The Salem Community High School Academic Hall of Fame has seven new members following a weekend induction ceremony.
Four were in attendance to accept their awards.
Dr. Mason Jett (right) with SCHS Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering.
Dr. Mason Jett of the Class of 1965 noted he received a lot of help from people along the way and he was grateful for their support. He holds special thoughts for former SCHS Superintendent B.E. Gum who was a friend of his parents and grandparents.
“Everybody thought that I didn’t have to study very hard in high school. What they didn’t realize was why I didn’t take any books home because I had an extra set at home. Made possible by the secretaries at the hospital who managed for me to buy an extra set of books.”
Dr. Jett performed general surgery and specialize care in burns and non-healing wounds for 35 years in Oklahoma City before his retirement.
Dr. Martha (Heck) Stiehl (right) with SCHS Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering.
Dr. Martha (Heck) Stiehl of the Class of 1968 admitted some surprise with being inducted for her work in music and said she was exceptionally lucky to be raised in Salem. She also pushed for more fine arts in the schools.
“This afternoon you are going to hear a lot of musicians. They are life sports. They are musicians. That is a life sport. If this school wants to teach a life sport they should teach that. You are teaching them from the heart, with your brain. You need the best teachers in your hearts and then you will have a full community. And I thank Salem for doing that for me.”
Stiehl pointed out Charlotte Holt who was her “project” for all four years of high school for teaching her to read music and challenging her. She says that preparation continued to help her when she played with orchestras around the world.
CJ Holthause (right) with SCHS Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering.
CJ Holthause from the Class of 1989 who went on to earn a Computer Science Degree from the University of Illinois was inducted for his work in developing computer chips first with Centaur Technology and now Intel.
“The current technology are just millions of dollars and just very expensive. I’m very thankful for the billionaires that funded Centar Technology and even for them it’s the sport of kings and it’s so expensive. The best course of action was for us to move and go work for Intel.”
Holthaus gave special credit to retired SCHS teacher and coach Kirby Phillips for the impact he has had on his life.
Dr. Chuck Munter (left) with Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering.
Dr. Charles Munter from the Class of 1993 was recognized for his work in the mathematics education field where he has done research and earned a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University after working as a high school teacher. He currently holds a faculty position at the University of Missouri. Munter encouraged everyone to advocate on behalf of teachers and school staff, noting it may be one of the most difficult times to be a teacher.
“The over standardization of what we do in school. I like math, that’s my thing, but it’s way too important. I agree with Dr. Stiehl, we ought to be teaching more art and music and make time for that stuff. Over scrutiny of teachers and what they are doing to support our students. The outright censorship and ideas that are being disallowed to share and engage in talking about. And then the over-testing.”
Munter apologized for not always being the best student and encouraged those who were impacted by a teacher to write a note of thanks or maybe a letter of apology for their actions in high school. He also ran through a long list of his teachers who impacted his life led by Kirby Phillips who he called his biggest inspiration to be an educator.
Pam Herrington (left) accepts a plaque on behalf of her mother ‘Tommie’ Clara Belle Harrington-Adams from SCHS Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering.
The daughter of “Tommie” Clara Belle Harrington-Adams of the Class of 1939 accepted her award for entering the Academic Hall of Fame. She was recognized for her work in the nursing field, first in the military and World War II and later at Twin Willows and Doctor’s Nursing Homes and as Director of the Givens cancer care wing at St. Mary’s Hospital.
Two others were unable to attend the awards ceremony. Dr. Martha McMackin Garland Davis of the Class of 1960 was honored for her work as an educator and administrator at Ohio State University. Dr. Rita Nanda of the Class of 1989 was honored for her work in breast cancer research.
Each inductee received a plaque attached to a glass block that was earlier part of a wall inside Salem Community High School.
