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DAWSON CURTIS GRADUATED 1929 INDUCTED 2012
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DAWSON CURTIS GRADUATED 1929 INDUCTED 2012
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DAWSON CURTIS AHS Class of 1929
The late Dawson T. Curtis graduated from AHS in 1929. He was one of the early 20th century three-sport stars at Alliance High School, competing in football, basketball and track and field. Curtis was a left end in football, the leading scorer and rebounder in basketball, playing the center position, and a pole vaulter in track. His school pole vault record of 11-feet, 8 and 13/16th inches stood from 1928 until 1978. This was the longest held track and field record of any event in AHS history. What is also noteworthy is that when he vaulted in the 1920’s only ‘bamboo’ poles were available. Curtis and AHS teammate Robert G. King later enrolled at Mount Union and played basketball for Coach Robert ‘Bob’ Wright. Curtis graduated from Mount Union in 1933. His basketball teams won back–to-back Ohio Conference Championships. Between Curtis and King they earned 12 varsity letters in basketball, track and field, football and golf. Dawson Curtis, known as ‘Curtie’ began a teaching career at Fowler High School and married his high school sweetheart Annette F. Hartzell in 1935. He did post-graduate work at Kent State. In 1943, Curtis volunteered to enter Officer Candidate School of the United States Navy. He was commissioned an Ensign later in 1943 and assigned as a Senior Gunnery Officer. He was on the SS Ralph T. O’Neil at the beginning of World War II. He split his war time duty on the O’Neil and the SS Charles N. McGroarty Victory Ship. In 1946, he began a new career in business in Alliance. Over the next 20 years, held many high-level positions in sales, marketing and product R & D with major national and regional companies i.e. JT Weybrecht and Sons, Noble Woodworking & Machinery Company, Armour and Company, Cleveland Even Cut Abrasives and others. In 1964, ‘Curtie’ returned to secondary education, teaching high school industrial arts at the former Glenwood High School in Canton. After receiving many Teacher of the Year Awards, he retired in 1978. Dawson Curtis died in 1983, his wife, Annette ‘29, sons Bob ‘61 and Tom ‘65 and five grandchildren survived him at the time. Many would say “Curtie” was a regular hometown guy. He would be happy about his induction into the hall and proud to be part of the AHS Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2012. |