(2005)
- Created in 2005 by David and Dawn Sprowls Haber in memory of Duane Sprowls and
Lou Rae Sprowls White.
Duane Sprowls and Lou Rae Sprowls White valued education as it not only benefits the individual but benefits the greater good of society. Their lives illustrated a focus on education, while maintaining the importance of becoming a well rounded individual. The Sprowls College and Post Graduate Scholarship Fund is a tribute to their dedication and a lasting gift to the community they loved.
As a young boy, one of Duane’s passions was baseball. He was a catcher for many local teams throughout his youth. This passion for sports followed him throughout his life. He coached baseball and basketball for several years, spending many years as a head coach in basketball. “He made you feel you could accomplish anything if you put your mind to it,” said one of his former players.
Duane stopped playing baseball to serve in the United States Air Force from 1950-1953. He was stationed in Germany. In 1954, he married Lou Rae. The couple moved to Mt. Pleasant Township, a part of the Fort Cherry School District, in the early 1960s. They raised their daughters, all graduates of Fort Cherry High School, and became active members of the community.
Duane was one of the first members of his family to graduate from college and obtain a post graduate degree. He graduated from West Liberty State College and West Virginia University. After graduation, Duane began working at Fort Cherry High School. He worked there from the day the school opened until his retirement, teaching both history and the principles of education.
Duane continually strived to learn and explore at every opportunity available. He gained a realtor’s license and completed tax preparation courses, among other programs. He expanded his knowledge into new areas whenever he had a chance.
Likewise, Lou Rae was a lifetime learner. She went to commercial school as a young woman and worked at several businesses including a Washington law firm. Along with Duane, she operated a Montgomery Ward Catalog store and ran a small farm in Washington County. She finished her career as the secretary for Mt. Pleasant Township.
Throughout her life Lou Rae was involved in youth based activities, such as Girl Scouts and 4-H. She also served as a Deacon and Elder in the Hickory United Presbyterian Church, where she was able to give back to the community that benefited her and her family.
“To continue my parents’ passion for education, lifetime learning and commitment to the Fort Cherry community, this scholarship fund is being established in their memory. Since it is impossible to repay the individuals who aided my parents throughout their lifetime, it is hoped that the recipients of this scholarship will ‘pay it forward’ by advancing themselves and their community,” remarks Dawn Sprowls Haber on initiation of this fund.
The first scholarship award from the Sprowls College and Post Graduate Scholarship Fund will be awarded to a Fort Cherry graduate in 2006. This is the first scholarship fund the Foundation has received to specifically benefit Fort Cherry High School.
Click here for printable application
Click here for a list of scholarship recipients