Longtime teacher, Marine Corps veteran remembered with Veterans Day plaque dedication

A longtime teacher and Marine Corps veteran who taught the lessons he learned during his Vietnam War service was celebrated on Veterans Day. A plaque was dedicated to Ronald Holmes in the halls of South Side High School Wednesday morning.

Holmes taught U.S. History for nearly 30 years after serving in the Marines for 26 years. While he passed away in 2018, he was honored with the plaque that was displayed near the school’s Vietnam War memorial.

“We’ve been around almost 100 years and we have some legends and Mr. Holmes has always been on that list, but now it’s official,” South Side teacher Susan Thomas said during the presentation.

Holmes stressed developing attributes, like character, in his students. In one example shared by students who passed through his classroom door in three decades, he asked what the person would do when found at a red light in the middle of the night with nobody around.