By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Six people who have went through Galion City Schools’ hallways found themselves immortalized by the school Saturday night, not just for their accomplishments while attending the school, but their accomplishments post-graduation and the mark that they have left on the community.
Gayle Dull, Bill Durtschi, Kevin Arnold, Scott Palmer, Ricky Jobe, and James Wegesin were enshrined Saturday night as the 2016 Hall of Fame Class.
The first Galion Olympian, as well as medalist, Dull was encouraged to participate in athletic events to boost school spirit. In 1901 Dull helped form the track team, in 1902 he helped form the football team, which went 4-0-1. In 1908 Dull, who was attending the University of Michigan, qualified for the American Olympic team in the 3,200-meter steeplechase, and in the three-mile team run. In the team run, Dull’s group finished second, earning a silver medal.
Accepting the honor on Dull’s behalf was the Galion Historical Society.
Bill Durtschi played numerous sports while at Galion High School, but his play on the football field took him to Ohio State where he played on the 1942 National Championship team. In 1957 Durtschi returned to his high school alma mater and began coaching a team that went winless in 1956. Durtschi led Galion to back to back NOL titles in ’57 and ’58 and a 19-game winning streak over that time.
Accepting the honor posthumously was Bill’s son Dave Durtschi.
While speaking about his father Dave explained that his dad loved football.
“Dad loved football and coaching. He started coaching here in 1957, that same year the field house burnt to the ground, losing the team’s equipment and uniforms,. That season we beat Shelby and couldn’t get the school bus into town. The school band, and community marched the team downtown,” Durtschi reminisced.
Kevin Arnold graduated from Galion High School in 1975 and went on to become a psychologist, running the practice the Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy in Columbus. During his speech Arnold thanked his psychology teacher Mrs. Myers for pushing him into the direction of his current profession.
“We used a Psychology 101 text from college, and I went on to become a psychologist,” Arnold said.
Arnold recalled a time when he was given permission to do an experiment on four of his classmates.
“She (Mrs. Myers) allowed me to do an experiment on four of my classmates where I stuffed them into a room, each on a different night, with cotton on their hands, and cardboard on their arms and they had static piped into their earphones, and they had these dark glasses on,” Arnold recalled. “I think Nancy Kitzmiller I think it was hallucinated. Steve Hernden went on to be a pretty big executive at IBM was so befuddled by it he couldn’t go to senior canoe day.”
“I was pretty proud of it and I got to college, and I told my intro to psych professor after class one day, and he took me to the side and said, ‘Don’t tell other people this story, you wouldn’t be able to do it in the real world.’ Who would have known I would become the one who founded torture for God’s sakes,” Arnold continued.
Scott Palmer, who graduated from Galion in 1982 went on to become an educator after serving his country for four years in the Navy. During his enshrinement speech Palmer noted that as an educator never think that a kid isn’t listening or paying attention.
“I never think that kids are not listening to me, not just in school but in life,” Palmer said. “I try to touch as many lives as I can, be a good guide and try to set a good example. Kids tune in every day to be better people in life. If they tune into me I try to give them good programming.”
In 1982 Ricky Jobe graduated Galion High School. In 2016 Jobe was enshrined into the school’s hall of fame. Jobe participated in numerous activities in his school career including being part of the Show Tunes, choir, and band, and diving. In diving, Jobe qualified for the state meet. After high school, Jobe went on to Ohio Northern University paving the way to his career in marketing and special events. Jobe started his own firm Jobe and Associates which deals with marketing, and event coordination.
Jobe couldn’t attend the event, but had a friend, Kevin Jarvis, read his acceptance speech. During his prepared speech, Jobe thanked positive influences through school, his friends, and his family.
Jobe’s mother Jean accepted his Hall of Fame plaque on his behalf.
The final inductee of the evening was James Wegesin, or “Coach Wegs” as he is known by his wrestling student-athletes.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to find something you love and do it the rest of your life?” Wegisin asked the crowd. “I have worked with a lot of people and I would like to thank all of them.”
During his speech Wegisin acknowledged the wrestlers, the wrestling parents, the coaches, and the referees. While acknowledging each group Wegesin had each group that he read off from his list stand up to be acknowledged by the room. Wegisin further acknowledged his wrestlers by breaking them down into league, sectional, tournament, state qualifiers, state champions, college Academic All- Americans, captains of their college teams, Big 10 Champions, and collegiate National Champions.
Ever proud of his wrestling family that he helped build into a powerhouse at Galion, after the induction ceremony, Wegesin had his former athletes come to the stage for a group picture to celebrate the moment.
Acting as Master of Ceremonies was Brian Triesch and David Spraw.