Betcha Didn't Know

- The annual spring concert held in 1940 was the dedication program for the new auditorium at the present middle school.

- In 1849 the Chagrin Falls Board of Education adopted the use of McGuffey's Eclectic Books and Ray's Arithmetics for the Chagrin Falls Schools.

- In 1968 a press box was added to the visitor's bleachers at the high school athletic field.

- A domestic science department was formed at Chagrin Falls High School in 1915 with two divisions: sewing and cooking.

- In 1915 a manual training department was formed at Chagrin Falls High School because "the hands need training."

- In March, 1924, the schools were closed for three weeks due to a smallpox scare.

- The Chagrin Falls High School golf team finished fourth in the state golf tournament in 1991, finished third in 1992, and fourth in 1993. During those three years their record was 56 wins and 11 losses and 3 CVC championships.

- A bond issue to build a school at the old Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds (1874-1924), the present home of the high school campus, Sands School and the "Rec Center," was defeated in 1928. The first school built at the old fairgrounds was Sands School in 1957.

- In 1935 the P.T.A. bought the first "motion picture machine" for the Chagrin Falls Schools.

- For many years a carnival was held on Halloween night at the high school for the benefit of various school organizations.

- On November 30, 1943, the Chagrin Township Hall was partially destroyed by a fire.

- In the spring of 1947 Chagrin Falls High School conducted its first boxing tournament under the direction of Coach Quesinberry.

- In the fall of 1958 the Falls Footlighters presented Mardi Gras, the first costume dance at the high school.

- During the 1930's the Girls' Glee Club sang Christmas carols for the tubercular invalids at the Warrensville Sanitarium.

- There were 107 graduates in the class of 1991.

- The Chagrin Falls School District has 50 more students in the 1996-97 school year than it did last year, raising the district's enrollment to 1,874.  The 1896/97 school year had an enrollment of 326 students.

Jan. '98

- The first organizational meeting of the Chagrin Falls Board of Education was held May 25, 1849.

- Since 1852, 27 people have served as Superintendent of the Chagrin Falls Schools with W.S. Hayden performing the duties on two different occasions.

- In contracts with earlier superintendents it was a part of their contract that they teach so many classes per day.

- During the 1917 football season Chagrin Falls High School defeated Solon H.S. 74-0, Kent (Roosevelt) H.S. 80-0 and Ravenna H.S. 82-0.

- The Chagrin Falls High School football team of 1934 holds the record with the 1897 and 1900 squads for the least points scored (0). However, they did manage two 0-0 ties for the season.

- In 1962 substitute teachers in the Chagrin Falls schools were paid $15 per day. In 1997 substitute teachers were paid $60 per day.

- Lewis Sands served the most years as Superintendent of the Chagrin Falls Schools - 24 (1934-1958).

- Until 1926 Bell Road in South Russell was known as Soules' Corners Road. Early settlers at what is now the corner of Chillicothe and Bell Roads were three brothers, A.L., Benjamin and Myron Soule.

- The first Chagrin Falls High School newspaper was published November 29, 1922. In lieu of a better name it was called "C.F.H.S." Issue #2 of the high school newspaper dated January 10, 1923, had a name, "The Echo," which lasted for many years. Alvin Neuman '24 is credited as the founder of "The Echo.Ó

- Theodore C. "Ted" Gurney, Ralph Quesinberry and John Piai won a combined total of 320 football games, lost 218 and tied 30. Since 1897 and until the 1997 season, the "Tigers" have won 412 games.

- In the 1913 football season the orange and black overwhelmed Hudson H.S. by a score of 84-0 in the first game of the season and finished with a record of 5 wins and 1 loss.

- The 1918 football season was shortened due to the world-wide flu epidemic. Chagrin Falls Schools' 1997 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Everett Kline, Jr., finished his third straight season as captain.

- In the 1927 season the football team lost to Garfield Hts. H.S. by a score of 96-0.

- In 1930 the orange and black defeated Bainbridge H.S. by a score of 87-7 and Orange H.S. by a score of 54-0.

- The first Orange and Black Revue at Chagrin Falls High School took place in the spring of 1961.

- The 1978 Orange and Black Revue was directed by Ed Gardner and Tony Sharnas, teachers at the middle school.

- Under new head football coach, Michael J. "A.C." DePaola, and athletic nickname, the "Skippies," the 1941 season ended with only 1 win. The name "Skippies" came from a little dog that was the team mascot in the early 1940's.

- The first middle school yearbook was issued in 1968.

Aug. '98

- The Chagrin Falls shopping plaza was opened for business in 1959. Building of the plaza began in 1957.

- The Chagrin Falls Village Hall was seriously damaged by fire in January, 1962, and then restored several years later. At one time it was used as the village's public library. The historic building still remains as the Chagrin Falls Village Hall.

- The steps to the bottom of the natural falls were built by the Jaycees in 1963.  A grist mill once stood on that site.

- The Popcorn Shop was built in 1875 and served as a display room for the products of the grist mill next door where the "Stairway to the Falls" is located.

- In 1979 the varsity soccer team won the CVC title and finished the season with a 9-3-4 record. Mario Gerhardt remains as varsity soccer coach at Chagrin Falls High School.

- Chagrin Hardware is located in a building where there has been a hardware store since 1867. The Shutts family has operated the store since 1965. The following Shutts family members are alumni of Chagrin Falls High School: Ken Shutts, Sr. '38, Ken Shutts, Jr. '63, Bob Shutts '64, Jack Shutts '66, Sue Shutts Johnson '67, Steve Shutts '70, and Jared Shutts 2003.

- Squaw Rock, located in the South Chagrin Reservation (Cleveland Metroparks) was carved by Henry Church, Jr. in 1885. He was the second child born in the settlement of Chagrin Falls.

- Evolving from the rowdy "Seniors of '79," in the 1978-79 school year an organized group of high-strung, loud, often obnoxious, but always spirited Tiger fans rocked the gym with a new spirit club known as the "Zoo."  The "Zoo Keeper" in 1980 was Dave Revelle. Presently Dave is a pilot with the U.S. Navy.

- The first mayor of Chagrin Falls was John Bullard in the 1840's. For many years his home on West Washington

Street was the parsonage for the present Federated Church of Chagrin Falls.

- Tiger football captains during the 1950's were as follows: 1950 Ç Ken Wiley and Don Evans; 1951 Ç Jim Fitzpatrick; 1952 - Larry Kachele; 1953 - Jon Fitzpatrick and Pete Shelton; 1954 - Larry Wiley; 1955 - Darryl "CorkyÓ Solether; 1956 Ç Dave Banning and John Thomas; 1957 - Steve VanNort; 1958 - Bill Cordes and Rick Thomas; 1959 - Don Mitchell.

- In 1961 a separate "little red schoolhouseÓ was built next to the Lewis Sands School. This section of Lewis Sands School will be torn down this summer to make way for a new 7th and 8th grade building next to the present high school.

- The Sassy Cat building was originally built as a harness shop in 1846.  Peters' Bakery occupied the building from 1946 to 1964.

- During the late 1800's one wing of the Chagrin Falls Township Hall was used as a jail.

- In 1983 Gurney School was closed due to declining enrollment.

- In 1988 Gurney School was opened due to increasing enrollment. At that time major renovations were made at Gurney School.

- During the Civil War the property on what is now 68 West Summit Street was a grove used for a Civil War fund-raiser. Later it became known as "Stoneman's GroveÓ after the property was purchased by Grace Stoneman.

- In 1961 a new gymnasium and language arts building, now used as the cafeteria and commons at the high school, were built.

- In 1892 a 750-seat assembly hall and elementary classrooms were added to the Philomethian Street School. The brick Philomethian Street School was torn down in 1940.

- The Chagrin Falls High School cafeteria had the following menu on

May 29, 1947:

Plate Dinner - meat loaf, green beans, potatoes .15

Soup - chicken noodle or tomato .05

Sandwiches - cheese, deviled egg or jelly .08

Salads - tossed, waldorf or pineapple .10

Dessert - ice cream, cake or pudding .05

Milk - chocolate or white .06

- Chagrin Falls graduated 115 students in 1963.  Until that date that was the largest graduating class. In 1962 diplomas were given to 99 students and in 1961, 77 seniors graduated. The class of 1954 had 44 graduates.

- In 1910 there were 2194 books in the Chagrin Falls Public School library.

- An innovation for the Chagrin Falls High School band in the fall of 1947 was the wearing of flashlights on the band hats. Also new that year, majorette Jo Ann Honeywell '48, used a lighted baton.

Aug. '98

- The first Thespian Club started at Chagrin Falls High School was initiated by English teacher, Eleanor Nunvar in 1929. Its first president was Eleanor Brown '29. They presented six plays in their first year of existence.

- Geauga Lake held dog races at its Bainbridge race track in the 1930's.  The admission charge was 25 cents.

- Quoted from Ralph Miller's 1945 football banquet program: "first quarter, salad; second quarter, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and peas; third quarter, pie-a-la-mode; fourth quarter, coffee."

- During the 1935 football season Chagrin Falls High School acquired the nickname, "Wildcats", from local Athletic News sports writer, Tom Walling. The name lasted one season.

- The "little red schoolhouse" at Lewis Sands School was connected with the original Lewis Sands building in 1971. However, it no longer exists as the new 7th and 8th grade school is being built at that location.

- The first teacher hired to teach art in the Chagrin Falls Schools was Grace Cook in 1927.

Jan. '99

- Chagrin Falls' reputation as an art center had an early beginning.  Henry Church, Jr., born in Chagrin Falls in 1836, was a blacksmith in the village and a gifted artist. Noted not only for his carving of Squaw Rock in the Chagrin Metropolitan Park, his works are in prestigious collections and museums including the Folk Art Museum in Williamsburg, VA.

- The first teacher hired to teach art in the Chagrin Falls Schools was Grace Cook in 1927.

- A popular swimming and recreation area in the 1930's and 1940's was located along the Aurora branch of the Chagrin River by River Road in Bentleyville. It was known as Wallace Beach and named after the mayor of Bentleyville, Bill Wallace.

- The Chagrin Falls men's basketball individual game scoring record is held by Ken Lauterer '56, who scored 36 points against Strongsville High School during the 1955-1956 season and Bill Cordes '59, who scored 36 points against Kent State High School during the 1958-1959 season.

- The Chagrin Falls women's basketball individual game scoring record is held by Jane Phend '83, who scored 43 points against Twinsburg High School during the 1980-1981 season.

- The Chagrin Falls Village Hall, built in 1874, was originally the Washington Gates residence. Alterations in its appearance were made when rebuilding was necessitated following a fire on January 3, 1962.

- Quote from the March 15, 1883, Chagrin Falls Exponent: "Sitting in the Exponent sanctum last evening we heard by telephone, distinctly, a man talking in New York City 700 miles away!Ó

- Prior to his presidency, James A. Garfield roomed at 23 Water Street while contracting work for the old Disciples Church, at that time located on Walnut Street.

- The fire in 1897 at the Irving House Hotel on the corner of Washington and Main Streets (present Key Bank location), initiated the beginning of the Chagrin Falls Fire Department.

- In 1923 there were 19 teachers employed by the Chagrin Falls Board of Education with a total enrollment of 700. The graduating class from the high school had 32.

- Crane's Canary Cottage Restaurant, presently Gamekeepers Tavern and The Inn of Chagrin Falls, was built by C. A. Crane, the man who invented the "Life SaverÓ candy. John D. Rockefeller had a special table at the restaurant overlooking an attractive patio. He and his sons helped to make the restaurant famous.  A reception for Charles Lindberg was also held there and Lindberg stayed overnight in an upstairs room. C. A. Crane was also the father of

Hart Crane, the famous American poet. 

- The first of many future developments in South Russell was Paw Paw Lake in 1921. It was developed by Wade McIlrath and named for the paw paw trees that grew around the lake. Many early residents of the lake were members of the Masonic Fraternal Order.

April '99

- The prelude to Blossom Time in the Valley during the 1930's was an event titled Chagrin Valley Home Week which included, among other things, a carnival and a parade with a queen titled, "Queen of the Blossoms."

- In 1873 the Union Fair Association of Chagrin Falls purchased 34 acres on the south side of E. Washington Street to build a half-mile horse racing track.  One year later because of the new track, Chagrin Falls was selected as the site for the Cuyahoga County Fair. 

- At the first Cuyahoga County Fair in Chagrin Falls, as an added attraction, a $10.00 purse was presented to the winner of a footrace once around the track. The victor, in 1874, was Tom Bright of Chagrin Falls with a time of 2:38.5. Today, 125 years later, Chagrin Falls athletes still run on a portion of that original track.

- At a meeting of the Chagrin Falls Board of Education on September 2, 1926, the Board voted to accept the Village of South Russell into the school district.

- In the 1925-1926 school year Chagrin Falls had 635 pupils of school age while South Russell had 23.

- The most wins during a Chagrin Falls men's basketball season was 21. This was accomplished during the 1955-1956 and 1986-1987 seasons.

- The C.A.A. (Chagrin Athletic Association) was organized in 1968 for boys in the 5th through 8th grades. Only football and basketball was offered at that time.

- By 1972 the C.A.A. offered softball and basketball for girls.

- The Chagrin River was first named the Elk and it appeared as such on a map prepared by Lewis Evans in 1755. Later the river was called Shaguin to memorialize Sieur de Saguin, a French trader in the area.

- In 1881 the cost per pupil to run the Chagrin Falls Union Schools was $9.30. Also in 1881 the market price for eggs was 12 cents a dozen, butter was 18 cents a pound and apples were 30 cents a bushel.

- A 750-seat assembly hall and elementary schoolrooms were added to the old Philomethian Street School in 1892. It was torn down in 1940.

- In 1989 the high school science labs were renovated and a new entranceway was built at the Ralph L. Quesinberry Gymnasium.

- The class of 1988 has 10 members in the teaching profession.

- Retired Chagrin Falls teacher, Margaret Heitch Johnson, graduated from Chagrin Falls in the class of 1920.

- In 1887 "desirable" lots on Cottage and North Streets were being sold for "$3.50 to $5.00 per foot front" according to the local paper, The Chagrin Falls Exponent.

- The most wins during a Chagrin Falls women's basketball season was 28. This was accomplished during the 1997-1998 season when the Lady Tigers won the Division III State Championship and became the only undefeated team, men or women, in the state of Ohio.

- The Chagrin Falls Exponent ended publication in 1964.

- The Chagrin Valley Little Theater, organized in 1929, held its productions in the "Opera House", the 1895 second floor addition to Township Hall, until it was destroyed by a fire in 1943.

- The Chagrin Falls women's basketball team opened their 1925-1926 basketball season with a 30-0 win over the Spencerian College team of Cleveland, OH.

- During the 1958-1959 school year the junior high school (grades 7 and 8) had a 45-minute class period. It encompassed a 9-period day from 8:05 to 3:34. The high school had a 60-minute class period encompassing a 7-period day from 8:05 to 3:45.

- In 1898 the tax rate in Chagrin Falls Village, including the school tax, was $3.30 per $100.00. It was the second highest rate in a list of 39 Cuyahoga County subdivisions. The Chagrin Falls rate included $1.00 for schools.

Aug. '99

- By 1918 460 students had graduated from Chagrin Falls High School (Girls-278; Boys-182). The first graduate was Hugh Christian in 1879.

- In 1899 the first annual Chagrin Falls High School football banquet was held at the Irving Hotel where the Key Bank is presently located at the corner of E. Washington Street and N. Main Street.

- 28 Chagrin Falls graduates served in World War I.

- The first class at Chagrin Falls High School to wear caps and gowns at graduation was the class of 1932.

- During the 1955-1956 basketball season the men's basketball team set the school scoring record by beating Independence H.S. 106-52.