Magic City Neighbors Episode 10 - History from a Librarian. Joseph Vernacotola

Hey everyone, welcome back to another electrifying episode of Magic City Neighbors on the mic! We're in for a rollercoaster ride of stories and laughter because we have Mr. Joseph Vernacotola, the legendary GOAT of Barberton High! If you're questioning this, you have to hear the very last thing he says in the podcast...because it's a doozy.

 Imagine unearthing a photograph from 1907, the Barbertonc High School's very first graduating class! We're talking serious time-travel vibes here. Plus, hold on to your seats as we delve into the first-ever Barberton High School yearbook from 1914 – it's a true treasure trove of the past.

Mr. Vernacotola spills the beans about how connecting with his former students is like uncovering a time capsule and how he was quite the legend in the classroom with a transformation from 'mean teacher' to 'cool mentor'

Get ready to mark your calendars because this Labor Day weekend, the buzz is all about the Barberton Labor Day Barbecue and Music Fest down at Lake Anna. Old school tunes in the gazebo, rib burn-offs, jaw-dropping fireworks – it's a feast for your senses!

Transcript

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hey, everyone, welcome back to another episode of Magic City Neighbors on the mike. I'm Josh. Next to me, I have Jack and across the table from us we are lucky to have in Mr. Joseph Vernacotola. The goat of Barberton High. Wow The goat. That's this is going to be exciting. Stay tuned. So You're listening. The Magic City neighbors on the mike, where we talk to your Barberton neighbors about their stories, their insights and what gets them laughing. Make sure to like, share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And now to the show. Coming up this weekend. Yes, this Labor Day weekend. You need to be down here at Lake Anna for the Barberton Labor Day barbecue and Music Fest Friday. It kicks off with old school in the gazebo. Saturday has kids activities like Spidey and the patriotic hero in the afternoon, the rib burn off at 630 and fireworks at 930. And for music, it's rock to her. I mean, this is all exciting stuff because then Sunday is country Days with the cooking country band Whiskey Loco and the Buck Naked Band. And along with all that, there is a fishing derby. There is also a car show this weekend. There is a ton of great stuff. And hey, during the rib burn off, we're probably going to be down there emceeing the event. So come on down, say hi, have a chat with us, and let's find out about our Magic City neighbors. Speaking of which, we have one sitting across the table from us here. And I believe we do. Yeah. And I know I'm from somewhere as well. So you two have a history, so I'm letting you start things off. Jack, this role. Thanks for being. Never met. Never met this kid in my life. You'd probably be better if you hadn't. That's all right. Hey, Jack. What's up? How you doing? Thank you for coming on to that. I'm glad to be here. I'm going to start off today. We're going to switch things up a little bit. Okay. What got you into being the librarian for Barberton High? Well, first of all, we were missing one thing. Can I hold on? So you forgot your hair? Yeah. Oh, look at this. I dug this out. That's beautiful. Now I go beautiful as a big that made the podcast now. Perfect. I love this. Thank you. Yes. So you start out with the librarian class. Well, what got you into being the librarian for brevity? So I. I was a teacher in Barberton for about ten years, and I have my degree in library science and job opened up at U are Light middle School, which was one of the two middle schools. It's now called Barberton Intermediate School. Job opened up there and I applied for it and I was fortunate enough to be accepted. And it's it's been the best job I've had in my life. Right. What did you teach before? So, so I when I first came in Barberton, I can in Barberton in 19, what was a 99. I thought it, I know I taught at Highland Middle School which is, which is now a local housing development over on the. What would that be the is that that's the west side of town. And I taught seventh grade math and pre-algebra and I did that for about eight years. And then my last two years at Highland, I taught seventh grade English language Arts Ice. Yes. What do you think the next evolution for the media center will be? Because we know how big of a thing that is at Barberton. A lot of kids like the other shout out. Joe, thank you. Good. Clyde So the evolution. Well, first of all, I, I am not abandoning print books so I'm some schools probably about it probably started about ten years ago. Schools decided we have to get rid of all these print books. And our kids actually the kids who read actually most of them enjoy reading a print book. Yeah. So I think schools that it takes the service to kids when they got rid of those. But I'm going to keep those try and just add more technology and a lot of that depends on what the students are asking for. Yeah, what people use. Yeah. Yeah. Like I would love I'm looking at this little facility here and I was thinking I was like, okay, we need a little room and we have something. We try to start something at the high school similar, but you know, we didn't have all of the, I guess the funding to do it. Yeah, but man, I was thinking like little rooms like this that could be little studios and whatnot content and that would be really cool. That is, that is very cool. So, I mean, to me, what is all your questions? Yeah, I think he's got more just he's going to have he's going to have some history questions too. But to me it's the as someone that's older I can and I, I years ago coached soccer. What's it like to hear from students of the past when you see them obviously out in Barberton doing things what what feeling do you get from that? My former students. Yeah. Oh I mean I love seeing I love being connected with them first of all. And a lot of times it's on social media. I, I was just, I was, I was scrolling through Instagram a couple of days ago on and I ran across a poster of Adam Koger. I don't know if you know that name, but Adam was a was a was a powerful wrestler here in Barberton. And man, I know he went to states. I know. I'm pretty sure he plays that states and he's working he's down now in Texas and I understand he has a great he was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year. He wasn't able to make it up here they sports hall of Fame. I know he has a great job down there And just seeing it was a picture of him and his wife. And it's I think it's I think he has three, two or three young girls and just, you know, kind of connecting with them. They are connecting with them in the community. GRIFFIN Brown, who you guys you may remember him as our kicker. He's teaching sixth grade English language arts at Barberton Middle School this year. Josh Wilson, who teaches at the high school he's a social studies teacher, is a former student of mine. He was, I think, the first year I came to Barberton. He was in my class. Todd Hoehn, who is assistant principal at Barberton Middle School, is a former student of mine, Brittany Fox, who is the associate principal at She's at the primary. He's a former student of mine. So it's cool to see. I mean, some of them are colleagues of mine. Some of them I just run into, you know, whether it's around the community or at the store and just exciting to see, you know, what's what's become of them. I love to keep in contact. Yeah. So speaking of that, it kind of parlays into you will have a tendency to dive into some history on some stuff. Is that that that seems like that might be a mild way to put that is that is that is that correct and I believe you brought some stuff here. I may have brought a few things. That's the ones, by the way. So anyway, so some history. So I am let me go back and I'm talking too much. Jack just kicked me out. So. So anyway, so when I went to Kent State, when I first I graduated from Akron East High School, went to Kent State and I majored in history as far as my teaching degree. Now, if you know anything about teaching history, teachers are usually coaches and I was not a coach, so I did not get I did not get a teaching job. So I went back eventually and got an elementary certification which would allow me to teach grades one three, and then I eventually went back, got the library certification. But anyway, so history has always been an interest of mine and I just love going through old newspapers and books and and whatnot. And everybody's got something in their house or grandma's house that's old. And when Grandma dies, unfortunately, a lot of people throw it in the trash. But every once in a while someone calls the high school and says, Hey, I have something, do you want to? And I brought this thought. He brought me this and I just put in this kind of cheap frame. Wow. And if I can hold up, this is the British high school class of what we got here in 1907. Yeah, I'll take a picture of this and we'll post that on the video. So for those of you that are just to describe this to you guys that are just listening to this, there's how many people here? There are six, 12. There's 17 people in the graduating class of 1907. Yeah. They all look as most photos in 1907 looked very serious, very proper. There's also there's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten different men here and two different haircuts. So you got a one or two. This isn't. So how did you come across this gentleman? And I wish I knew his name because I will remember his name. I'd give him credit now, but like I said, he called the high school and he said, Hey, I have this. And he also I like this one, too, because this is this is the diploma from oh, my word, this was his ancestor who is at Harley, right. Crum, I think it is, Yeah. Yeah. So this is and I don't know which one in this picture is Harley, but he's somewhere in this picture and this is his diploma. So he brought me. I actually have two diplomas and two pictures. I think the other one is the class of 19 might be oh six. I have those at the high school is a large diploma. I was going to say this is huge wings. They're cool. Yeah. I mean, this is I mean, but really, we have to think I mean, this is 100 and carry the 116 years ago that sun right. Did I get it right? I did it. I did it right. Notice if you're just listening to this, I did not have a calculator on the table. This is a big deal. I mean, graduating high school still is a big deal, but more people do it. Back then, it was a not uncommon. It was not as common. This is unbelievable. I mean, it really has. What an amazing piece. What I mean and like I said, in so many of these either get thrown away or, you know, I don't know what people do with them, but I would encourage those of you listening, those of you watching, if you have artifacts like this, either the Barberton Public Library or your high school, and that's where I'm taking you, they will end up on the wall at Cracker Barrel if you do that. Yeah, right, right, right. So but yeah, these, these two are kind of some of my prized possession that are high school. And like I said, I have another diploma from a couple of years earlier and another class picture. so a couple of things I have. This is and you know, I walked to this is a little older, but this is the very first Barberton High School yearbook. And I went up to a couple of teachers and I said, okay, I don't want to look stupid. How do I pronounce that? And we all decided we don't know. Duncan Thank God. Doug Duncan Today, anyway, Yeah, was the name of the yearbook. So this is from 19 was 1914. So holy. This is the very first yearbook that the school produced was at the Board of Education there. And you'll notice this is Lincoln High School. Yes. And I've tried to trace the history of the high schools, and it gets a little muddy at the very beginning. You know, records maybe weren't kept as well as they would be now, but there were several. In fact, the very first high school in Barberton is across the street from where we're at. It's called the Tracey Building Class. Classes started there 130 years, 130 years ago this year. Wow. And it was the third floor of the Tracey building. And as far as I know, I think five or six people graduated in the first graduating class. And I'm not sure if they were the 18, what, at the 1893 class or not, I'd have to double check that. But she so yeah, this is one of this is again, one of my kind of prized possessions. But I believe the diploma these two plumbers maybe the oldest thing that those are amazing that I have it's crazy those are absolutely amazing. I also the very first magician which we don't have a print newspaper anymore. If I were in high school, they still can do it online. Did you write for the Magician at all? Okay, I know Mr. Grimsley. Yeah. It was part of the class and you had to bring it back. I was trying to get it back up, but it's digital and I really miss the print version. And this is the very first. No idea why George Washington's on the cover of Con. Maybe you went to Barrington. Yeah. Got some ads there. Would it surprise you if George Washington went to Barberton? I don't think it would. Somehow he's connected to Barberton. The funny thing is, George is on the cover, but the story he life is about Abe Lincoln. That's. And there's an article by the athletics in there and we got a little bit of athletics in there and the ads are cold too to kind of read so wow Barberton provision have mercy that is very cool So there's I mean there's all sorts of ads and stuff like that in there that just and that's 1920. This was 1920 and then this was 1914. So I mean, all of this here is more than 100 years old. That's more than five jack lifetime so far. That's pretty wild. I did that math in my once again, I'm doing the math. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Did did that math in my head. So when did you notice that you had an addiction? This type of stuff, man, that's a good question. And like I said, I've always liked history. I especially like local history. I grew up in East Akron. My dad worked at Goodyear. We lived in Goodyear Heights. And, you know, there was the history around that. I was just always curious about, you know, the the old school buildings, the old factories. And that's kind of my specialty in history. A lot of people that are history majors kind of are more focused on battles, wars, whatever. My name was always the kind of the home front, if you think about it, you know, what was going on in Goodyear Heights. And you know that that time period when it when Goodyear as a bustling factory, those are the kind of things I'm interested in geology. I I've always been kind of interested in studying, you know, my family history. So all those things kind of it makes sense, too, because, I mean, you're right. So many people study the big events, quote unquote, and they had an effect on everyone's lives. But stuff like this had a huge effect on your own. Know about it? Yeah, right on. It's a smaller number of people. But this this diploma rate here, that is a huge effect on someone's life. Have you ever traced anyone from some of this stuff? And it was what is an interesting barber, Tony in story that you've got to that. Oh, so I try to I have a couple of pet projects that I do. And one of them is, like I said, I try to write every Friday. I try to write a little history lesson and send it out to the staff. And now February came around. I was like, Well, I'm going to write a little, you know, a little bit about black history. So I, I was reading through some columns by and I'm going to forget her name, but she she used to be the local history historian at the Barberton Public Library, and she wrote a couple of books I used to write for the Herald. I think this I think the first name was Phyllis, and I've lost her last name. But anyway, Ann Hutchison would have known if she was still here with us or not. If she was here, I should say if she was here in the podcast, she's in the booth. Yes. So anyway, so I was going through and I and I was reading and just two short sentences said the first black teacher in Barberton was and I was like, Hmm, wonder whatever happened to her. So I got online like you would do today and put her name in and ended up on Ancestry and started to find a little bit information found out that she actually not only was she the first African-American teacher involved in, but she also graduated from Barberton, which made me start to think we need to recognize this lady who's still out there from her family. So I did find actually her daughter, her daughter still alive and I believe lives in Barberton or Akron. I found out that her grandson actually went to Barberton, Middle School. He mentioned of transferring We went to Barberton Middle School and I knew the kid. Oh, so that's amazing. So it's kind of cool. So I was like, We have to recognize this lady. She, you know, she's a graduate of the city school. She she was the first African-American teacher in the district, so I nominated her for the Hall of Fame, the Academic Hall of Fame. And she was accepted. So she would be honored. And her her children will be receiving that honor this fall at the Hall of Fame. So I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say her name because of that, because I'm not sure if those names have been released. Well, no, Wolf Hall will hold that. And I don't I don't want to say that Mr. Anderson is a man. So. No, that's I mean, but to me, what's so amazing about it is, is it once again, it's it goes back to the community that we have. And the community is so strong because of people like that. And obviously someone like that stayed here, their families stayed here. And to me, one of the things that I love is that we get to highlight some of the great stuff going on in this city because of people like that. And if it wasn't great, people like that wouldn't stay. And that's something I absolutely love about it. This is I mean, awesome. So, I mean, I know you said that digging through the attic or digging through the basement and contacting you is a way to help. Is there another way that someone can get involved? Is their research that someone can help you with or something can do with that? Or what is something else that someone might be able to do to help you out with finding stuff like this? I think I think again, just emailing me, you know, kind of high school and you know, if you have a good story that you want to share, let me know. You seem to like stories. I do like stories. I, I sometimes I'll sit around in the library in and I get a little getting a little trouble because I'll sit there and and listen to good stories. And maybe I should be working. Maybe I should be putting books on the shelf or something like that. So. Okay, so I mean, this is all amazing, but I think we need to get to the lightning round because we do. So these are supposed to be one sentence answers. Oh, jeez. I'm going to tell for you know, now, most of our guests have not been very good at this. So we are we running out of time And we're we're we're close. We're we're running. Good. Here. Take you out. Can we do a part to Jack? I'm sure we can. Especially with with this type of stuff here. This is pretty awesome. This is a question that was also asked of Anne Hutchinson. How often do you people oh, that's funny. Ah, wait, is it like and where they're doing that to you by loud. I'm not loud now. Yeah, you talk at a pretty calm voice. I'm pretty quiet, but I feel like you also. Don't you hold back and you don't yell at kids either. Because when we used to go in there, we would be mopping in there and we would be very loud. And you didn't say anything. You would be would appreciate mobbing my mom. Come in deep. Yeah. I thought she said mopping. So I, I wanted to tell a story but I can't. So anyway, I tell a story. You go. Good. Go right ahead. Go for it. So I used to be really mean, like literally and the kids are always like, Really? I used to. I used to be a yeller. And. And I apologize. We talked earlier about, you know, my former student. So you guys from Highland, I apologize for yelling at you for all those years. I yelled and I was mean and all that. And I think I give credit to Mr. Ram. That's he he showed us a TED talk one time about about building relationships with students. And I don't know if it hit me for some reason. And I was like, hmm, maybe I shouldn't just be this mean because probably and you would probably agree, teachers were supposed to be mean when we were in school, correct? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there was a there was an old saying that teachers don't smile until Christmas, and that was our goal is you went in and you were mean until Christmas break and then, you know, you gave the kids a little you know, little. Right. But you would already set that precedent that, look, I am in charge and I take no guff from anyone. Some people still some teachers still hold on to that one. Oh. Oh. Well, now. So anyway, so it's sort of make it back yet to make it back to the one sentence oftentimes shush people. I mean, every once in a while I do it's common and not in a rude, loud music like, Hey, guys, calm down, calm down. Yeah, we we got the back end of that one a lot. Um, if I was still at the high school, you know, I come in late on a one on a day, late morning or whatever, and I didn't, like, fix my hair. Would you let me use your head as a mirror? You already knew where that was going. Well, the cool kids know that the library has a hidden bathroom, so I'm the cool kid. That's why I didn't know about the cool kids, You know, to just ask me to go back and look in the mirror. I think you remember Sam Lau. Yeah, I did. Sam I know. Bryson used to always go, Oh, I. Bryson's got to have the hair. Yeah, but Sam Law comes in every morning and checks to do. Is that is the respect is it to do. We don't use that. It's okay. What's it called? Like a just hair, I think. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, Sam, shout out to Sam for keeping the hair looking good. So nice. Sam doesn't have that cool little thing. He doesn't have a line. I No, no, with that, you just got wild with the razor there. A barber sneezed in. Just makes sense. So this. I'm not good with these one? No, that's. That's okay. I'm not either. So. But the next question we've got for you, the first day or the last day of school is favorite day. Yeah. Oh, I, I, i, I love seniors. Last day more than everybody is that day. Because it's such. I mean, you remember the feeling, right? It's like this is it? Yeah. 13 years and this, this is it. And some kids are like, I can't wait to get the heck out of here. Right. And some kids are literally inside. Yeah. Yeah. I was like, When were you? Like, Which one were you? I was kind of between. I wasn't really sad, but I was just like, day. Well, these are my whole life coming up the year, and then all of a sudden, like nothing, because I'm not going to college and stuff. And I mean, I'll be in real estate, but it's just not the same. So what is it? What's our last lightning round question there? Jack? What's your favorite part about being at the high school? Ended off on a positive note. I mean, honestly, the students I you this generation gets a bad rap, I think in many ways. But I mean, there weren't any arena 18 or 1980. You know, when I was in high school, there weren't any 18 year olds doing podcasts. There weren't any 18 year olds of selling. Jack has his own little online Elevate inventory, and it's like he's selling like clothing online. There weren't any 18 year olds that I remember that had their own businesses. Unique. Yeah, she has a dance studio. The girl's 18 years old. She looks amazing, does a lot of drive now. I feel like people I mean, they get motivation from seeing other things online of people with money and this and that. And they're just really money is the key is language is the key to everything. But but you're right it's like they they see that and they're like, hey, I can do this. So and that's something that, you know, didn't exist when I was like when I was like, same for me. You got a job or you went to college? Yep. And you got a job planned out ten years ahead. Like you didn't try anything else. Like you laughed about me. You know, I started in I actually started teaching in 1993, but I started involvement in the 1999. You're not going to have the same job for the money. I would not do that. Yeah, I mean, I. I personally wouldn't enjoy it, but I know there's other people that and I don't think many people in your generation. Well, because those jobs, I don't know if they'll be around anymore right. Yeah that's true. Even Yeah. In 510 years is the same thing that was there 20 years ago even going to exist anymore. It's, it's moving fast. Yeah. The evolution is of the workplace is speeding up but let's get to our every person questions that these are big what is your favorite Barberton folklore slash tall tale slash rumor slash I mean being the history buff, I think you got to have you got to have out there. Oh, my favorite rumor is that Jack is a ladies man. It really is. I mean, is it a rumor? I can't but just be true. I love this. I love this. That's a good one. That. That is. That is a good. That is original. I love it. He's text me. I love where you want to fit in with the Instagram out there. Yeah, but they're out there and that's a good favorite I think dating and talk about I think and talked about the the haunting of Portage right That was actually John Kaminsky that talked about that walking. Oh yeah. Because of school. Yeah Portage Portage apparently is haunted apparently Highland was as well. Okay Highland is gone now but there was a teacher there. Oh Emily, straight I think is what her name when she was gone before she had passed away, before I started working there. But she was one of those people that just she was there are so many characters and Barbara and I wish we could talk about some of the teachers. Emily was one of them, as were Linda Hodges, and there's just so many people. But anyway, Emily was apparently she would show up,

I don't know, 6: 26:54

00 in the morning or whatever, and leave school at 11. I mean, at PM, she was just, you know, they're school was her life. And yeah, she died when she was still a teacher. And the rumor always was that she haunted the building after she died. But she was friendly because that's she was in her happy place where Portage, as I understand that ghost is not evil. Yeah, Yeah. Miller Final question. What do you see as the future for reading in? Where do you think we're headed in the future for Barberton? I think it's I think it's really positive. There's so many great things happening in this community. It's only headed up. It's I don't think it's the offers of Cheatham. We used to always say we're the hidden gem of Summit County. And it's true, you know, it's there's no place else like Barberton. I was talking to the the publisher of the new Gazette, and we were talking about that. It's like Barberton needs its own newspaper because there's no place else now, like Barberton, you know, I mean whether a community can you first of all the diversity whether a community can you, you know leave up a half million dollar home and walk across the street and be in a government housing, right? I mean, the diverse economic diversity, the racial diversity, it's all here. It's everything. Well, look, I really appreciate your time. This stuff is amazing. This this historical stuff about Barberton. To me, it just once again, it shows why we have the great community that we do. When you look at look back at stuff like this going on for 100 years. Yeah, just something new. Yeah. I mean, some of this is just amazing. Thank you for bringing this and thanks again for spending the time with us. Guys. Make sure like share this with your Magic City neighbors. If you have a question comment, you want to reach out to. Mr.. We do it. We can we can help facilitate that that we can link up. We can if you need us to help get something out of your grandmother's attic, I'll volunteer Jack for that. But next, the next guest have will be another interesting one. Yeah. Yeah. Did you just flex? I didn't see how. I couldn't tell. I couldn't tell. Yeah. No sweating. I'm a sweaty now. That's what it will take. That's good. This. We don't want to destroy the table either. Once again, thank you guys for coming along for the ride. We will see you soon. Was I better than Ram? That's. And that was out at the end. Exactly. What's going to be at the end?