The Origins of Sandusky High School’s Fram

According to the March 1907 issue of Sandusky High School’s Fram, the word Fram is the Norwegian word for forward. Fram was the name of Captain Fridtjof Nansen’s ship, which he used in his search for the North Pole. The website of an arctic climate research laboratory also named Fram provides an excellent history of the well known polar vessel. An article in the April 20, 1956 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that SHS student Eben Sadler conceived the idea for an annual school publication in 1901. With the aid of three other students, Tom Gawne, Ward Butler, and Lester Scott, Eben Sadler published the first edition of the Fram from his home.

While Fram is the title of Sandusky High’s annual yearbook, originally the publication came out monthly. Early issues of the Fram sold for ten cents, and contained student written essays, art work, and alumni news.

Often a photograph of the graduating class was included.

Later editions of the Fram included individual photographs of graduates and athletic teams.

While the Sandusky Library does not have a complete run of Sandusky High School’s Frams, the library carries this annual publication covering the years 1903 through 2002. Several Sandusky High School Alumni Directories are also housed in the Reference Services section of the Sandusky Library.