Remember the floating wooden floors? Remember “The Hole?” Remember Al Maccioli?
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re probably affiliated with John Simpson School in some way. And although the building’s demolition has begun, the memories attached to the school are enduring.
Former student and principal, Mel Coleman, described what it was like attending the school in 1954-1956. During that time, Robert Glass was principal and Coleman’s mentor.
“I can remember in 1954, the Cleveland Indians, which was my favorite team, played against the New York Giants in the World Series, and Mr. Glass turned the radio on in his office so we could hear the game,” said Coleman.
As principal, Coleman was awarded the “Golden Corn Award” for the jokes he told over the PA system. Although the students didn’t find his jokes funny, (hence the “corn”) he said it caught their attention and even encouraged some students to give Coleman jokes to tell.
“I would always tease the kids that I knew all of the best hiding places in the school,” he said.
The same year Coleman first became principal (1973) coincided with the invention of the Work Study Center, or “The Hole.” According to a John Simpson student, “The Hole,” served a station where disobedient students were sent to work on their studies.
In 1978, when a blizzard hit Mansfield, John Simpson School was used as a warming shelter, recollected Coleman. “That was the only school building in town still heated by coal,” he said, “so we opened it up as a shelter for people, but it was so bad out that no one could get there.”
John Simpson alum Stacey Hammer Faggart described a distinct memory she has about the school during her freshman year in 1978.
“Throughout the last half of that year the students were collecting things to be placed in a time capsule,” she said. Before attending their prom, students placed all of their donated items into a time capsule and buried it near the east side of the building she stated. “There should be a marker or tree where we buried it, and I’m pretty sure it’s still there,” she said.
One year later, Coleman passed the torch to Doug Castle, who served as principal from 1979-2000.
“I wanted the school to get even better than when I was there, and I think that happened,” said Coleman.
The year Castle came marked the same year in which the school switched from being a junior high school (seventh, eighth, and ninth grades) to a middle school (sixth, seventh, and eighth grades).
Making that switch was extremely beneficial, said Castle. As a junior high, the ninth grade schedule dictated the rest of the student body’s schedule, he said, so transitioning to a middle school system made the school “much more student-centered.”
Castle commended the staff that he worked with, highlighting Mike Dick, who served as assistant principal for 15 years under Coleman and Castle. “He was a fabulous assistant principal and a good person to work with,” said Castle.
Together, Castle and Dick aimed at meeting the needs of their students through the offering of various programs in which students could get involved. “We worked with different organizations like mental health facilities and the court systems to make sure the needs of the kids were being met,” said Castle. He added, “We took kids to the Mansfield Playhouse and to Ashland University to let them experience college.”
Prior to his principality, Castle was a science teacher. He mentioned one memory he has while teaching.
“I remember the rainstorms because the ceiling leaked and the water would run down into the globe lights causing some of them to blow up,” he said with a laugh.
He further commented on a health teacher and coach who had a tremendous impact on not only Castle, but several other administrators as well as students and staff: Al Maccioli.
“He was a fabulous guy and caring individual… He was the epitome of an educator who cared for people,” said Castle. Mike Dick added that Maccioli oversaw in-school suspension and some of the students wanted to go just because he was there.
Throughout the years, John Simpson School saw the likes of community leaders and government officials, including Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). In 1973, Brown substituted as a teacher for an eighth grade math class at John Simpson for three weeks. From 1974 to 1980 he substitute taught a few days a year at John Simpson as well as Johnny Appleseed, Mansfield Senior, and Malabar.
“I had good memories substitute teaching at John Simpson Middle School,” Brown stated.
Although never an attendee of John Simpson, Dana Haag found herself very involved at the school. While her sons attended John Simpson, she served as PTO president and facilitated art classes. Later, she founded the Mansfield Senior High/Malabar High School Alumni Association and organized the John Simpson farewell party. She currently serves as secretary for the alumni association and oversees all of the Mansfield City Schools’ Facebook pages, including John Simpson’s.
Her passion for Mansfield City Schools is further indicated through the several boxes of MCS newspapers, pictures, documents and other memorabilia. “I’ve always had school spirit,” she said. “I had such a great experience when I went to school.”
She said she admired English teacher Lois McCullough and Principal Doug Castle. “Nobody has a bad word for him. Even the kids that got in trouble still loved him and respected him,” said Haag about Castle.
She commented on a unique phenomenon regarding the school’s structure.
“A lot of people mention the ‘floating’ wooden floors if you ask them what they remember about the school. In one of the building’s hallways, there is a hump in the floor where it appears that the floor is “floating,” Haag said.
Before the school closed in 2007, Haag organized a farewell party for teachers, staff, and alumni. The party was held in the cafeteria at John Simpson. After everyone ate, they had the opportunity to share a memory they had about the school.
“That lasted over three hours and no one wanted to go,” said Haag. “And there were a lot of tears.”
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