T-shirts and other items from past Ohio County high schools soon could be displayed in a museum housed at Wheeling Park High School. (Photo Provided)

WHEELING — Wheeling Park High School is coming up on 50 years of alumni, accomplishment and tradition, and school officials are now seeking to enshrine the school’s rich history.

Plans are being discussed to build a WPHS museum in the history department area at the school. The project is being worked on by Wheeling history teacher Ryan Stanton and Principal Meredith Dailer, and it will also contain items from former high schools that were consolidated to become WPHS in 1976.

“Ryan has an influx of materials from current and past schools, and a lot of the material was gifted to him,” Karin Butyn, public relations and alumni director for Ohio County Schools, said. “He would like to make a permanent display viewable by students.”

Ohio County Schools already applied for and received a $1,000 grant for the project from Wheeling Heritage, she noted. In addition, Carol Bell — a donor who attends Stanton’s adult Wheeling history class on the first Saturday of each month – matched the grant.

That first $2,000 will be put toward buying cases for the proposed museum, according to Butyn.

“We need cases, and we want them to be good quality, lighted cases,” she said. “This school’s history has been important to many, and it is the history of the school system. To store it properly is essential.”

Now that initial funding has been secured, the first cases will be ordered, Butyn continued. After this, there will be discussions on how to arrange the displays within the cases.

“Mr. Stanton has been the pushing force in this, and Mrs. Dailer has been a full force in finding ways to make it happen,” she added.

“Our community has shown a steady interest in the history of Wheeling. Every session so far has had over 200 members. This is another way to highlight the work and the close connection the school system has with the community.”

She noted the community “has openly supported the school system for years” by passing levies and attending school events,

“This is another way to honor this,” Butyn said. “I think once this is publicized, we will have more donations. The school holds a special place in the hearts of the community, and people hold on to history to show off to future generations. This is a great way to do that.”

She estimates the first four cases could be in place by spring 2025, and additional units would be purchased over time, Butyn said.

“When we need more shelving, we’ll find a way to make it work,” Butyn said.

Stanton said his plan is for his local history students “to take ownership” of the museum and put themselves in charge of what is displayed there. He noted teachers in the social studies department all thought the location in the history wing would be a great place for a museum that pays tribute to WPHS and the other schools.

And throughout the last year, word of a museum has spread and the public started to come forth with more historical items, he continued.

One Triadelphia alumnus, a majorette, provided the uniform she wore and her baton, Stanton said. She also “saved every memento from every football game,” he added.

There have been many yearbooks donated, as well as letterman’s jackets, a track sweater and programs from football games and other school events, he said. Stanton has received bricks from the former Wheeling High School, as well as T-shirts and glasses bearing the logos of class reunions from over the years.

“One of the coolest things is a football sweater,” he said. “The person bought it from Kennedy Hardware, which used to sell sporting goods equipment.”

In addition to the donations, Stanton said he has acquired items through estate sales of former teachers. At one of these sales, he purchased employee directories from 1920 until the 1930s that had belonged to a teacher whose parents were teachers.

He has some Triadelphia High School school newspapers, which he termed a “week-by-week detailing of what was going on in Triadelphia.”

Dailer said items donated will be placed in the history wing of the school that previously housed lockers. The idea for the museum came to her during recent renovations at the school.

“As soon as we started the construction project and taking the lockers out of the building, I thought that space should be held for a museum,” she said.

Dailer hopes the museum will be ready in time for the school’s 50th anniversary celebration, and she is putting together a 50th anniversary committee now.

“It’s on our radar,” she said of the celebration. “I envision the museum being a display that changes periodically. One semester it could be about consolidation, and the next about sports. There is such a vast history here that we can capture all the pieces and change over time.”