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Chagrin Falls Alumni Association

Keeping Tiger Pride Alive

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ALLEN J. TENNY

Teacher

This quiet, unassuming man was a tough teacher in a noisy classroom. His classroom was the Chagrin Valley Herald, which he founded in 1946. The bylines of his former students grace the pages of newspapers and magazines across the country. Allen “Pete” Tenny, “Mr. Tenny” to most, was hired as a youth by editor William R. Bailey to work a couple of summers in the Chagrin Falls Exponent office. Newspaper work took Mr. Tenny to Illinois and Michigan, where he became assistant city editor of The Detroit Free Press. He returned to Chagrin Falls in 1946 to serve as editor of the Chagrin Valley Herald for the next 22 years. During Mr. Tenny’s tenure, the Herald and its reporters earned numerous journalism prizes. He, himself, won many awards including the “Golden Dozen” award in 1969 for writing one of the 12 best editorials in weekly newspapers throughout the world. After 43 years as a newsman, Mr. Tenny retired as “Editor Emeritus” of the Herald Sun in 1973. He died in Vermont in 1981. 

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RALPH QUESINBERRY

Teacher, Coach, AD

The accolades were many for “Quiz” during his career as a teacher, coach, and athletic director at CFHS. In 1972, he was named National Athletic Director of the year. He is a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Ohio High School Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame. His 1947 and 1961 football teams were undefeated. He also coached basketball, track, golf, baseball, and swimming. During his 35 years in Chagrin Falls Schools, Ralph impacted the lives of just about anyone with whom he came in contact. His gym classes became legendary – the unforgettable voice ordering the seemingly impossible tasks. For many a Chagrin youth, Coach’s “basic training” became a lasting memory. Following his retirement in 1980, Ralph L. Quesinberry Gymnasium was named in his honor.

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WILLIAM HENRY ROBINSON

Class of 1931
Track, Football, Basketball

“Rompin’ Bill” earned his nickname on the gridiron where his many spectacular runs as a Tiger halfback and kick returner left fans gasping and defenders grasping. It is, however, in track and field that we are reminded of his superb athleticism. His long jump (21-21/2) has stood as a CFHS record for 60 years. In the spring of his senior year, Bill won a state championship in the 100 yard dash and placed second in the 220 yard dash. He also ran on the Tiger 880 yard relay team, which placed third in the state. He was an All-County football selection, playing on Ted Gurney’s 1930 undefeated team. In addition to his prowess in football and track, Bill lettered four years in basketball.

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ROBERT JAMES SHUTTS

Class of 1964
Football, Basketball, and Baseball

Bob exemplified the term “winner” during his athletic career at CFHS. At times he was nearly perfect, pitching three no-hitters and playing four years of football, never losing a game. He played varsity football for three years, leading the Tigers from the quarterback position during the final two seasons of the 29-game win streak. In basketball, he was his team’s MVP during his junior and senior years. Bob earned All-Conference honors in football, basketball and baseball. He won a baseball scholarship to Northwestern University, where he pitched a no-hitter against Illinois in 1968. He played baseball for three years in the Washington Senators’ organization.

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STUART D. ROOT

Class of 1950

Stuart Root has acquired a lot since graduating from Chagrin Falls High School in 1950. Known for his sense of humor and love of classical music, he was graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1955 with a B.A. in Philosophy. After earning his law degree form Columbia Law School in 1960, he became actively involved in designing the legal structure for the largest real estate acquisition in Manhattan since Rockefeller Center. His client was the Bowery Savings Bank, one of the largest savings institutions in the world at that time. In 1968-69, he served as an advisor for the Ginny Mae program, and by 1970 became the legal architect for a new federal agency known as Freddie Mac (the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation). The subsequent Fannie Mae program, along with Freddie Mac and Ginny Mae, are now approaching $1 trillion in total outstanding volume. Freddie Mac is widely regarded as the most profitable of all government enterprises, attributed, in large part, to Stuart’s work as outside counsel during its formative years (1970-75). From 1981 through 1983, he was President and Vice Chairman of the Bowery Savings Bank in New York City. He as the Executive Director of the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation from 1987-89. Remaining true to some of his earliest passions, he is Chairman of the Board for the Harlem School of Arts.

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WILLIAM STANTON

Class of 1936

Standing tall among his classmates, the splendid young actor had an uncommon wit which would carry him to even greater heights. Multi-talented Will Stanton appeared in football games, track meets, and operettas during his years at Chagrin Falls High School. Since then, he has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Saturday Evening Post, and the New Yorker. Chagrin’s most prolific writer moved with his family to Chagrin Falls before he had reached school age. Growing up in Chagrin Falls during the Depression, he always remembered the kindness and understanding of its people during those difficult times. One of his three books, “Golden Evenings of Summer.” was based, in part, upon his memories of Chagrin Falls. An episode from the book was made into a Walt Disney movie, “Charlie and the Angel,” starring Fred MacMurray. Will’s humorous stories and poems have been published in many magazines including Atlantic, Life, Look, McCall’s, Redbook, and Good Housekeeping. A 1941 graduate of Princeton University, he now lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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MARGARET S. TERPENNING

Class of 1970

Margaret Terpenning’s love of learning was surpassed only by her love of people. Remembered for her warm heart as well as her unbridled determination, she was graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Denison University in 1973. She earned her medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1978, where she also completed a fellowship in the Division of Geriatric Medicine. From 1982 until 1984, she studied infectious diseases through another fellowship at UCLA and the Wadsworth VA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Terpenning has lectured across the United States on various aspects of medical care for the elderly. Her studies of infectious diseases in the elderly have been published in the leading medical journals. In 1984, she was appointed Assistant Clinical Professor of Geriatrics and Internal Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Since 1988, she has been Assistant Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She also serves as Clinical Director, Geriatric Research Education at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and as Assistant Research Scientist at the Institute of Gerontology. In 1991, she was elected to the American College of Physicians Fellows Program. 

Email Us:

If you have an updated address, phone number, or email, then please include that in the message area below.

    Contact Info:

    alumni@chagrinschools.org

    440.247.4387

     


    CFAA Alumni Director:

    Brian McKenna '88

    Office Manager:

    Jana Young ‘82

    Find Us:

    Chagrin Falls Alumni Association

    400 East Washington Street
    Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

    We invite you to join the growing numbers of volunteers who are helping to ensure a bright future for the CFAA and Chagrin Falls Schools. Whether it is through your time or resources, all of us appreciate your generous gifts. To become more involved, contact the Alumni Association. We look forward to your comments, questions, and suggestions. Don’t forget that we appreciate your help in making the CFAA run successfully with the donation of your annual dues of $20 or more.