The Oak Glen Fields of Dreams became the “Suzan Smith Fields of Dreams” as the Hancock County school community honored the former Oak Glen Principal and Hancock County School Superintendent who invested her time and energy into making that dream a reality as she rallied not only the school, but the community behind the project.
Miss Smith was surprised with the announcement at the meeting of faculty and staff that began the school year. Naming the fields after Smith was the idea of newly-appointed Superintendent Dan Enich who was supported in his efforts by Assistant Superintendent Dave Smith.
Superintendent Enich explained the impetus to honor Miss Smith by naming the fields after her.
“In Hancock County education you get people who not only do their job, rise to level of expectations, but you also have people who raise to a level of extreme difference makers. Suzan Smith has been involved in Hancock County education since the 1970s. She was instrumental in educating generations of students in the northern end of the county, then she got into educational leadership as an assistant principal, principal, director of secondary education and career tech and then ultimately superintendent. She let your expressions be heard. She engaged all principals. In the end, however, you knew she was the boss,” said Enich.
“Before she was the superintendent, she laid the ground work for what would become the Fields of Dreams on the Oak Glen High School campus. It was a tough battle that she incorporated community, staff, and stakeholders along the journey to establish these fields on a bare strip of land between Oak Glen High School and the Oak Glen Middle School campus. There are rumors she personally invested in the project. In researching these fields over the past few months, I have talked to numerous Oak Glen community leaders, Dave Smith, Ed Fields, Jeff Davis, Doug Comm, Mr. Hartung, Mr. Murray, Larry Shaw, Randy Swartzmiller and many more. Unanimously they all said, the Oak Glen High school baseball and softball Fields of Dreams complex would not be in existence if not for Miss Suzan Smith. The field of dreams are due for an update in the next few months. With the permission of the Hancock County Board of Education and Oak Glen community, when the season starts next spring the students of Oak Glen High School will be playing at the “Suzan Smith Fields of Dream.”
Miss Smith said that when she was principal at Oak Glen High School she felt the athletic fields should be on the Oak Glen Campus.
“I would watch the students on the softball and baseball teams getting into vehicles to go to the fields on Gas Valley Road for practice and games. I was always concerned about their safety.. There was ample room for the fields to be placed on the Oak Glen campus. People in the community joined into raising funding for the fields. After much effort and passage of the bond call all three fields (baseball, softball and the football stadium) made a new home on the Oak Glen Campus.’
“I am honored with this recognition. This has been the best day of my life and I am certainly grateful that you did it while I am still alive, ” said Smith. “Thank you, Mr. Enich, the Board and all the employees.”
“Since being voted in as the new Superintendent, I have felt that there should be community attachment to some of the structures or fields in the county. I felt that way when I was the Principal of Weir High School when we named the basketball court after Weir High and WVU legend Ron “Fritz” Williams, ” said Enich. “feel the same way now, with the great updates that are happening to our fields I feel it is appropriate in regard to Miss Suzan Smith and Fields of Dreams project, it was a no-brainer. There will be a dedication of the “Suzan L Smith Fields of Dreams” in the Spring.”
(Thanks to Kathy Dray for making this article and photo possible)
