5 famous East High graduates over the last 100 years

5 famous East High graduates over the last 100 years


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SALT LAKE CITY — In the nearly 100 years since East High School was founded, the school has grown and diversified, churning out accomplished — and sometimes famous — alumni.

Friday, East High School will kick off their centennial celebrations with their homecoming football game. The school building was completed in 1914 with a pricetag of $700,000. Since then, the school has diversified, with 53 percent of its students being minorities and 37 different languages spoken in the homes of students.

“We cover a wide swath of people,” said Assistant Principal Mary Lane Grisley. “We’re a minority, majority school now… and yet we also have some of the most influential people in the valley who have gone here or whose children have gone here. It’s a wonderful mix. It’s amazing to work here. They do really well, they get along.”

Some of those students have graduated and grown up to be public figures who have become actors and comedians (Roseanne Barr), classical musicians (Jenny Oaks Baker) and U.S. senators (Bob Bennett).

Wallace Stegner, Class of 1925

Stegner was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his 1971 novel “Angle of Repose”. Stegner fought against damming the Green River at Dinosaur National Monument, culminating in his famous “Wilderness Letter” to the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission.

He held several high-profile positions over the years, serving as the assistant to Secretary of the Interior during the Kennedy administration. He started the Creative Writing Program at Stanford University, taught at the University of Utah, University of Wisconsin, and Harvard University.

Related:

Herman Franks, Class of 1931

Franks, a Price native, was a catcher, coach, manager, general manager and scout for Major League Baseball.

While managing the San Francisco Giants during the 1960s, he led the team to four second-place finishes. Teammates said he was involved in the 1951 sign-stealing scheme, wherein he used a telescope to learn the Brooklyn Dodgers’ pitch signals. At games, he would notify Giants batters whether to expect a curveball or a fastball, according to his obituary in the New York Times.

Scott M. Matheson, Class of 1946

Matheson, elected Utah’s governor in 1976, is the last democrat to hold that position.

Holding office for two terms, Matheson was re-elected during Ronald Reagan’s term in office, when republicans across the nation were being elected. He was fiscally conservative, though he supported measures like the MX missile, moving nerve gas storage to Utah, water projects and nuclear waste. He was often seen at public events wearing his trademark cowboy boots, a Deseret News article reported.

5 famous East High graduates over the last 100 years
Photo: AP

James B. Irwin, Class of 1947Irwin was a United States Air Force colonel who, following his military career, went on to become an astronaut in one of the early lunar landings.

With more than 7,015 hours flying time, in the military and 295 hours and 11 minutes in space. Irwin spent a lot of time off the Earth. In 1971, he boarded Apollo 15 for the fourth moon landing, where teams collected samples and explored the moon’s surface.

Sione Pouha, Class of 1997

Pouha has played for the New York Jets since 2005.

The player, currently a defensive tackle, has completed 263 tackles in his career — including 29 in the 2012 season — and 4.5 sacks.

Any alumni interested in participating in the East High School celebrations or initiatives can receive updates by filling out the 100 year celebration form.

#tease

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