Oak Glen fields dedicated to honor former superintendent
Suzan L. Smith Fields of Dreams is home to school’s baseball, softball teams
FIRST RUN – Superintendent of Hancock County Schools Dan Enich presents former superintendent Suzan Smith with a commemorative home plate designed to mark Wednesday’s rededication of Oak Glen High School’s Field of Dreams complex in her honor. Smith initially envisioned the project while principal at the school, and saw its completion while superintendent. -- Craig Howell
NEW NAME — School officials were joined by members of Oak Glen High’s baseball and softball teams, as well as others from the Oak Glen community, Wednesday, in celebrating the renaming of the school’s baseball and softball complex in honor of former superintendent Suzan Smith. -- Craig Howell
FIRST RUN – Superintendent of Hancock County Schools Dan Enich presents former superintendent Suzan Smith with a commemorative home plate designed to mark Wednesday’s rededication of Oak Glen High School’s Field of Dreams complex in her honor. Smith initially envisioned the project while principal at the school, and saw its completion while superintendent. -- Craig Howell
NEW NAME — School officials were joined by members of Oak Glen High’s baseball and softball teams, as well as others from the Oak Glen community, Wednesday, in celebrating the renaming of the school’s baseball and softball complex in honor of former superintendent Suzan Smith. -- Craig Howell
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NEW MANCHESTER -- A 50-year career in local education, and a vision for the future of athletics at Oak Glen High School, were recognized Wednesday when the school's "Field of Dreams" complex was rededicated in honor of former superintendent of schools Suzan Smith.
The rechristened Suzan L. Smith Fields of Dreams originally came to fruition approximately 15 years ago, developed to be the home for Oak Glen's baseball and softball teams.
"This whole area was her vision," explained current Superintendent Dan Enich during a ceremony held just outside of the archway marking the entrance to the complex. "I promise you, we will finish the vision."
As part of Wednesday's festivities, Smith explained the idea came to her while she was principal at Oak Glen. She recalled looking out her office window and watching as the school's student athletes would get in their cars at the end of the school day to drive down Gas Valley Road to the ball field located by what is now the Hancock County Dog Park for baseball and softball.
Noting the school has had an unfortunate history of losing students in vehicle crashes, she felt having an on-campus facility would provide a needed layer of safety, initially bringing the idea up with George Danford and Bob Manypenny, who served as her assistant principals, and later to Norm Six. They all expressed interest, she said, but pointed out there was a lack of funding for such a project.
A fundraiser was held to get the ball rolling, but didn't get far, and Smith would leave Oak Glen to become the county's superintendent of schools.
Years later, she said, she again raised the idea; this time with former school board member Jerry Durante, and a plan was crafted to establish a bond levy to include the field projects as well as the construction of Weirton Elementary School.
"We had a lot of support," she said. "Everybody worked together and we made it happen. It took several years, but it's here and it's here to stay."
The Fields of Dreams would later be joined at Oak Glen by a multi-sport complex featuring a facility for the school's football and track teams. In recent months, the school board has implemented a project to update the Fields of Dreams, with new signage, scoreboards and lighting, and the installation of turf on both fields.
"I will cherish this as long as I live," Smith said of the honor, which had been announced by county school officials at the beginning of the school year.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)