2016 Wall of Honor Induction Bios
On October 22, 2016, the inaugural Frankfort-Schuyler Central School Wall of Honor Induction Ceremony was held. Eight inductees were honored during the ceremony. The inductees were introduced by members of the Public Speaking Class. The Frankfort-Schuyler Select Chorus and Show Choir performed before and after the ceremony. Students from the Friends of Rachel Club volunteered to assist throughout the evening.
The names and biographies of the Honorees and a slideshow of photos follows. Congratulations to all of our Honorees.
Mr. Mitchell Billis
Mr. Mitchell Billis, a member of the Frankfort-Schuyler Class of 1954, is recognized for his achievements in the areas of Education and Fine Arts.
Mr. Billis was President of the Frankfort-Schuyler Student Council and was Salutatorian of the Class of 1954. He attended Clarkson University with a basketball scholarship and was Captain of the basketball team. Mr. Billis later earned a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Utah.
Mr. Billis taught at Montana State University. In 1976, he decided to become a painter; and has been painting ever since. Mr. Billis has studied with painters and visited many art museums. He also studied at the Art Students League in New York City.
Mr. Billis has been featured in three full-length articles, two in the art magazines Art of the West and Northwest Art; and one in the Clarkson Alumni Magazine. His paintings have been prominently displayed in galleries in Bootharbor, Maine; Portland, Maine; Kennebunkport, Maine, Edgartown, Massachusetts and Charleston, South Carolina.
Dr. Joseph Grates
Dr. Joseph Grates, a member of the Frankfort-Schuyler Graduating Class of 1932, is recognized for his achievement in the areas of Education and Medicine.
Dr. Grates was a graduate of Tufts University, where he earned both his Bachelor's Degree and his Degree in Dentistry. Dr. Grates served our community as a local dentist for more than thirty years. Community service was a priority for Dr. Grates.
In addition to his dental practice, for example, Dr. Grates served as a member of the Frankfort Schuyler Board of Education for several years. He also served as President of the Board of Education during his tenure on the School Board.
Dr. Grates was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a communicant of Saint Mary's Church. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and served as Kiwanis Club President. Dr. Grates was also a very active member of the Frankfort Youth Association and Boy Scouts programs. Throughout his career, Dr. Grates focused upon enhancing the educational opportunities for students and providing assistance to children and families in need. He was an exemplary role model for the children of our community.
Dr. Grates was a three year football letter winner at Tufts University. He was elected and served as a Town of Frankfort Judge for several years. Dr. Grates also respectfully and honorably served our country as a Captain in the United States Army Air Corps.
Accepting the Wall of Honor recognition on behalf of Dr. Grates and his family, is his son, Christopher Grates, a graduate of Frankfort-Schuyler and the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Command Sergeant Major Frank Grippe
Command Sergeant Major Frank Grippe, a member of the Frankfort-Schuyler Class of 1980, is recognized for his achievements in the areas of Government and Community Service.
Command Sergeant Major Frank Grippe entered the United States Army in 1981. He trained as a light infantryman and graduated from Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
He has served in many leadership and command positions during his military career. Command Sergeant Major Grippe, for example, has served as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the United States Central Command at McDill Air Force Base, in Florida; Command Sergeant Major for the 8ih Infantry Regiment at Fort Drum; Command Sergeant Major for the 10th Mountain
Division at Fort Drum; and the Multi-National Corps - Iraq Command Sergeant Major.
Among the many awards and decorations he has received are the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star for Valor Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
Miss Nancy Ingra
Miss Ingra was the first Italian-American to become Valedictorian of her class, an accomplishment all the more impressive since she was a first-generation immigrant for whom English was a second language. Her love of languages began with English, but continued as she mastered French, Spanish, Tuscan Italian and several dialects of Italian and Latin.
Miss Ingra graduated from Albany State College and was hired as a full-time language teacher at Frankfort-Schuyler. She taught for more than 40 years at Frankfort-Schuyler; and was also named New York State Teacher of the Year.
Miss Ingra was frequently called to Albany by the Board of Regents to assist in the development of the Regents Exams in languages. She served as the Language Department Chairperson at Frankfort-Schuyler and also helped to establish the Frankfort-Schuyler National Honor Society; and was an Advisor for the Language Club.
Miss Ingra tutored numerous students in preparation for their professions. She also counseled fellow teachers in her home assisting them in developing their teaching skills and curriculum development.
Susan N. Chellino, Miss Ingra's niece, who will accept this recognition on behalf of her family.
Mr. Ted Murray
Mr. Ted Murray, a member of the Frankfort-Schuyler Class of 1949, is recognized for his achievements in the areas of Education and Community Service.
After graduating from Frankfort-Schuyler, Mr. Murray attended Oswego State College. While at Oswego, Mr. Murray distinguished himself as a student-athlete. As a member of the Oswego State Basketball Team, he set the college's all-time basketball single game scoring record and broke the single season scoring average and point total. He was voted Oswego State's Outstanding Athlete for two consecutive years.
While teaching History at Whitesboro Central School, Mr. Murray studied Russian at Colgate University, where he became a certified Russian teacher. He was awarded a National Science Foundation grant to study at Dartmouth College where he excelled in Russian studies. Mr. Murray also served as Chairperson of the Whitesboro Foreign Language Department.
After retiring in 1987, Mr. Murray served Herkimer County as an official interpreter for Russian and Ukrainian refugees. He did this for more than 20 years, on a voluntary, unpaid basis.
Mr. Julius J. Perillo
Mr. Julius J. Perillo, a member of the Frankfort-Schuyler Class of 1952, is recognized for his achievement in Education.
Mr. Perillo received a degree in Education from S.U.N.Y. Oswego; and a Master's Degree from S.U.NY Oneonta. He began his teaching career, as a Fourth Grade Teacher, in the Ilion School District. Mr. Perillo was then drafted into the United States Army and served for two years, receiving an Honorable Discharge.
He then began a 31 year career in the Rome City School District. Mr. Perillo served as a teacher, principal, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, Acting Superintendent and Superintendent of the Rome City School District.
Mr. Perillo was honored many times throughout this career. He was presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award from S.U.N.Y. Oswego, and the Rome City School District Educator of the Year Award.
He established, in conjunction with the Rome College Foundation, the Julius Perillo Scholarship, for a Rome Free Academy Senior pursuing a career in teaching.
Mr. Perillo also served on several boards, and committees, including the Rome College Foundation, the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Boy Scouts of America, Jaycees International and the Rotary Club.
Accepting this recognition on behalf of Mr. Perillo's family is Mr. Perillo's son, John J. Perillo.
Mr. John Sanders
Mr. John Sanders, a member of the Frankfort-Schuyler Class of 1964, is recognized for his achievement in the areas of Business and Science.
Mr. Sanders has served as a member of the Congressional Committee on Environmental Issues and the Pinellas Technical College Advisory Board. He was recognized as the 2015 Citizen of the Year by the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Raymond Serway
Dr. Raymond Serway, a member of the Frankfort-Schuyler Class of 1953, is recognized for his achievement in the areas of Education and Business.
Dr. Serway earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physics from Utica College. He then received a Master's Degree in Physics from the University of Colorado. He received his doctorate at Illinois Institute of Technology and is Professor Emeritus at James Madison University, where he taught for 17 years.
Dr. Serway also taught at Clarkson University where he also conducted research. He was a Guest Scientist at the IBM Research Laboratory in Zurich, Switzerland, where he worked with K. Alex Muller, a 1987 Nobel Prize recipient. He was also a visiting scientist at Argonne National Laboratory.
Dr. Serway is the co-author of several physics textbooks. He has published more than 40 research papers in the field of condensed matter physics; he has given more than 60 presentations at professional meetings, and is currently working on his own life story.