Photo taken by Eric Cogar, on a beach camping trip at Cape Lookout
Opened in 1954, South Salem High School is a main high school in Salem and recently celebrated its 70 anniversary. Many families have expanded in the school, one being the Brown/Rose family. In 1981, Kelly Howard’s older brother, Kyle Howard, was the first in their family to attend South, graduating in 1981-1982. Kelly Howard, who is now “Kelly Brown,” followed in her brother’s footsteps, attending South in 1981 and graduating in 1985.
Brown’s favorite part about attending South was that it was Salem’s wealthiest school at the time, and she was with a group of kids she had known her whole high school life.
“At the time it was the most affluent school in Salem. It was fed by Leslie Middle School which was fed by Candalaria Elementary. I graduated with a large group of kids whom I had known since Kindergarten. I babysat for Mr. Stortz, I worked in the library for 5 years. At the time Leslie was attached to South and shared a lunchroom and the library. Even though I was a loner, it was ‘home’, familiar,” Brown said.
Proud To Be A Saxon
In Brown’s opinion, she is proud to be a Saxon because of her two sons who attended South.
“I was mostly proud of having my two oldest boys go to South and their legacy. They both were everything I had wished I was. When I moved back to Oregon, I knew what South could do for my boys, Ed and J, and I wanted them to experience the things that I was unable to experience by going to the same school I went to and all of its potential,” Brown said.
The Differences In Communities
Though Brown has two sons who attended and graduated from South High School, she has two other sons who graduated from Sprague High School. Watching all of her sons go to high schools, she has noticed some differences in both communities.
“Very disappointed actually. Sprague is one-dimensional, they are all about money, popularity and sports. The faculty was there to do a ‘job’. South is about diversity, empowering their students and the faculty cares,” Brown said.
The Changes
In Brown’s opinion when she graduated from South, the school was one of the top schools in Salem. With South being here for a long time, she thinks it has changed.
“When I graduated from South Salem High School the school was one of the most affluent schools in Salem. It was followed by West Salem High School, a new school and Sprague High School. Now South seems to be more of an inner-city school, with much more
diversity and staff that is willing to help the kids succeed. It is not about popularity and snobbery,” Brown said.
For The Best
Though there have been changes in the school, Brown thinks these changes are good and the school feels more welcoming.
“I think these changes are great. I was very poor. I had very few friends and was judged by my lack of money, fashion, possessions and talent. Now, I think if I had gone to South Salem High School, I would have fit in much better and maybe had more opportunities in front of me. Instead, I ran,” Brown said.
Making Your Own Story
Something South has taught Brown is that everyone gets to make their experience in high school.
“High school is what you make it to be. I leaned into my circumstance instead of fighting it, finding any positives and building on them. After enlistment, I was able to shape myself without my childhood baggage. I wish I had done that in high school,” Brown said.
