure there are hundreds that should be written about. Instead we selected just some who were unique or profound in some way that said something about the time in the life of Rayen or our town or country. Some were written to show relevance to today’s world.

With a few exceptions we wanted to present each year, some more than others. Academics, sports, music, teachers, students, achievements, the school, community, alumni, all to show a flavor of the time it was happening. Your going to learn things about Rayen School that will fill you with pride and wonder, that will certainly give you a “history” of Rayen.

We hope this will fulfill our goal of taking you down the wonderful path known as The Rayen School.

Harry Mays and Betsy Johnquest.

Harry Mays is a 1958 Rayen graduate, Betsy Johnquest taught English at Rayen for the last 18 years.

15 more days of school at Rayen

The countdown is on...students and teachers are marking the days off the calendar...but of course this isn't an ordinary end to a school year. It is an end to an era. Rayen's last class of 2007 had a wonderful prom, and now they are looking forward to senior week, the senior picnic, grad nite at Cedar Point, the baccalaureate, graduation, and of course, all the graduation parties!

As far as I know at this point, there is nothing planned in June for an alumni farewell...we had that in September with the Alumni Reception on the Homecoming weekend. See the pictures posted on this website.

This website will continue to exist for an indefinite time after Rayen is gone. The most important function of this website right now is to get the word out about THE BOOK. "The Rayen Retrospective" or "The Rayen Retro" is scheduled to be published this August, 2007. The book will span the years from 1866 through 2007, spotlighting each decade of Rayen students. The book will cost only $20...yes, that's right. Only $20. Some literature went out with the price of $30...so I hope this post corrects that. We are taking orders now...get your order in soon. We are only planning on printing 1000 copies.

We are researching the archives at the Arms Museum as well as scanning in memorable moments from each yearbook. We need help with the decades of the 70's, 80's, and 90's.
Grads have sent me information on their friends and relatives as well as about themselves! So if you want someone or some event or organization remembered in this book, please send me some info or post it on this website.

The Rayen Retro is also supported by ads...you can download the ad info as well as the order blank from this website. do it NOW!

The Rayen Class Ring

For decades Rayen grads wore the traditional gold band with the original Rayen School embossed on the front along with the years 1866. Several years ago, Jim Beeman, ’63, tracked down the jeweler who had the design. The search wasn't too hard because Randy Ramsey '61 is the jeweler who has the mold.

If you are interested in getting a ring, prices and a picture of the ring are found in the Store section of this website. It is possible to get a ring with your year on it if at least five people order one. Beware though, the price will be considerably more.

I’m just throwing this out as an idea…maybe some alumni would like to purchase a Rayen ring with the years 20/07 on the side. Even though 2007 isn’t your year of graduation, it would be significant as Rayen’s last year.

I think a ring with the last year would be somewhat of a collector’s item. Plus, gold is a good investment now…and hey, even though I didn’t graduate from Rayen, I’m thinking of getting a 2007 ring to wear on my pinkie

Check out the pictures of a 1963 ring in our Rayen Store.

The Rayen Mural

Read this doc on Scribd: The mural story

Read this doc on Scribd: Saving the mural

The Commemorative Book

When we got the word a year or so ago that Rayen would definitely be closed, I felt a personal responsibility as the yearbook advisor to document Judge Rayen’s legacy and the 141 years of education that he endowed for Youngstown’s children.

So, the idea of doing a commemorative yearbook came to me. At first I wasn’t sure if I would have any support for a book like this, but in the past few months I’ve gained the confidence to go forward with this project. Along with a group of student volunteers, we are going to produce a book that sums it all up….what this school has been to all the different generations of students who have walked the halls of dear old Rayen. I’d also like to spotlight families you have sent generations of children to Rayen. It will be quite a project! And I’d like your help in making this book a treasured keepsake for everyone.

First of all, I need pictures. I will be scanning in highlights from the yearbooks that I have access to. I have most of them. I also need stories…you can create your own blog on this site to send me your memories of Rayen. You can also upload pictures to this site. We will add them to our picture gallery for website visitors to see.

Pictures, memories…oh yes…and history! What tidbits of history do you know about Rayen? Can anyone answer this question? When did The Rayen School take the Tigers as our mascot? We are hoping to have a fold out section in the book so we can include the mural in its entirety.

For this book to become a reality, we need advertisements to pay for the printing. Maybe you would like to take out a full page add to honor your family members who went to Rayen. So far, the McLaughlins and the Patricks will spotlight their family in the commemorative book. Click on the link for the Commemorative Book and you will be able to find more information on the ads.

We are planning to distribute the commemorative issue in the Fall of 2007. So, if you want to send me pictures or memories, you have until next summer to get it to me.

Happy New Year 2007

I write this message with a bittersweet feeling…happy new year. It is now 2007 and this will be Rayen’s last year. Seems too hard to believe. I didn’t graduate from Rayen, but many of my aunts and uncles did. My parents went to Rayen in the 30’s, and my grandmother graduated from The Rayen School in 1909.

Over the past 18 years at Rayen, I’ve taught English, Speech, Drama, Journalism, and the Yearbook – not all at the same time, of course! I feel blessed to have spent most of my teaching career in a school that has come to mean so much to me. Each year I met wonderful students who made me realize what a rewarding career teaching can be.

But now our days at Rayen are numbered. The school will close this June, and it will be torn down by August. When I walk through the wide halls of Rayen it is hard to believe it will all soon be just a memory.

I will try to keep you abreast of what’s happening through this “blog.” Let me know what you would like to see on this website and we will try to make it happen for you!