October 10, 2007

Delaware City Schools Inducts Alumni into Hall of Honor

Top Left: William Hastings Eells Top Right: F. Sherwood Rowland Bottom: Henry Clay “Hank” Thomson II

The late William Eells `46, Sherwood Rowland `48, and the late Henry Clay “Hank” Thomson II `30 were inducted into the Delaware City Schools Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor along with fellow Delaware alumni Esther Jo King, John Michael “Mick” Seidl, and James Tull.

“This inaugural class is evidence that the Delaware City Schools is an outstanding school district,” Mary Anne Ashworth, superintendent of schools, said at the event. “None of us were prepared for the caliber of the nominees or the far-reaching impact of their work. They have literally made a difference in the lives of millions of people.” Ashworth noted that the Hall of Honors was established so that there is a permanent reminder of the legacy of Delaware’s high-achieving graduates.

William Hastings Eells graduated from Delaware in 1942 and from Ohio Wesleyan in 1946. He then received his master’s degree from The Ohio State University. Eells retired after 28 years as an executive from the Ford Motor Company and was appointed by Henry Ford II as Ford’s first regional manager of governmental affairs. He was later appointed by President Gerald Ford to the National Council of the Arts, now known as the National Endowment for the Arts. Eells also served on the council under President Jimmy Carter and President Ronald Reagan.

Eells was dedicated to raising awareness of the arts and worked with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to renovate several theatres on 42nd Street in New York City. He was also instrumental in refurbishing the Ohio Theater, Lillian Gish Theater in Bowling Green, and the Palace and Great Southern Theaters in Columbus. Eells also served on several boards including chairman of the board for Blue Cross of Northeast Ohio, Ohio Wesleyan, Franklin University, Mount Union College, the Ohio Arts Council, Cleveland Symphony, Columbus Museum of Arts, Cleveland Ballet, Ballet Met of Columbus, and many others.

Brent Carson noted that while Eells could have lived anywhere, he chose to live in Delaware. “He thought the teachers and people in this community made it all possible to get to where he was,” said Carson. Eells’ son Jonathan, OWU Class of 1989, described how as an OWU student he was legally adopted by William. “My father became the center of a life that up to then had been lived rather haphazardly,” he said.

F. Sherwood Rowland graduated from Delaware in 1943 and from Ohio Wesleyan in 1948. He received master and doctorate degrees from the University of Chicago and played semiprofessional baseball while in graduate school. Rowland was a professor at Princeton University and the University of Kansas before becoming professor of chemistry at the University of California, Irvine.

Rowland’s research with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) established that CFCs were depleting the Earth’s ozone layer in the upper atmosphere. As a result, the production of CFCs was banned worldwide and Rowland was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995. He is also the recipient of the Tyler Prize in Ecology, Japan Prize in Environment and Energy, American Chemical Society Peter Debye Award, and Roger Revelle Medal. The chemistry building at the University of California, Irvine is named in Rowland’s honor.

Rowland has served as foreign secretary of the National Academy of Sciences and continues to travel the world consulting with experts in many fields. He was unable to attend the Hall of Honor induction ceremony because he was traveling in Japan.

“Because of Sherwood Rowland’s work, humanity has already dodged one bullet,” said David Carson. He noted that Rowland has found that methane gas is also increasing in the atmosphere. “The world’s leaders and scientists are again looking to Dr. Rowland’s expertise.”

OWU Professor of Chemistry Kim Lance said of Rowland: “The stories he tells are of global proportions and Dr. Rowland to us is truly a hero. Heroes happen when preparation and opportunity meet.”

Henry Clay “Hank” Thomson II graduated from Delaware in 1926 and from Ohio Wesleyan in 1930. Thomson had a long career with the Delaware Gazette beginning as a paper carrier when he was 11. Later he would serve as publisher of the paper until 1977.

Thomson is known for working tirelessly through the newspaper, The Little Brown Jug, and the Delaware County Fair Board to promote Delaware. He played a key role in moving the county fair grounds from Powell to Delaware and also in developing the half-mile race track to set the stage for the first Jug race in 1946. Thomson was co-founder of the Little Brown Jug as well as the pacing Triple Crown: The Cain Pace, The Messenger, and The Little Brown Jug. He served as president of the Delaware County Fair and Brown Jug Society.

Thomson’s achievements include induction into the Harness Hall of Fame, Ohio Hall of Fame, Horseman Award by Horseman & Fair World magazine, first inductee into the Brown Jug Hall of Fame, Meritorious Service Award from the Ohio Horseman’s Association, and Special Citizens Award through the Delaware Chamber of Commerce.

“The Jug was Hank’s worldwide contribution to Delaware, making Delaware famous,” said Dick Gordin, OWU Class of 1952 and retired Ohio Wesleyan athletic director and coach. “He represented Delaware at the highest level, wherever he went. He was ‘Mr. Delaware.’”

Tom Thomson, OWU Class of 1960 said, “Over 50,000 people come to Delaware from all over the world to see the Little Brown Jug. Rutherford B. Hayes High School wouldn’t be the Pacers if it wasn’t for my father.”

The inaugural induction into the Delaware City Schools Distinguished Hall of Honor included six individuals, but in subsequent years, up to four alumni will be inducted annually. Alumni will be considered for the Hall of Honor 10 years after graduating from Delaware High School, Willis High School, and Rutherford B. Hayes High School.

According to Jennifer Ruhe, director of communications for Delaware City Schools, “The purpose of the Delaware City Schools Alumni Hall of Honors is to recognize and honor those graduates, living and deceased, who through their exemplary actions and achievements reflect positively on the Delaware City Schools so that present day students may identify with their efforts and establish goals for the future. Those inducted must have made significant contributions in their fields of study, careers, and/or through community service.”

– Ericka Kurtz, with information compiled by Kathy Baird