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THE 

WILLIAMSPORT  SCHOOLS 

THROUGH 

THE  YEARS 

FEBRUARY  1958 


PRINTED  BY  STUDENTS  OF  THE  GRAPHIC  ARTS  DEPARTMENT 

WILLIAMSPORT  TECHNICAL  INSTITUTE 

A  Division  of  th«  Williamsport  School  District 


THE  WILLIAMSPORT  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


Fred  F.  Bastian,  President  of  W.  E.  A.,  1 956-1 957 

To  celebrate  the  Centennial  of  the  National  Education  Association 
and  to  freserve  the  records  of  education  in  our  community,  this  project 
of  gathering  and  publishing  the  histories  of  our  Williamsport  schools  was 
undertaken. 


Jack  C.  Deibert,  President  of  W.  E.  A.,  1957-1958 

This  review  of  school  progress,  by  diligent  research  carried  hack  many 
years,  impresses  us  with  the  high  degree  of  cooperation  of  citizens  with  teach- 
ers and  administrators.  The  people  of  the  area  want  good  schools  to  give  all 
children  the  best  education  possible  and  they  have  worked  with  the  schools 
to  develop  an  efficient  school  system  and  an  adequate  curriculum.  This 
progress  will  continue  and  improve  in  the  years  ahead. 


JAMES  V.  BROWN  'JSI^AR^ 

♦MLLIA^MSPORT,  PENNA   17TQ 


Dr.  George  H.  Parkes,  Superintendent  of  Schools 

The  people  of  our  community  have  always  enjoyed  splendid  educational 
assets.  First,  the  Boards  of  School  Directors  have  been  composed  of  hard 
working  and  far  seeing  citizens.  Second,  we  have  had  a  splendid  corps  of 
professional  educators  serving  the  children  and  adults  of  the  area.  This 
publication  is  ample  evidence  of  this  progress  and  of  the  splendid  rapport 
among  our  faculty,  adm^inistration  and  the  Board  of  School  Directors. 


Edward  Durrwachter,  President  of  School  Board 

The  Williamsport  School  District  considers  it  a  pleasure  to  express  its 
gratitude  to  the  teachers  in  our  district.  A  teacher  richly  deserves  the  es- 
teem and  admiration  of  all  citizens  in  the  community.  A  teacher  affects 
eternity  as  his  or  her  influence  extends  through  many  generations  into  the 
future.  It  is  the  wish  of  our  hoard  that  all  of  our  personnel  should  always 
continue  to  stand  as  shining  examples  of  our  American  way  of  life. 


FOREWORD 

Pride  in  our  schools  of  Williamsport,  a  desire  to  pay  tribute  to  our 
fine  boys  and  girls  and  to  their  teachers,  and  a  wish  to  reacquaint  the 
citizens  of  Williamsport  with  their  valuable  investments,  both  tangible  and 
intangible,  which  they  possess  in  the  fine  schools  of  the  city,  prompted 
the  members  of  the  Williamsport  Education  Association  to  prepare  this  book- 
let. It  is  presented  to  vou  with  their  good  wishes.  This  is  one  of  the  ways 
local  teachers  have  chosen  to  observe  the  Centennial  of  the  National  Edu- 
cation Association. 

As  we  look  ahead  to  a  second  century  of  progress  in  education  wherein 
boys  and  girls  may  receive  even  greater  guidance  in  becoming  citizens  of 
worth  and  leadership  in  affairs  of  local,  national  and  international  scope, 
we  are  aware  of  the  deep  debt  of  gratitude  we  owe  to  our  first  century 
teachers  and  the  Boards  of  Education  who  laid  broad  and  sound  foundations 
upon  which  we  build. 

A  backward  glance  into  the  historv  of  each  of  our  schools— each  with 
a  distinct  personality,  we  trust,  will  prove  interesting,  perhaps  nostalgic  and 
certainlv  worthwhile. 

This  historv  of  the  schools  of  Williamsport,  some  anecdotes,  their 
unique  ways  of  meeting  the  needs  of  the  day,  will  be  put  on  file  in  the 
James  V.  Brown  Library  and  placed  with  other  important  records,  in  each 
of  the  schools  for  second  century  educators,  history  lovers  and  students  to 
studv,  to  reminisce  perhaps  and  certainly  to  enjoy. 


THE  TANGIBLE  VALUE  OF  THE  SCHOOLS  IN  1957 

According  to  the  appraisals  made  by  Marshall  and  Stevens  on  May  3, 
1957,  the  replacement  cost  of  the  school  buildings  is  $17,465,697.00.  Of 
this  value  5833,023.00  is  in  land,  $14,143,597.00  is  in  buildings  and  $2,- 
489,077.00  is  in  equipment  and  furniture.  The  senior  high  school  has  the 
highest  replacement  value  at  $2,644,944.  The  building  of  lowest  value 
is  the  Service  and  Operation  building  of  the  Technical  Institute  at  $44,986.00. 


Credit  for  research  and  writing  of  the  separate  school  histories,  as  well 
as  our  sincere  thanks,  are  due  the  following  teachers: 

Williamsport  High  School   Elmer  R.  Koons 

Williamsport  Technical  Institute  Sara  Catherine  Nutt 

Andrew  G.  Curtin  Junior  High  School  F.  Catharine  Fisher 

Theodore  Roosevelt  Junior  High  School  James  E.  Logue 

Thaddeus  Stevens  Junior  High  School  M-  Esther  Reilley 

Henry  Clav     Charlotte  R.  Williams 

J.   Henry  Cochran  Rodney  L.  Caulkins 

Benjamin  Franklin  Yavonne  J.  Conrad 

Andrew  Jackson  I°*  Decker 

Thomas  Jefferson   Mary  S.  Woodling 

Abraham    Lincoln      Carrolyn   E.  Wein 

Charles  Lose  Sara  G.  Allen  and  Mary  L.  Bennett 

Philip  Sheridan    William  E.  Nichols 

George  Washington   Elizabeth  M.  Good 

Daniel  Webster  Mabel  E.  Eck 

Continuation  School    Mabel  Turner 

Emer)'  School  George  R.  Walters 

William  Penn  and  Samuel  Transeau  Schools  Isabelle  M.  McGraw 

We  are  indebted  to  J.  Wayne  Straub,  Charles  Strayer  and  Jack  Deibert 
of  the  Williamsport  Technical  Institute  for  the  photography  and  printing  of 
this  booklet;  to  June  Baskin  of  the  Cochran  faculty  for  the  cover  design;  and 
for  the  orioinal  illustrations. 

To  each  person  who  contributed  in  any  way  to  the  publication  of 
The  Williamsport  Schools  Through  the  Years  we  express  our  sincere  thanks. 

Ida  E.  Heller 
Isabelle  M.  McGraw 
Sara  B.  Poust 
J.  Wayne  Straub 
Mildred  Kelly,  Chairman 


HISTORY  OF  WILLIAMSPORT  HIGH  SCHOOL 

The  Williamsport  High  School  lives  by  its  motto:  "Crescit  Eundo— 
Grow  as  you  go."  The  history  of  the  Williamsport  High  School  begins, 
in  fact,  with  the  history  of  public  school  education  in  Williamsport,  although 
a  "high  school"  as  such  was  not  organized  until  1869. 

In  1869  an  examination  of  the  pupils  in  the  three  higher  grades  in 
schools  existing  then  determined  the  selection  of  13  pupils,  who,  with 
Samuel  Transeau  as  principal,  constituted  the  Williamsport  High  School. 
The  school's  entire  physical  plant  consisted  of  one  small  room.  The  course 
of  study,  arranged  to  occupy  three  years,  consisted  of  the  common  branches, 
including  algebra,  chemistry,  physiology  and  natural  philosophy,  and  such 
advanced  studies  as  were  formerly  taught  in  the  grammar  schools. 

The  organization  of  the  high  school  was  opposed  by  teachers  who 
were  unwilling  to  lose  their  most  advanced  pupils,  and  by  the  public  who 
objected  to  the  added  expense. 

According  to  Paul  G.  Gilmore  in  his  Digest  of  John  F.  Meginness  His- 
tory of  Lycoming  County,  the  high  school  was  located  first  in  Hill's  Block 
on  the  north  side  of  Fourth  Street,  between  Elmira  and  Hepburn  Streets. 
It  was  later  located  in  DuBois  Hall  and  in  1872  was  located  on  the  second 
floor  of  the  Independence  Engine  House  on  the  east  side  of  Mulberry 
Street.  This  fire  house  was  also  known  as  Engine  House  No.  1,  located 
just  north  of  Christ  Episcopal  Church. 

The  first  years  of  the  high  school  were  full  of  changes.  By  1878,  when 
the  school  was  moved  to  the  third  floor  of  the  Curtin  School  Building,  then 
located  at  612  Market  Street,  now  the  site  of  the  First  E.  U.  B.  Church, 
its  location  had  been  changed  five  times,  and  seven  principals  had  succes- 
sively directed  its  work.  Meanwhile,  in  1873,  the  course  of  study  was 
extended  to  cover  four  years.  In  1877,  the  course  was  revised  again  with 
a  view  to  prepare  graduates  for  teaching. 

In  1887  the  first  Williamsport  High  School  building  was  constructed 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  Third  and  Walnut  Streets.  The  class  of  1888 
consisted  of   160  pupils. 

New  courses  of  study— classical,  Latin-scientific  and  English-scientific— 
were  adopted  in  1894.  The  commercial  department  extended  its  program 
into  a  two-year  course  and  was  moved  to  the  new  Washington  School 
building.     In   1900  the  high  school  boasted  11  teachers  and  370  students. 


The  high  school  building  burned  on  Saturday,  April  4,  1914.  The 
Class  of  1914  was  graduated  in  the  unfinished  new  high  school  building 
on  Third  Street  at  Susquehanna  Street. 

William  Wilse  Kelchner  was  the  principal  of  the  high  school  from 
the  time  it  was  constructed  until  his  death  in  1904.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Percy  M.  Bullard.  Dr.  Alvin  M.  Weaver  succeeded  Mr.  Bullard.  Dr. 
James  E.  Nancarrow  became  principal  of  the  high  school  in  1926  and 
served  until  1943  when  he  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  LeRoy  F. 
Derr  who  continued  in  this  post  until  his  retirement  in  1957  His  successor 
was  David  M.  Stuempfle,  the  present  principal. 

At  the  turn  of  the  century  the  high  school  offered  four  courses  of  study 
—the  classical,  the  Latin-scientific,  the  English-scientific,  and  the  commercial. 
These  courses  consisted  of  such  course  subjects  as  Greek,  rhetoric,  decla- 
mation, essays,  and  orations. 

As  the  century  progressed,  the  high  school  kept  up  with  the  times. 
One  of  its  major  moves  toward  expansion  was  the  formation  of  the  "shop" 
course— the  embryo  of  the  present  Williamsport  Technical  Institute. 

School  enrollment  continued  to  expand,  and  in  1935  the  present  high 
school  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  a  new  wing  containing  approximately 
20  classrooms,  a  little  theater,  an  office  for  the  Cherry  and  White  publica- 
tion, which  was  begun  in  1896,  and  a  special  sound-proof  band  room.  This 
new  wing  was  made  possible  by  the  removal  of  the  industrial  department 
to  the  newly  built  industrial   units  on  Susquehanna  Street. 

The  erection  of  the  new  gymnasium  across  the  street  from  the  high 
school  building  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1936,  and  the  building -was 
dedicated  in  November,   1937. 

The  physical  growth  of  the  Williamsport  High  School  is  one  part  of 
the  school's  history.  Its  growth  in  curriculum  has  kept  a  steady  pace  with 
the  changing  times.  Today,  graduates  of  the  Williamsport  High  School 
meet  all  requirements  for  furthering  their  education  by  the  leading  colleges 
and  universities  throughout  the  United  States.  The  faculty  has  grown 
from  68  teachers  in  the  high  school  and  to  85  teachers  and  instructors  in 
the  technical  institute.     Its  enrollment  now  totals  over  2,000  students. 


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HISTORY  OF  CLAY  SCHOOL 

The  first  Clay  School  was  located  at  1269  Vine  Street  in  the  year  of 
1890.  There  were  three  teachers,  A.  H.  Bingham,  Clara  Kurtz  and  Laura 
Sprague.  Movement  was  made  for  the  sale  of  this  school  at  the  School 
Board  Meeting,  April  7,  1893.  On  January  13,  1905  the  board  confirmed 
its  sale.  The  Finance  Committee  of  the  board  advertised  for  bids  for  the 
sale  of  the  old  building  and  had  sold  it  to  Joseph  Huff,  the  highest  bidder, 
for  eight  hundred  twenty-six  dollars. 

The  new  Clav  Building  was  formally  accepted  August  21,  1894.  Mr. 
J.  W.  Gilmore  became  the  principal  in  1895.  There  were  nine  teachers 
and  three  divisions  known  as  the  Senior,  Junior  and  Primary  Grades.  In 
1898  the  city  schools  were  listed  as  Primary,  Intermediate  and  Grammar 
schools.  Clay  was  classified  as  a  Grammar  school.  Mr.  Gilmore  served 
as  principal  from   1895-1925.     He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  George  Walters. 

The  eighth  and  ninth  grades  were  transferred  to  the  new  Stevens  Junior 
High  School  in  1924.  Later  the  seventh  grade  was  sent  to  Stevens.  In 
1955  the  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  grades  were  transferred  to  the  Lose  School 
and  Mr.  Walters  was  transferred  to  Washington  School.  Clay  is  now  known 
as  the  Lose  Area  School  with  Mr.  T.  Ferguson,  principal. 

Clay  School  has  had  two  outstanding  principals,  Mr.  John  Gilmore  and 
Mr.  George  Walters.  Mr.  Gilmore's  long  years  of  service  were  rich  in  results 
for  education.  The  contributions  of  his  services  have  brought  to  many 
persons,  young  and  old  whom  he  served,  affection  and  high  esteem.  His 
wise  counsel  and  enthusiasm  will  long  remain  in  our  community. 

Mr.  Walters'  outstanding  interest  was  the  well-being  of  the  child.  He 
stressed  the  importance  of  good  health  habits  and  physical  fitness  through 
a  well  organized  health  and  physical  education  program.  He  emphasized 
the  value  of  safety  education  by  promoting  instruction  in  habits  of  careful- 
ness and  caution.  His  untiring  effort  has  given  to  the  child  and  adult  a 
better  opportunity  for  useful  living. 

From  the  opening  of  the  old  Clay  School  and  the  present  Clay,  more 
than  fifty  teachers  have  been  associated  with  its  faculty. 


HISTORY  OF 
J.  HENRY  COCHRAN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL 

In  the  spring  of  1928  the  Center  and  Vallamont  schools  were  closed 
due  to  lack  of  space  and  other  conditions  within  each  building.  Henceforth 
pupils  from  these  attendance  areas  would  be  enrolled  in  the  new  J.  Henry 
Cochran  Building. 

This  school  was  to  be  erected  on  a  plot  of  ground  deeded  to  the 
Williamsport  School  District  in  April,  1927.  The  land  was  received  from 
the  School  District  of  Loyalsock  Township,  which  had  been  given  the  plot 
by  the  family  of  Senator  J.  Henry  Cochran,  pioneer  lumberman,  banker 
and  philanthropist.  The  deed  specified  that  the  land  be  used  only  for 
school  and  recreation  purposes.  On  this  plot  was  built  the  original  portion 
of  the  preseent  J.  Henry  Cochran  Elementary  School. 

Not  long  after  acquiring  the  land,  the  School  Board  of  the  City  of 
Williamsport  began  planning  for  the  construction  of  the  new  school.  It 
was  to  be  a  consolidation  of  the  Center  and  Vallamont  schools,  providing 
better  facilities  for  the  children  of  the  area.  Within  two  months  the  Board 
had  awarded  contracts  totaling  $157,377.00.  The  new  15  classroom  building 
was  completed  and  dedicated  in   1928. 

By  the  time  the  Dedication  Exercises  were  held,  Mr.  Earle  W.  Phillips 
and  his  faculty  of  eleven  teachers  had  had  underway  a  busy  schedule  of 
instruction  for  their  four  hundred  and  thirty-nine  pupils.  This  enrollment 
made  an  average  teaching  load  of  thirty-six  pupils  per  teacher.  First  grade 
teachers  were  Miss  Dorothy  Plank  and  Miss  Eleanor  Fisher.  The  second 
grades  were  taught  by  Miss  Phoebe  Bloomfield  and  Miss  Ocie  Drick.  One 
third  grade  and  one  fourth  grade  were  instructed  by  Miss  Olive  Ramsey 
and  Miss  Edna  Miller,  respectively,  while  Miss  Carmen  Probst  taught  a 
combination  of  third  and  fourth  grades.  The  fifth  grade  teachers  were  Miss 
Ida  Hays  and  Miss  Ellen  Young,  and  Miss  Zella  Pepperman  and  Mr.  Phillips 
were  instructors  for  the  sixth  grade. 

Twenty-three  years  passed,  and  Cochran  found  it  necessary  to  expand 
to  meet  the  demands  of  larger  enrollment  and  new  and  increased  activity. 
In  1951  the  Board  awarded  contracts  totaling  almost  $416,000.00  for  an 
addition  to  the  original  structure.  This  wing,  completed  in  1952,  is  approxi- 
mately the  size  of  the  "old"  section,  and  adds  16  classrooms,  a  gymnasium- 


auditorium  and  a  cafeteria  to  the  school. 

Two  kindergartens  were  opened  in  the  fall  of  1952.  However,  as  far 
back  as  1928,  it  is  recorded  that  there  was  a  strong  demand  for  a  kinder- 
garten in  the  new  Cochran  building! 

During  the  first  year,  1928,  the  foundation  was  laid  for  the  J.  Henry 
Cochran  Parent  Teacher  Association  to  become  one  of  the  largest  and 
strongest  in  Williamsport.  The  officers  for  this  new  association  were  nomi- 
nated by  a  committee  made  up  of  representatives  from  the  Center  P.  T.  A. 
and  the  Vallamont  P.  T.  A.  These  officers  were  duly  elected  at  the  first 
meeting  held  on  September  28,  1928. 

Many  important  projects  are  undertaken  each  year  by  the  P.  T.  A. 
The  Cochran  P.  T.  A.  established  and  maintains  a  Student  Loan  Fund. 
This  project  was  an  outgrowth  of  a  similar  one  at  the  Vallamont  School. 
In  1928  Cochran's  Library  Fund  was  set  up,  and  each  year  an  appropriation 
is  made  for  Library  Expenditures. 

"My  interest  is  in  the  future  because  I  am  going  to  spend  the  rest 
of  mv  life   there." 

These  words  by  Charles  F.  Kettering  express  the  feeling  of  the  two 
organizations  vital  to  the  continued  growth  and  development  of  the  J. 
Henry  Cochran  School. 


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HISTORY  OF 
ANDREW  G.   CURTIN  JUNIOR  HIGH   SCHOOL 

The  year  was  1869;  the  city  of  Williamsport  was  expanding  rapidly; 
the  farsighted  school  board  realized  that  there  would  soon  be  a  need  for  a 
new  building  to  care  for  the  youngsters  in  the  "northern"  part  of  the  growing 
city.  With  this  in  mind,  it  purchased  a  lot  from  Mulberry  Street  Methodist 
Church,  at  the  point  where  Market  and  Packer  Streets  come  together.  The 
city  did  grow,  as  anticipated,  and  in  January,  1874,  the  first  students  reported 
to  the  Market  Street  Building  that  had  been  built  on  this  lot. 

Market  Street  Building  seemed  too  commonplace  and  nondescript  a 
name,  however,  for  what  had  become  a  very  definite  asset  to  the  Williamsport 
school  system.  Many  names  were  considered,  including  that  of  Thaddeus 
Stevens,  but  in  September,  1899,  at  a  name-changing  ceremony,  the  school 
became  officially  known  as  the  Andrew  G.  Curtin  School. 

The  citv  continued  its  expansion  northward,  and  Curtin,  termed  a 
"menace"  by  the  superintendent,  seemed  inadequate,  and  the  school  board 
felt  that  a  new  building  should  be  erected  on  a  new  site.  That  decision 
accounts  for  the  parade  through  Brandon  Park  on  St.  Patrick's  Day,  1921, 
when  the  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  graders,  books  and  belongings  in  tow, 
marched  eagerly  to  their  new  schoolhouse  at  the  corner  of  Packer  and  Eldred 
Streets.  While  it  was  a  new  building,  it  was,  however,  keeping  its  old 
name,  Andrew  G.  Curtin.  In  continuing  this  name,  the  school  fathers 
showed  their  desire  to  maintain  the  quality  of  service  to  all  that  typified  the 
personality  and  career  of  Governor  Curtin.  This  same  desire  was  kept  con- 
stantly before  the  students  as  the  school  motto  became,  "Enter  to  learn;  go 
forth  to  serve." 

It  must  have  been  a  proud  and  satisfying  day  for  Mr.  A.  L.  Pepperman, 
principal  of  the  school,  as  he  watched  these  youngsters  say  goodbye  to  their 
classmates  in  the  first  five  grades.  These  younger  students  would  not  be 
transferred  until  the  following  school  term  to  the  larger,  more  modern  Cur- 
tin, with  fourteen  classrooms,  a  sister  to  the  Roosevelt  School  in  the  western 
end  of  the  city.  Incidentally,  these  two  schools  were  exactly  alike  on  the 
interior,  but  Curtin  was  given  a  classical  exterior,  while  "collegiate"  was  the 
word  used  to  describe  the  outward  appearance  of  Roosevelt. 

The  "old"  Curtin  passed  from  sight  in  March,  1923,  as  the  land  was 
sold  and  razing  was  started  so  that  the  present  First  Evangelical   United 


Brethren  Church  could  be  built. 

Almost  immediately  changes  were  made  to  keep  abreast  with  the  needs 
of  the  dav.  In  1923,  the  school  board  took  official  action  to  make  Curtin 
a  junior  high  school,  and  in  the  1924-25  term,  only  seventh,  eighth,  and 
ninth  graders  were  enrolled.  With  the  appearance  of  a  junior  high  school 
organization,  specialization  could  be  continued  and  developed  to  an  even 
greater  degree  than  had  been  done  previously.  To  be  found  in  the  super- 
intendent's report  is  an  explanation  of  this  move:  "The  adolescent  youth 
has  an  urge  to  make  things,  to  experiment,  to  try  out  his  abilities.  The 
junior  high  school  should  be  rich  in  activities  to  enable  a  pupil  to  explore 
these  interests  and  abilities  ...  A  pupil  is  not  taught  a  trade,  but  the  school 
uses  his  desires  to  construct  as  an  impelling  motive  for  good  work  and  atten- 
tion to  his  duty  .  .  .  The  development  of  departmentalization  allows  each 
student  to  excel  in  his  own  special  field  and  thus  local  school  pride  is 
stimulated." 

The  advent  of  this  junior  high  school  program,  plus  the  continued  rapid 
growth  in  population,  make  it  soon  evident  that  an  addition  would  have  to 
be  added,  not  only  to  care  for  the  greater  student  enrollment,  but  to  provide 
adequate  space  for  the  ever-expanding  curriculum  and  school  activities.  So 
it  was  that  Rededication  Services  were  held  on  November  23,  1928,  with 
the  Honorable  Emerson  Collins,  a  member  of  the  Public  Service  Commis- 
sion, as  the  principal  speaker,  just  as  he  had  been  seven  vears  earlier  at  the 
first  Dedication  Services. 

As  the  years  have  passed,  Andrew  G.  Curtin  Junior  High  School  has 
continued  to  grow  with  the  community,  ever  ready  to  meet  the  increasing 
demands  made  upon  it  and  its  facilities.  While  its  exterior  has  remained 
classical  in  design,  its  educational  interior  has  been  kept  modern  and  apace 
with  the  times.  The  Curtin  ninth  graders  who  receive  their  junior  high 
school  certificates  have  been  given  not  only  the  three  R's,  still  basic  in 
education,  but  a  great  deal  more.  They  have  been  allowed  to  develop  their 
special  skills  in  art,  music,  athletics.  They  have  been  permitted  to  discover 
their  manual  dexterity,  to  explore  the  domestic  sciences.  They  have  been 
given  a  glimpse  into  the  commercial  and  business  world.  They  have  been 
given  the  chance  to  study  the  great  number  of  vocations  and  professions 
available  to  them  as  adults,  through  the  occupations  program,  climaxed  each 
year  by  a  Career  Conference. 


Since  the  second  semester  of  1929,  the  students  have  been  learning 
the  processes  of  self-government,  with  the  organization  of  a  student  council. 
In  1926,  the  first  issue  of  the  Curtin  Junior  Citizen  made  its  appearance, 
so  that  the  pupils  have  had  the  opportunity  to  learn  self-expression,  and  to 
see  their  work  printed  in  the  school  magazine. 

To  recognize  those  ninth  graders  who  have  most  worthilv  exemplified 
the  ideal  Curtin  citizen,  the  National  Junior  Honor  Society  was  chartered 
on  April  25,  1947.  In  voting  membership  to  the  Societv,  the  faculty  con- 
siders not  only  the  scholastic  achievement  of  the  pupil  and  participation  in 
the  extra-curricular  activities  of  the  school,  but  emphasizes  the  display  of 
those  character  qualities  necessarv  for  good  citizenship. 

After  a  long  and  successful  career  as  teacher  and  principal,  Mr.  Pepper- 
man  retired  in  1942,  secure  in  the  knowledge  that  Curtin  School,  which 
had  been  under  his  leadership  since  1897,  had  established  for  itself  an 
enviable  reputation  in  the  educational  world.  This  fine  reputation  has  con- 
tinued to  grow  under  Dr.  L.  F.  Derr,  principal  for  the  1942-43  term,  and 
under  the  present  principal,  Mr.  Robert  D.  Smink,  who  assumed  that  posi- 
tion in  the  fall  of  1943.  The  present  faculty  and  students  are  faithfully 
upholding  those  same  standards  of  loyal  service  and  cooperation  which  have 
been  the  aims  of  Curtin  School  since  that  first  child  entered  its  front  door 
in  January,  1874. 


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HISTORY  OF  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  SCHOOL 

Eighteen  fifty-six  saw  the  beginning  of  our  FrankHn  School.  This  first 
Frankhn  building  on  Mulberry  Street  was  completed  in  1858  and  the  first 
classes  were  held  in  it  in  January,  1859. 

A.  B.  Putnam  and  Conley  Plotts  were  among  the  first  to  teach  in  the 
new  building.  At  that  time  the  male  teacher  earned  $81.63  a  month  and  the 
less  fortunate  female  earned  only  $45.54  a  month. 

The  Franklin  School  had  four  classes  on  the  first  floor,  two  on  the 
second  and  two  more  classes  on  the  third  floor.  In  1871  the  building  was 
remodeled  combining  the  second  and  third  floor  classes.  Overcrowding  was 
a  problem  then  as  it  is  today,  there  being  fifly  to  sixty  pupils  on  the  first 
floor  and  one  hundred  fifty  to  two  hundred  on  the  second  and  third  floors. 
The  building  of  the  new  Penn  School  and  the  enlarging  of  Jeff^erson  helped 
to  relieve  the  overcrowded  situation. 

In  1861,  there  being  no  high  school,  algebra  and  other  subjects  of  that 
plane  were  added  to  the  curriculum. 

In  1863,  Wesley  Miles  was  principal  of  Franklin.  During  this  time 
a  savings  bank  system  was  in  operation.  Any  pupil  could  deposit  from  a 
penny  up  with  his  teacher  who  then  placed  it  to  his  credit  in  a  national 
bank.  When  the  pupil  had  deposited  the  amount  of  two  dollars  he  received 
a  bank  book  and  3%  interest. 

Before  the  days  of  the  paid  fire  department  the  No.  1  engine  house 
bell  meant  trouble  for  teachers  at  Franklin  School.  All  the  older  boys  in 
the  building  were  firemen  and  one  tap  of  that  bell  meant  uproar  and  all 
who  could,  dashed  away. 

In  1875,  Prof.  Samuel  Transeau  became  superintendent  and  established 
his  office  at  the  Franklin  building.  Prior  to  that  time  the  superintendent  had 
no  office.  The  office  of  the  superintendent  then  remained  in  the  Franklin 
building  for  seventeen  years. 

On  November  6,  1902  the  Williamsport  School  Board  proposed  the 
issuance  of  coupon  bonds,  not  less  than  $100.00  each,  to  erect  a  new  Frank- 
lin building  on  the  site  of  the  one  in  use.  The  cost  of  the  buildina  was  not 
to  exceed  $27,000. 

On  December  5,  1902,  the  board  wanted  to  find  a  more  desirable  way 
to  raise  the  money  and  any  action  on  the  proposed  Franklin  building  was 
deferred. 


Then  in  May,  1903  the  contract  for  the  Franklin  building  was  awarded 
to  Samuel  Larrivee  at  $34311.75  less  $500  bid  for  the  old  structure.  The 
building  was  to  be  completed  bv  January   1,   1904. 

June  12,  1903  saw  the  beginning  of  the  demolition  of  one  of  the  four 
oldest  educational  landmarks  of  Williamsport,  and  of  the  oldest  public 
school  building  in  service.  More  than  six  thousand  of  Williamsport's  young 
people  had  at  one  time  attended  the  old  Franklin  building.  Although  the 
new  building  was  a  definite  need,  many  people  of  Williamsport  who  had 
studied  within  its  walls  were  sorry  to  see  the  old  building  go. 

Upon  its  completion  in  1904,  the  Franklin  building  held  nine  grades. 
The  curriculum  included  manual  training  and  sewing  until  1918  when  the 
present  Curtin  building  was  constructed.  At  that  time  Franklin  became 
an  elementary  school  having  only  six  grades. 

The  first  mural  paintings  in  the  public  schools  at  Williamsport  were 
installed  in  1914  in  the  grammar  room  of  the  Franklin  building.  The  artist, 
|.  Wesley  Little  of  Picture  Rocks,  Penna.,  was  commissioned  by  the  Franklin 
Parent  Teacher  Association.  The  mural  was  a  painting  of  a  typical  Susque- 
hanna River  scene. 

The  Franklin  building  has  seen  many  outstanding  workers  of  educa- 
tion. In  1909,  S.  W.  Furst,  principal  of  Franklin  wrote  a  poem,  Lincoln, 
in  honor  of  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Lincoln.  He  also 
wrote  a  Mensuration  Book  used  at  the  Franklin  building,  and  a  text,  English 
Grammar  bv  Outline. 

The  Franklin  School  won  many  trophies  during  the  years  for  sporting 
events.     It  has  been  engaged  in  many  interesting  and  outstanding  projects. 

During  World  War  II  in  September,  1944,  they  won  a  banner  for  the 
collection  of  the  most  tin  cans  to  help  the  war  effort. 

There  is  little  change  in  the  Franklin  building  itself  since  its  construc- 
tion. It  now  contains  eight  classrooms,  an  assembly  room  and  a  well 
equipped  art  room.  The  building  now  houses  six  grades,  consisting  of  225 
pupils,  eight  teachers  and  the  principal,  Mr.  John  L.  Earner,  who  com- 
menced his  duties  at  Franklin  School  in    1947. 


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HISTORY  OF  THE 
THADDEUS   STEVENS  JUNIOR  HIGH  SCHOOL 

Stevens  Junior  High,  a  memorial  to  Thaddeus  Stevens  (1792-1868), 
"the  father  of  the  Common  School  System  of  Pennsvlvania,"  is  a  school  of 
a  highly  cherished  tradition  and  represents  also  the  best  in  what  a  secondary 
education  can  offer  to  its  students. 

The  history  of  Stevens  actually  began  in  1926,  however,  its  inception 
can  be  traced  several  vears,  prior  to  that  date.  As  the  school  population 
increased,  the  city's  school  directors  envisoned  a  new  type  of  building.  It 
would  serve  the  need  for  secondary  educational  facilities  and  replace  the  old 
Steven  Elementary  School,  on  Memorial  Avenue. 

In  a  vicinitv,  which  included  only  open  spaces,  unpaved  roads,  and  an 
occasional  house.  The  Board  of  Education  purchased  a  site  "high  on  a  hill- 
side," bounded  bv  Louisa  and  North  Grier  Streets  and  Seventh  and  Rural 
Avenues.  On  this  property,  a  red  brick  structure  of  English  architectural 
design  was  erected  by  Guilbert-Bartette,  architects  and  John  Cunningham, 
builder. 

The  cornerstone  was  laid  Julv  20,  1926.  The  Thaddeus  Stevens  Junior 
High  School  was  officially  opened  September,  1927,  and  dedicated  December, 
1927,  with  Dr.  A.  M.  Weaver,  as  superintendent,  and  Mr.  Harvey  E.  Stabler, 
formerly  of  The  Samuel  Transeau  Elementary  Building,  as  principal.  Seven- 
teen women  and  four  men  comprised  the  faculty,  with  an  enrollment  of 
approximately  800  boys  and  girls. 

The  grades  housed  in  the  old  Stevens  moved  to  the  new  junior  high, 
until  their  new  elementarv  school  was  finished.  The  citv's  public  school 
system  had  now  inaugurated  an  unified  secondary  educational  system. 
The  Andrew  G.  Curtin,  The  Theodore  Roosevelt,  and  The  Thaddeus  Stevens 
served  7th,  8th  and  9th,  with  the  present  senior  high,  exclusively,  for  10th, 
11th,  and   12th  grades. 

With  its  sloping  terraces,  set  in  magnificent  elms  and  shrubbery, 
Stevens  was  one  of  the  city's  beauty  spots.  Equipped  with  a  combined 
stage  and  gymnasium,  modern  classrooms,  auditorium,  shops,  cooking  and 
science  laboratories  and  the  first  public  school  library,  the  school  with  its 
beauty  of  exterior  and  interior,  was  an  achievement  of  which  Williamsport 
could  be  justlv  proud. 

One  of  the  unique  features  of  Stevens  was  its  Merit  System.     The 


firm  belief  of  Mr.  Har\'ey  E.  Stabler  was  that  the  primary  objective  of  a 
school  is  to  train  pupils  for  good  citizens.  To  impress  the  pupils  with  this 
solemn  duty,  he  formulated  a  Merit  System,  whereby  the  students  could 
practice  habits  of  citizenship. 

The  system  was  presented  to  the  faculty  October  10,  1927.  It  was 
approved  and  accepted.  Although  it  has  been  amended  and  revised  several 
limes— the  purpose  remains  the  same.  To  quote  Mr.  Stabler,  "The  Merit 
Svstem  of  our  school  has  been  organized  to  encourage  groups  to  work  in 
harmony  for  better  standards  in  scholarship,  behavior,  attendance,  dress,  and 
activities." 

In  as  far  as  possible  the  policy  of  the  curriculum  and  its  presentation 
is  adapted  to  the  needs  of  youth.  An  effort  is  made  to  help  each  student 
discover  his  interests,  abilities,  and  possibilities  for  self-development  and 
intelligent  adjustment.  Besides  the  program  of  studies,  attitudes,  apprecia- 
tions, and  habits  are  encouraged  in  many  areas— love  of  American  democracy, 
critical  thinking,  creativeness,  attitudes  of  inquiry,  and  assuming  respon- 
sibility in  self-direction. 

Coupled  with  the  ideals  of  citizenship  and  scholarship,  Stevens  also 
emphasizes  the  de\'elopment  of  well-rounded  interests— art,  assemblies,  ath- 
letics, clubs,  dramatics,  musical  organizations,  and  publications— have  afforded 
a  wide  range  of  growth  fields  adapted  to  the  varying  student's  interests. 

In  1942,  upon  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Stabler,  Mr.  C.  Grover  Hyman,  of 
The  Samuel  Transeau  Elementary  Building  was  elected  his  successor.  Under 
Mr.  Hyman's  loyal  and  effective  guidance,  the  pattern  of  sound  moral  and 
pedagogical  principles,  upon  which  the  school  was  built,  continues  to  be 
woven. 

Student  publications  have  been  important  in  the  life  of  the  school.  In 
1942,  The  Stevens  was  founded  as  a  school  magazine  and  continued  as 
such  until  1955.  The  Stevens  has  preserved  a  reflection  of  the  way  of  life 
at  Stevens,  and  was  one  of  the  leading  junior  high  magazines.  The  new 
school  seal,  designed  by  Richard  Griess,  '43  and  Walter  Hertzog,  '43,  first 
appeared  in  The  Stevens. 

In  the  early  days  of  Stevens,  the  first  edition  of  The  Hilltopper,  a 
newspaper  appeared.  It  continued  for  several  years  and  has  been  recently 
(1955)  republished.  Another  publication,  the  handbook,  also  titled  The 
Hilltopper  was  printed  in   1954. 

The  25th  anniversary  year,  in  1952,  of  Stevens  was  marked  by  a  series 


of  occasions  during  the  school  term.  A  reception  and  tea  attended  by  500 
alumni  and  friends  was  held  May  4,  in  the  form  of  open  house  in  the  school 
gymnasium.  Everyone  attending  this  celebration  was  presented  an  18  page 
Silver  Jubilee  Booklet,  containing  photographs  and  facts  concerning  the 
history  of  Stevens. 

The  theme  of  the  commencement  also  commemorated  the  anniversary. 
Hark  the  Past,  a  revue,  written  by  Murray  Grove,  '44,  featured  highlights 
among  the  activities  and  honors  achieved  by  the  school  in  the  past  25  years. 

Through  the  years,  Stevens  has  had  to  struggle  against  the  effects  of 
war,  economic  limitations,  and  major  changes  in  population,  which  had 
cast  their  shadows  upon  our  school  life.  Increasing  pressures  had  also  arisen 
to  institute  a  modern  school  program  geared  to  the  life  of  over  a  quarter 
of  a  century   ago. 

Stevens  has  well  met  the  challenge.  A  primary  function  of  the  school 
has  always  been  to  encourage  good  citizenship.  With  the  help  of  the  Merit 
System  and  a  conscientious  faculty  under  effective  principalships,  Stevens 
has  ever  worked  to  develop  intelligent,  and  loyal  leadership.  Testimony 
to  its  success  lies  in  the  many  alumni  who  now  hold  responsible  positions  in 
the  life  of  this  community. 

Today,  as  at  the  time  of  its  founding,  Stevens  is  proud  of  its  heritage 
and  continues  to  translate  into  daily  action  the  traditions  of  honor,  self- 
control,  and  service  fostered  by  the  school.  Furthermore,  it  strives  to  main- 
tain and  pass  on  its  intangible  spirit  which  shall  enable  successive  generations 
of  students,  teachers,  principals  and  alumni  to  be  worthy  of  the  greatest 
figure  in  Pennsylvania  Public  School  History— Thaddeus  Stevens. 
".  .  .  build  not  your  monuments  of  brass  or 
marble  but  make  them  of  Everlasting  Mind!" 


9 


HISTORY  OF  JACKSON  SCHOOL 

The  Jackson  School  is  the  oldest  school  in  Williamsport.  In  all 
probability,  it  dates  back  to  the  time  of  Andrew  Jackson,  seventh  president 
of  the  United  States  (1828-1844),  and  started  the  precedent  for  naming 
local  schools  for  Presidents  of  the  United  States. 

"A  Centennial  History  of  Newherry"  covering  the  years  from  1776  to 
1876,  compiled  by  C.  V.  L.  McMinn,  and  published  in  1876,  states:  "The 
children  found  the  old  stone  Presbyterian  Church  (1817-1850)  a  grand 
play  house  for  their  school  days."  Senior  citizens  of  Newberrv  whose  ances- 
tors were  first  settlers  say  the  first  Jackson  School  was  located  at  the  present 
site  of  the  Vanderlin  Cleaning  Works,  636  Arch  Street,  across  from  the 
Presbyterian  Church  property.     This  was  a  stone  building. 

Previous  to  this  a  log  building,  name  unknown,  was  located  in  Jays- 
burg,  which  shared  with  Dunnsburg,  the  honor  of  being  the  second  school 
built  in  the  countv.  According  to  John  Meginess,  editor  of  the  Lvcoming 
Countv  Centennial,  the  Quakers  at  Pennsdale  established  the  first  school 
in  Lycoming  County. 

In  1870,  a  new  school  was  located  on  Diamond  Street,  this  being  the 
first  building  in  Newberry  to  be  erected  bv  the  Williamsport  School  Board. 
This  was  a  two  storv,  four  room,  brick  building.  The  lower  grades  were 
housed  on  the  first  flloor,  and  the  upper  grades  on  the  second  floor.  The 
second  floor  rooms  were  divided  by  sliding  doors  which  were  thrown  open 
for  gala  occasions  such  as  box  socials  and  square  dances.  The  seating  was 
on  long  benches,  running  parallel  to  the  sliding  doors.  The  doors  contained 
a  little  window  through  which  the  teachers  used  to  converse.  The  Daily 
Lycoming  Gazette  and  West  Branch  BitUetin,  March  1870,  stated:  "The 
scholars,  who  were  assembled  at  the  old  school  rooms,  formed  in  a  proces- 
sion, and  accompanied  by  their  teachers,  marched  to  the  new  building."  At 
one  time  this  school  had  an  annex  called  the  Ramsey  School,  located  at 
the  present  site  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  on  Diamond  Street. 

In  1892,  a  new  Jackson  Building  was  erected  on  Linn  Street  at  the 
present  site  of  Old  Jackson  Recreation  Center.  This  was  a  ten  room 
brick  building.  It  had  double  seats  and  recitation  benches,  but  no  cloak 
rooms.  The  children's  wraps  were  hung  on  hooks  around  the  room.  This 
centrally  located  school  in  the  heart  of  Newberry  became  a  community 
center.  Here,  during  the  First  World  War,  machines  were  moved  in  and 
the  ladies  sewed  and  knitted  for  the  Red  Cross.     There  was  a  Jackson 


Paient-Teacher  Orchestra,  a  Fathers'  Chorus,  a  Mothers'  Chorus,  a  Garden 
Club,  etc.  At  a  three  dav  fair  held  in  Diamond  Square,  the  sum  of  $1,662.31 
was  raised  for  the  Red  Cross,  thus  making  Jackson's  total  contribution  to 
the  Red  Cross  $5,423.68. 

During  the  Second  World  War,  the  teachers  from  the  Roosevelt,  Lin- 
coln, and  Jackson  schools,  spent  long  evenings  rationing  gasoline  and  sugar, 
and  registering  soldiers.  Scrap-iron  was  collected  and  placed  around  the 
flag  pole,  once  reaching  as  high  as  the  pole  itself.  The  central  hall  was 
piled  high  with  crates  of  flattened  tin  cans,  for  the  war  effort. 

Prior  to  the  opening  of  the  Theodore  Roosevelt  Junior  High  School 
in  1921,  the  Jackson  School  contained  nine  grades  and  640  pupils.  Because 
of  crowded  conditions,  an  annex  was  opened  in  the  Sunday  School  room 
of  the  Church  of  Christ,  on  Diamond  Street,  and  five  rooms  were  opened 
at  the  lona  Temple  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Arch  Streets. 

When  the  Junior  High  school  was  ready  for  occupancy,  sixth,  seventh, 
eighth,  and  ninth  grades  were  housed  in  the  new  building,  while  the 
first  five  grades  were  brought  together  at  Jackson. 

Jackson  is  proud  of  Mrs.  Howard  Hall,  who,  from  being  President 
of  the  Jackson  Parent-Teacher  Association,  went  on  to  be  President  of  the 
City,  County  and  State  Associations,  and  became  a  well  known  figure  na- 
tionally in  Parent-Teacher  work. 

In  February  1950,  the  Jackson  Building  was  destroyed  bv  fire.  With 
it  went  one  of  its  fondest  traditions,  the  Jackson  bell.  This  bell  had  wel- 
comed generations  of  Newberry  children  to  school  in  the  fall,  and  spelled 
freedom  in  the  spring.  It  was  a  privilege  to  ring  the  bell,  and  though 
forbidden,  many  a  child  took  a  sly  swing  on  the  bell  rope.  Citizens  set 
their  clocks  bv  the  bell,  and  when  it  ceased  to  ring,  it  was  sadly  missed. 

After  the  fire  for  a  year  and  a  half,  Jackson  held  half  sessions  with 
Lincoln.     The  children  were  transported  by  school  bus. 

In  1952,  the  Roosevelt  Junior  High  moved  to  new  quarters  on  W/est 
Fourth  Street,  and  the  Jackson  School  was  housed  in  its  present  building, 
the  former  Theodore  Roosevelt  Junior  High  School  at  Wayne  and  Hillside 
Avenues. 

Thus  the  school,  with  a  population  trend,  moved  from  East  to  West, 
ever  keeping  abreast  of  the  times.  Progressing  from  a  one  room  stone 
building  to  a  twenty-one  room  brick  building  containing  cafeteria,  kinder- 
garten, Day  Training  Center,  play  room,  library,  art  room,  office  and  rest 
rooms,  with  a  faculty  of  sixteen,  plus  custodians,  clerk,  and  supervisors. 


r 


HISTORY  OF 
THOMAS  JEFFERSON  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL 

The  Ross  and  Jefferson  School  was  built  in  1866  at  704  Washington 
Street.  This  was  the  school  used  by  East  End  children,  and  which  was 
later  replaced  by  the  Thomas  Jefferson  School.  The  Ross  building  was 
valued  at  $12,000  and  this  evaluation  included  the  furniture  and  library. 

By  1890  the  teachers  of  this  school  had  a  salary  scale  ranging  from 
$B0  to  $40  per  month.  The  principal  of  the  Jefferson  School  received  the 
sum  of  $75  per  month,  and  the  janitor  received  $25  per  month. 

There  were  frequent  absences  from  school  at  that  time,  and  truant 
officers  were  kept  quite  busy.  The  excuses  used  most  often  were  that 
errands  had  to  be  run  and  that  the  children  had  to  carry  in  wood  for  the  day. 

In  1890  Mr.  Transeau,  the  city  superintendent,  was  studying  a  way 
for  the  school  district  to  purchase  textbooks  and  supplies  for  every  pupil. 
At  this  time,  the  pupils  had  to  purchase  books  from  the  district.  Therefore, 
there  were  many  children  who  did  not  attend  school  because  their  parents 
were  financially  unable  to  buy  the  books.  Mr.  Transeau  concluded  that 
this  was  not  an  example  of  true  American  democracy.  In  a  few  years  fol- 
lowing, textbooks  were  purchased  by  the  district  and  were  in  free  use  of 
the  pupils. 

The  enrollment  at  the  Ross  and  Jefferson  School  on  June  1,  1903 
was  286  with  150  boys  and  136  girls.  At  this  time  Mr.  Charles  Lose  was 
Superintendent  of  city  schools. 

Mr.  Lose  defined  corporal  punishment  in  1903  with  the  following 
statement:  "In  afflicting  corporal  punishment,  no  other  instrument  than 
a  common  rod  or  whip  shall  be  employed  and  all  cases  of  punishment  shall 
be  recorded  by  the  teacher  in  a  book  kept  for  that  punishment." 

On  February  19,  1904  an  article  which  appeared  in  the  Williatns'port 
Sun  is  one  concerning  the  buying  of  a  lot  for  a  new  school  to  replace  the 
Ross  and  Jefferson  Building.  The  proposed  lot  was  at  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  Grove  Streets,  and  would  be  bought  for  $3,600. 

The  new  school  was  designed  by  Mr.  Mahlon  Fisher,  and  it  was 
constructed  in   1907  at  726  Washington   Boulevard,  where  it  now  stands. 

The  new  building  was  now  in  need  of  a  name,  and  on  August  13, 
1907  it  was  a  matter  of  dispute  at  the  regular  Williamsport  School  Board 
meeting.     It  was  a  victory  for  Thomas  Jefferson  and  a  defeat  for  Michael 


Ross.  But  the  victory  was  won  by  such  a  narrow  margin  that  even  so 
prominent  a  personage  as  the  founder  of  WilHamsport  would  not  have  felt 
ashamed  o\'er  the  result.  The  committee  had  reported  recommending  that 
the  building  be  named  in  honor  of  the  immortal  Jefferson.  Director  Ertel 
moved  to  substitute  the  name  Ross  for  Jefferson,  arguing  that  it  was  befit- 
ting that  a  local  educational  institution  should  bear  the  name  of  the  founder 
of  Williamsport.  Director  Conkrite  argued  that,  although  Michael  Ross 
founded  Williamsport,  Thomas  Jefferson  was  practicallv  the  founder  of 
our  American  government.  Director  Fleming  argued  that  it  was  a  matter 
of  local  pride  and  patriotism  to  name  the  building  for  the  founder  of  the  city. 

When  roll  was  called  for  an  amendment  to  the  committee  report,  it 
resulted  in  a  tie  vote  18-18.  The  amendment  had  not  received  a  majority 
vote,  so  Thomas  Jefferson  was  adopted. 

The  Thomas  Jefferson  school  had  ten  classrooms  and  a  facultv  room  for 
the  teachers.  Nine  grades,  including  first  through  ninth,  and  later  eight 
grades,  first  through  eighth,  attended  this  school,  until  1913  when  there 
was  a  reorganization  of  elementary  schools.  In  1913  the  reorganization 
provided  for  a  primary  course  for  six  years,  grammar  school  for  two  years, 
and  a  four-vear  high  school. 

In  1909  there  was  made  a  revised  course  of  study  for  reading.  Bald- 
win's School  Reading  replaced  the  old  Swinton  Readers.  And,  important 
parts  of  this  new  course  were  phonic  drills  and  memory  selections. 

Promotions  were  made  on  demonstrated  ability.  Most  grades  worked 
on  three  levels  and  a  pupil  might  have  been  promoted  at  midterm,  or  he 
might  have  even  skipped  a  whole  grade.  There  were  summer  schools  for 
those  pupils  who  had  failed  in  some  studies. 

Mrs.  Robert  Calehuff  was  the  first  president  of  the  P.  T.  A.  Mrs. 
Joseph  Pover  is  the  oldest  living  past  president  of  the  Thomas  Jefferson 
School.  Mrs.  Pover  has  related  how  difficult  it  had  been  to  organize  a 
P.  T.  A.,  because  the  teachers  felt  a  P.  T.  A.  would  infringe  upon  their 
rights,  and  because  there  was  a  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  parents.  The 
P.  T.  A.  had  replaced  the  organization  called  The  Mothers'  Club,  which 
was  active  at  the  old  Ross  Building. 

In  1914  the  first  musical  organization  at  the  Thomas  JefTerson  School 
was  formed.  This  school  orchestra  was  a  source  of  pride  and  it  played  at 
many  functions  where   the  orchestra  was  directed  bv  student  leaders. 


The  late  Mr.  Spotts  was  the  best  known  principal  of  the  Thomas 
Jefferson  School,  for  he  served  from  its  beginning  until  his  retirement 
almost  forty  years  later. 

Some  of  the  oldest  living  teachers  from  the  school  are,  Miss  Alice  Hess, 
Misses  Hadassa  and  Blanche  Balliet,  Miss  Jennette  Heller  and  Miss  Gertrude 
Siegfried. 

Quite  unlike  1957,  in  1921  about  sixtv  additional  children  could  have 
been  accommodated  in  vacant  rooms  in  the  Jefferson  Building.  At  the 
present  time,  the  one  large  center  room  on  the  second  floor  has  been  divided 
into  two  rooms,  the  faculty  room  is  now  used  as  a  third  grade  classroom, 
and  the  basement  has  a  classroom  for  the  special  education. 

Among  the  special  activities  during  the  1922-23  school  term  was  the 
opening  of  nutrition  classes  in  the  Jefferson  School.  Teachers  and  nurses 
secured  names  of  the  undernourished  and  these  were  served  one-half  pint 
of  milk  each  morning.     The  funds  were  supplied  by  the  P.  T.  A. 

Under  the  auspices  of  the  Jefferson  P.  T.  A.,  impressive  exercises 
on  May  25,  1923  accompanied  the  unveiling  of  a  tablet  in  the  Jefferson 
Building  in  memory  of  Miss  Harriet  Taylor  who  had  served  faithfully  as 
a  first  grade  teacher  for  many  years.  Appreciation  of  her  unselfish  devotion 
was  expressed  by  Dr.  Armstrong  of  Central  Presbyterian  Church  and  Ex- 
Superintendent,  Charles  Lose. 

Miss  Gusteva  Richards  is  now  teaching  her  thirty-fourth  class  of  pupils 
in  the  Jefferson  School.  She  has  taught  both  the  intermediate  and  primary 
grades.  Miss  Richards  related  that  she  can  see  onlv  very  small  changes 
in  the  school  and  its  curricula. 

Since  1930  there  have  been  changes  in  the  reading  system.  At  present, 
there  is  ability  grouping  with  the  Ginn  Reading  Series  being  used.  The 
pupils  proceed  with  reading  at  individual  speeds,  and  a  child  is  given  only 
the  reading  skills  and  lessons  which  he  is  capable  of  understanding. 

Social  studies  has  replaced  the  separate  courses  of  history  and  geography, 
and  science  has  gained  a  high  position  in  all  curricula. 

The  double-seated  desks  have  been  replaced  by  the  individual  desks 
in  the  primary  grades,  and  blonde  desks  and  chairs  are  used  bv  the  inter- 
mediate grades. 

In  1950  fire  escapes  were  added  to  the  exterior  of  the  school  building, 
a  new  and  modern  lighting  system  was  installed  in  1955,  and  an  electric 
clock  and  bell  system  has  greatly  facilitated  the  moving  of  classes  in   1957. 


A  visit  through  the  Jefferson  School  bv  some  of  its  former  pupils  would 
prove  there  have  been  phvsical  changes  in  the  building.  There  have  been 
curricula  changes,  policv  changes,  and  personnel  changes.  However,  edu- 
cation at  the  Thomas  Jefferson  School  remains  at  a  high  level,  and  the 
teachers  are  training  an  even  larger  enrollment  than  ever  before.  It  is  also 
a  tribute  to  the  school  to  have  a  special  education  class,  where,  even  those 
who  fiftv  vears  ago  did  not  attend  school,  are  learning  to  become  our  fine 
citizens  and  co-workers. 

The  following  question  was  directed  to  Mrs.  Joseph  Poyer,  Jefferson's 
third  president  of  P.  T.  A.  and  a  substitute  teacher  at  Jefferson:  "What 
things  were  taught  in  school  forty  years  ago  that  are  not  taught  today?" 
Mrs.  Pover  replied,  "Not  a  thing.  The  children  are  taught  many  more 
valuable  things  today  than  in  the  past."  This  is  indeed  a  tribute  to  the 
progress  at  the  Thomas  Jefferson  School. 


^0^0^^.^^ 


HISTORY  OF  GEORGE  WASHINGTON  SCHOOL 

As  the  story  goes— "When  the  cellar  for  the  George  Washington  School 
at  the  intersection  of  Third  and  William  Streets  was  dug,  quicksand  was 
discovered  and  many  extra  loads  of  fill  were  needed  to  provide  a  firm  and 
sound  foundation."  If  this  story  is  true,  then  in  spite  of,  or  perhaps  because 
of  the  quicksand  foundation,  the  two  George  Washington  Schools,  which 
have  occupied  that  same  site,  were  firmly  and  strongly  built. 

The  first  school,  a  two  story,  eight  room,  brick  building  was  replaced 
in  1896  by  the  present  school.  This  new  George  Washington  Building 
was  the  largest  school  in  Williamsport.  It  had  nine  grades  and  a  faculty  of 
twelve.  Because  of  this  large  faculty.  Principal  Fleming  was  entitled  to 
receive  a  salary  of  one  hundred  dollars  a  month,  while  other  principals 
received  from  fifty  to  ninety  dollars. 

The  school  term  was  shorter  in  1896  but  the  courses  of  study  were 
longer.  For  example,  the  first  grade  children  studied  Swinton's  First  Reader, 
all  of  the  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication,  and  division  combinations. 
Roman  numbers,  some  fractions,  diacritical  marks,  spelling,  the  names  of 
the  states  and  capitols,  the  counties  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  music 
and  art. 

George  Washington  School  has  conformed  to  the  principle  of  the 
maximum  amount  of  education  for  each  child  by  having  taught  not  only 
the  state  required  number  of  grade  classes,  but  it  has  welcomed  practically 
every  kind  of  class  listed  as  taught  in  the  Williamsport  School  District. 

Back  in  1896  Washington  School  was  busy  not  only  during  the  day 
but  also  several  evenings  a  week.  These  evening  adult  classes  were  begun 
under  the  leadership  of  Roland  T.  MacLaren  and  covered  the  work  taught 
from  the  first  grade  on  through  the  intermediate  and  grammar  school  levels. 
That  person  who  had  no  opportunity  to  attend  public  school,  or  who  was 
unable  to  complete  the  elementary  subjects,  or  could  not  speak  the  English 
language  was  welcome  to  attend  these  evening  classes.  Men  who  labored 
during  the  day  went  to  school  at  night,  often  falling  asleep  over  their  lesson. 

Many  were  the  reasons  for  attending  these  classes.  One  young  first 
grader  living  with  his  immigrant  grandmother  began  to  get  a  bit  out  of 
hand.  No  matter  in  what  trouble  he  was  involved  his  answer  to  his  grand- 
mother was  "It's  a'right.  Americans  do  it."  So  Grandmother  went  to  night 
school  to  learn  to  speak  English,  "to  get  ahead  of  Victor." 

Americanization  School  phase  of  education  was  organized  sixty  years 


ago  as  part  of  the  George  Washington  Evening  School  program.  This 
work  was  started  primarily  to  prepare  aliens  for  citizenship  and  not  merely 
to  teach  them  to  be  able  to  answer  the  questions  asked  in  the  Naturalization 
Court.  The  beginners  were  given  training  in  conversation,  reading  and 
the  fundamentals  of  government.  Members  of  the  class  participated  in  a 
graduation  exercise  sponsored  by  the  Williamsport  Civic  Club.  At  these 
exercises  each  new  citizen  was  presented  a  certificate  of  attainment  and  a 
small  American  flag.  Many  ambitious  new  Americans  continued  studying 
in  the  night  school  and  attempting  to  complete  their  elementary  school  edu- 
cations. 

Commercial  subjects,  too,  were  taught  at  the  Washington  Building 
as  a  part  of  this  evening  school.  These  classes  taught  by  Mr.  H.  Stiber 
were  held  in  the  rooms  of  the  Day  Commercial  School.  "Commercial" 
consisted  of  a  two-year  course  in  typing  and  other  business  subjects.  With 
the  building  of  the  new  High  School,  this  course  was  moved  there  and 
expanded  to  a  four-year  course. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  Washington  School,  classes  were  started 
in  cooking.  The  Home  Economics  Department  had  a  "Cooking  School" 
on  the  second  floor.  Here  eighth  and  ninth  grade  girls  from  several 
schools  in  the  eastern  end  of  the  city  attended  to  learn  the  rudiments  of 
simple  cooking. 

.University  Extension  evening  classes  began  in  1921  with  George 
Walters  as  director.  These  classes,  directed  by  professors  from  the  Penn- 
sylvania State  University,  Bucknell,  and  University  of  Pennsylvania  offered 
college  credits  for  professional  advancement. 

War  Savings  Bonds  were  sold  at  Washington  School  at  the  time  of 
World  War  I.  Mothers  organized  sewing  classes  to  make  clothing  for 
war  orphans  and  groups  of  children  and  adults  rolled  bandages  to  be  used 
in  war  hospitals. 

During  World  War  II  the  building  was  used  as  a  center  for  rationing. 
Young  men  registered  for  Selective  Service,  unemployed  adults  signed  for 
work,  food  rationing  stamp  books  were  alloted  to  families,  gasoline  stamp 
books  were  given  to  car  owners,  extra  gasoline  stamps  were  issued  for  trucks, 
and  extra  canning  sugar  permits  were  provided  for  large  families.  The 
children,  too,  did  their  share.  They  collected  milkweed  pods  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  kapok  and  tin  cans  to  augment  the  metal  supply. 

During  the  depression  daily  classes  in  bookbinding  were  held  in  the 
basement  to  provide  work  for  unemployed  persons. 


In  1923  Dr.  Robbins,  then  superintendent,  asked  Miss  Elizabeth  Jewitt, 
the  first  grade  teacher  at  Washington,  if  she  would  be  interested  in  starting 
an  Opportunity  School  for  retarded  pupils.  The  children  in  this  new  school 
were  to  be  given  more  individual  care  and  attention  and  were  to  progress 
at  their  own  rates  of  speed  academically.  Hand  skills  were  to  be  stressed 
and  opportunities  were  to  be  provided  for  individual  social  adjustments. 
It  wasn't  until  1928  that  the  state  provided  a  course  of  study  and  a  super- 
visor for  these  classes.  Until  then  Miss  Jewitt  wrote  her  own  teaching 
materials  and  planned  the  handwork  that  still  is  so  vital  a  part  of  those 
classes. 

Washington,  too,  has  gone  modern.  A  television  set  was  installed  in 
the  auditorium  in  1952.  Here  all  grades  are  allowed  to  view  programs 
relative  to  their  studies  or  their  interests. 

In  February  1957  Washington  School's  second  grade  was  televised  in 
its  own  classroom.  The  children  were  busy  working  on  a  weather  and 
temperature  activity  which  was  shown  over  WERE,  a  Wilkes-Barre  televi- 
sion station. 

Washington,  too,  has  had  its  share  of  trials— three  minor  fires  and 
several  floods.  The  March  flood  of  1936  caused  the  most  damage  to  the  build- 
ing. Water  covered  the  first  floor  up  to  the  chalk  troughs  of  the  blackboards. 
After  a  thorough  spring  cleaning,  school  materials  were  replaced,  new  steps 
were  laid,  and  Washington  was  ready  to  be  occupied  again  for  future  decades. 

"A  house  is  as  strong  as  its  foundation  and  a  school  is  as  strong  as  its 
faculty  makes  it."  Washington  always  has  been  able  to  boast  of  its  faculty, 
those  pioneers  of  education  before  the  compulsory  school  laws  and  those  who 
have  taught  in  the  years  following.  The  retired  teachers  who  did  so  much 
for  so  many  children  and  the  community  are  Miss  Isa  Pratt,  Elizabeth  Jewitt, 
Mrs.  Mabel  Turner,  Anna  Duitch,  Hadassa  Balliett,  Mrs.  Nelle  Lamason, 
and  Miss  Helen  Kase.  Of  them  George  Washington  School  is  justly  and 
sincerelv  proud. 

For  sixty-one  years  through  the  doors  of  this  George  Washington 
School  have  marched  many  hundreds  of  children.  Today  the  grandchildren 
are  learning  the  multiplication  tables  in  the  same  rooms  as  did  their  parents 
and  grandparents.  Here  Italian,  Greek,  Swedish,  French,  German,  Chi- 
nese, Armenian,  Jewish,  Negro,  English,  Indian,  Gypsy,  Latvian,  and  Amer- 
ican children  have  rubbed  shoulders,  saluted  the  flag,  shared  recess  lunches, 
and  have  loved  and  honored  George  Washington  School. 


'Illf!;' .'HI'lWl'l" 


LIU  0  0  Lil:    '3  OR  0  0  L- 


^"' '  ?•► 


HISTORY  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  SCHOOL 

The  expression  "Little  Red  Schoolhouse"  really  means  something  to 
the  patrons  of  Lincoln  School,  for  the  first  Lincoln  School  in  the  city  was 
a  little  two-roomed,  red  brick  building.  It  was  built  in  1878  on  the  south- 
east corner  of  Howard  and  Boyd  Streets.  It  was  a  very  modern  building 
with  a  pump  and  toilet  facilities  not  too  far  away,  and  two  rooms-one  down- 
stairs for  the  lower  grades  and  one  upstairs  for  the  upper  grades.  Each  room 
was  heated  by  a  big  pot-bellied,  teacher-stoked  stove  set  in  the  middle  of 
the  room.  In  order  to  make  allowance  for  the  growth  of  Newberry,  the 
school  was  built  "out  in  the  fields'-fields  that  soon  gave  way  to  homes. 

The  first  principal  was  a  short  man  with  a  moustache  and  a  mop  of 
very  curly  black  hair.  His  name  was  H.  M.  Bingham.  He  taught  until 
1881. 

In  1881  W.  G.  Winner  came  to  this  little  school.  Among  the  teachers 
who  taught  here  were  Mr.  Thomas  Hammond  who  taught  in  1882;  W.  H. 
Moyer  who  taught  in  1883;  and  J.  E.  Williams  who  became  teacher  and 
principal  from  1884  to  1895.  During  his  tenure  as  principal  Miss  Anna 
Carlisle  was.  one  of  the  teachers.  In  June,  1894  Miss  June  Kendrig  came 
as  a  teacher,  and  in  1895  A.  H.  Bingham  returned  as  principal  and  Miss 
Alice  Cady  taught  in  the  lower  grades. 

In  September,  1897  Wilson  Staver,  a  young  man  of  eighteen  who  had 
just  graduated  from  high  school  in  June,  became  the  principal  because  the 
patrons  felt  it  would  be  better  to  have  a  younger  man  as  principal.  He 
was  the  youngest  man  ever  to  serve  as  principal  in  any  of  the  Williamsport 
schools.  He  taught  until  1902  when  he  went  on  to  larger  fields  in  New 
Jersey  and  Ralph  Pepperman  was  elected  principal. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1900  a  new  brick  building  was  built  back  of 
the  little  two  roomed  school.  It  faced  on  Lincoln  Street.  It  was  not  com- 
pleted until  winter  and  so  it  was  that  on  the  first  of  January,  1901,  the 
first  classes  were  held  in  the  new  building. 

There  were  four  teachers-Mr.  Wilson  Staver,  the  principal;  Miss  Alice 
Cady,  Miss  Mary  Mitchell,  and  Miss  Harriett  Youngman.  Here  again  was 
e\'idence  that  the  school  had  the  "forward  look"  for  there  were  four  vacant 
rooms  to  allow  for  growth  of  the  school  population. 

People  have  come  and  gone  as  principals  and  teachers.  Mr.  Ralph 
Pepperman  followed  Mr.  Wilson  Staver.     He  was  followed  by  Mr.  Drick 


and  then  bv  Mr.  Erskine  Schoolev.  Later  Miss  Bess  Goldv  was  principal 
and  at  her  death  Mrs.  Blanche  McKillop  became  acting  principal  until  Mr. 
Lester  Ade  who  later  became  State  Superintendent  of  Schools  was  elected 
principal.  He  staved  here  only  one  year.  Still  later  Mr.  Howard  Stover 
and  Mr.  Burton  Hunsinger  were  in  turn  prinicpal.  At  Mr.  Hunsinger's 
death  Mrs.  Blanche  McKillop  again  became  acting  principal  and  later 
principal. 

Lincoln  School  has  always  had  a  modern  and  progressive  outlook. 
From  1914  until  the  Roosevelt  Junior  High  Schoo'  was  built  both  cooking 
and  sewing  were  taught  as  "Domestic  Science"  in  the  basement  of  the 
school,  with  girls  coming  from  Jackson  and  Webster  schools  on  certain  days 
of  the  week  to  attend  classes.  Lincoln  School  was  also  one  of  the  first 
schools  in  the  city  to  have  an  "Opportunity  Class." 

Through  the  years  the  school  has  grown.  In  1926  another  addition  was 
built.  This  time  eight  more  rooms  were  added.  The  school  has  been  mod- 
ernized to  a  great  extent  until  now,  although  one  of  the  oldest  schools  in 
the  city,  it  is  one  of  the  most  attractive. 

From  its  doors  have  gone  forth  boys  and  girls  who  as  adults  have 
made  names  for  themselves  as  doctors,  lawyers,  merchant-chiefs,  nurses, 
teachers,  and  good  home-makers  and  rearers  of  good  families. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  following  for  information  concerning  our  school 
in  its  early  days: 

Mrs.  T.  O.  Kunkle,  a  former  pupil  in  the  little  red  school  and  whose 
children  and  grandchildren  have  been  pupils  here;  Miss  Alice  Cady,  Miss 
Harriett  Youngman,  and  Miss  Bessie  Gottschall,  former  teachers;  Miss 
Gay  Staver,  a  sister  of  Mr.  Wilson  Staver;  and  Mrs.  Blanche  McKillop, 
principal  of  the  present  Lincoln  School. 


^^' 


HISTORY  OF  CHARLES  LOSE  SCHOOL 

The  new  Charles  Lose  Elementary  School  at  1121  Memorial  Avenue 
with  its  modern  glass  entrance  and  unusual  architecture  has  facilities  un- 
dreamed of  by  graduates  of  its  predecessor,  The  Stevens  Grade  School. 

On  this  site  three  school  generations  ago  stood  the  Stevens  Grade 
School  building,  a  product  of  the  early  1800's  and  embellished  with  several 
porches  and  a  cupola.  It  lacked  many  facilities  which  we  now  consider 
necessities,  but  it  served  well  as  a  school  and  meeting  place  in  a  community 
of  long  established  residents. 

For  some  years  previous  to  1923,  an  Open  Air  School  occupied  one  of 
the  seven  classrooms.  Enrolled  were  undernourished  children  and  those 
suffering  from  frequent  colds.  Windows  were  open  throughout  the  year 
regardless  of  weather.  The  teacher  assisted  by  a  cook  provided  hot  lunches, 
milk,  and  frequent  rest  periods  in  addition  to  regular  instruction.  These 
schools  were  established  to  help  prevent  tuberculosis,  which  took  a  large  toll 
of  young  people  in  those  days  prior  to  the  disco\'erv  of  the  wonder  drugs. 
As  enrollment  increased,  crowded  classrooms  necessitated  the  removal  of  this 
school  to  the  Webster  Building. 

About  1925  the  Parent-Teacher  Association  composed  of  actively  inter- 
ested and  determined  parents  began  agitation  for  a  larger  and  more  con- 
venient school.  A  well  planned  publicity  campaign  helped  to  bring  a  favor- 
able vote  on  the  necessary  bond  issue.  One  of  the  most  outstanding  stunts 
was  the  entry  in  a  citv  parade  of  a  float  carrving  fiftv  first  "grade  children 
and  bearing  the  sign:    "Fifty  Reasons  for  a  New  School." 

Upon  acceptance  of  the  bond  issue  the  building  was  assured.  However, 
when  the  Parent-Teacher  Association  viewed  the  blue  prints  as  presented 
by  the  president  of  the  school  board  they  were  disappointed  to  find  them 
unsuited  for  an  elementary  school.  They  were  informed  that  these  were 
plans  for  Thaddeus  Stevens  Junior  High  School,  but  that  a  grade  school 
building  would  follow. 

In  1927,  the  pupils  of  the  grade  school  were  transferred  to  the  west 
wing  of  the  Stevens  Junior  High  School  building.  Thev  were  housed  there 
for  two  vears  while   the  original  Lose  building  was  constructed. 

This  school,  named  for  Dr.  Charles  Lose,  a  prominent  educator  and 
former  superintendent  of  Williamsport  schools,  was  completed  in  1929.  It 
was  of  fire  proof  construction  and  contained  eight  classrooms,  a  gvmnasium 


and  social  room,  and  principal's  office.     At  the  dedication  on  November  1, 
1929,  Dr.  Lose  was  the  guest  speaker. 

Principal  of  the  school  until  1950  was  Lewis  W.  Mack.  Upon  his 
retirement,  Miss  Florence  E.  Clapp  became  principal  and  remained  until 
1954.  During  these  vears  the  Parent-Teacher  Association  was  constantly 
interested  and  helpful. 

Bv  1954,  as  school  population  increased  and  older  buildings  became 
more  out-moded  and  inadequate  the  school  district  was  faced  with  the 
necessity  for  a  larger  building  in  this  area.  The  logical  plan  was  to  add  to 
the  Lose  building  and  thus  provide  for  the  pupils  of  the  Transeau  and  Clay 
Areas.  Property  was  acquired  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Construction  of 
an  addition  was  begun  in  1954,  providing  many  experiences  and  some  in- 
conveniences for  the  pupils  in  session. 

By  September  1955  the  building  was  practically  finished  and,  with  the 
grounds,  covered  almost  a  city  block.  It  contains  twenty-four  classrooms, 
a  gymnasium,  cafeteria,  library,  health  rooms,  and  offices. 

Formal  dedication  took  place  November  15,  1955,  with  Dr.  Richard  T. 
Parsons,  President  of  Lock  Haven  State  Teachers  College  as  guest  speaker. 

In  November  1955  all  pupils  of  the  Transeau  School  and  the  fourth, 
fifth,  and  sixth  grade  pupils  of  the  Clay  School  moved  in  and  quickly  be- 
came adjusted  to  new  surroundings.  Timothy  J.  Ferguson,  formerly  prin- 
cipal of  the  Transeau  School,  was  named  principal  of  the  combined  schools. 

Thus,  this  plot  of  ground  might  well  become,  of  all  Williamsport,  one 
of  the  most  continuously  used  for  public  school  purposes. 


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HISTORY  OF  WEBSTER  SCHOOL 

1663  Memorial  Avenue,  Williamsport,  Penna. 

The  citizens  of  the  West  End  were  awakened  one  bright  May  morn- 
ing with  loud  noises  such  as  the  unloading  of  stones,  the  piling  of  lumber, 
and  the  pick  and  shovel  gang  with  loud  voices  and  much  ado  about  this 
and  that. 

High  up  on  a  knoll  what  a  sight  to  behold!  Men  with  blue  prints 
looking  this  way  and  that  to  see  if  lines  were  straight  and  others  examining 
the  lumber  and  materials  to  be  used  in  the  building  of  the  Daniel  Webster 
School  that  was  named  for  the  great  scholar,  Daniel  Webster. 

A  year  or  two  had  passed  and  the  interest  grew  as  the  building  did. 
The  shining  floors  and  the  polished  desks  said  that  it  was  about  ready 
for  school. 

Then  one  June  morning  we  looked  out  of  a  west  window  and  heard 
the  rushing  of  waters  and  behold  everything  about  us  was  flooded.  All 
the  other  schools  were  being  destroyed  but  us  and  here  we  stood  safe  and 
sound  due  to  the  choice  of  a  wise  school  board. 

Yes,  the  June  flood  of  1889  was  at  its  peak  and  in  the  fall  of  that  vear 
many  feet  passed  over  the  school's  threshold. 

Who  was  to  direct  all  these  children  of  the  West  End?  A  red  top, 
named  John  Gilmore,  who  had  a  good  strong  arm,  and  a  keen  sense  of  right 
and  wrong,  so  that  anyone  who  got  out  of  step  was  set  straight  to  the  tune 
of  the  hickory  stick.  There  were  so  few  children  that  one  teacher  had 
double  grades,  such  as  first  and  second  in  one  room. 

As  time  passed,  the  beautiful  fields  surrounding  the  building  were 
sold  off  in  lots  and  people  were  building  homes  in  this  section. 

Mr.  Gilmore  was  transferred  to  Clay  and  Mr.  Jasper  Wade  Stout  was 
selected  his  successor. 

Mr.  Stout  was  trained  and  ordained  as  a  minister  and  teaching  was 
his  side  line,  but  soon  it  became  his  vocation.  His  straight  forward  prin- 
ciples of  right  and  wrong  were  soon  felt  and  the  school  moved  forward 
scholastically  fast. 

Many  prizes  were  won  in  music  by  Miss  Jennie  Heilhecker,  both  in 
this  school  and  city  wide.  We  understand  the  Webster  boys  and  girls  were 
very  proficient  in  athletics  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Anna  Duitch.  They 
won  many  silver  cups  in  competition  with  other  citv  schools,  especially  girls' 


volleyball  and  boys'  basketball. 

In  recent  years,  many  children  won  Art  prizes  and  awards  in  the  Brua 
Keefer  Art  Exhibit  held  yearly  at  the  Cochran  School. 

For  many  years  the  school  held  annual  play  days  on  the  school  grounds, 
which  included  games,  folk  dances,  and  musical  festivals. 

The  P.  T.  A.  was  a  growing  parent  group  in  some  of  the  city  schools. 
So  of  course  Webster  School  became  a  leading  one  in  that  field.  This 
year  at  its  last  open  meeting,  it  was  announced  the  Webster  P.  T.  A.  re- 
ceived the  one  hundred  per  cent  honor  certificate  in  membership  for  total 
teacher  representation  and  that  of  one  parent  from  each  family  in  the  school. 

For  many  years  the  children  have  supported  the  American  Junior  Red 
Cross  with  money  and  helped  to  pack  boxes  to  be  sent  abroad,  under  the 
teacher  sponsor,  Mable  E.  Eck. 

We  hear  the  rumbling  of  cannons  and  marching  feet  as  some  of  our 
boys  join  the  ranks  to  defend  the  free  world.  Everything  has  a  different 
slant  as  we  hear  songs  such  as  "Over  There"  and  "Keep  the  Home  Fires 
Burning,"  etc. 

The  Webster  School  had  outgrown  its  building;  rooms  were  crowded 
and  something  had  to  be  done,  even  in  the  midst  of  a  World's  War,  so  an 
annex  was  added  in  1917  of  four  class  rooms  and  a  recreation  room  in  the 
new  basement. 

Mr.  Stout  began  and  ended  his  career  as  a  teacher  in  the  Webster 
School  and  taught  more  than  a  half  century. 

The  School  Board  selected  Mr.  Erskine  Schooley,  an  experienced  man 
in  the  field  of  teaching.  He  was  stern  and  upright  in  principles  and  the 
education  of  the  youth  went  forward. 

After  the  junior  high  schools  came  into  being,  the  upper  grades  were 
moved  out,  thus  making  more  room  for  the  small  fry. 

Time  flies  fast  and  Mr.  Samuel  Long  has  succeeded  Mr.  Schooley. 

Another  world  up-set,  and  Mr.  Long  and  Mr.  Stahlman  joined  the 
ranks  to  defend  their  country  in  1942. 

Mr.  William  Nichols,  a  veteran  teacher,  a  graduate  of  Bucknell  Uni- 
versity with  a  Master's  Degree,  has  taken  over  the  reins. 

What  a  delightful  school  to  be  in  these  ^ays— movies,  birthday  parties, 
plays,  Christmas  parties,  and  all  forms  of  games  to  help  in  the  teaching  of 
reading,  writing,  spelling  and  arithmetic. 

Many  teachers  gave  much  service  and  free  time  to  the  education  of 


the  youth  in  this  community  and  are  now  retired:  Miss  Jennie  Heilhecker, 
Miss  Mae  Farley,  Miss  Ida  Smith,  Mrs.  Eleanor  Israel,  Miss  Jane  Elliott, 
Miss  Claire  Sullivan,  Miss  Mabel  Collins,  and  Miss  Mable  E.  Eck  this  year. 

But  what  about  the  future  for  Webster?  To  meet  the  ever  growing 
needs  of  the  West  End  for  the  1957-1958  term,  the  School  Board  purchased 
the  adjoining  property,  a  fine  two  story  brick  dwelling  whicn  is  being  con- 
verted into  a  modern  kindergarten  on  the  first  floor  and  on  the  second  floor 
into  a  music  room,  a  storage  room,  and  a  board  room. 

Good  old  Webster  itself  is  undergoing  changes,  too.  The  unique  dis- 
tinctive entrance  that  I  have  always  admired  is  to  be  brought  to  grade  level 
and  the  bell  tower,  with  its  bell  whose  tongue  has  been  silenced  for  the  past 
twenty  years,  is  to  be  removed  and  the  installation  of  an  interior  fire  tower 
to  replace  existing  staircases  is  being  done.  The  whole  interior  of  the  build- 
ing has  been  renovated  and  brought  up-to-date,  so  that  Webster's  floors, 
seats,  lighting  and  heating  systems  are  equal  to  any  of  those  in  the  citv. 

Modern  educators  say  that  after  twenty  years  a  building  is  outmoded, 
but  not  good  old  Webster  who  will  probably  survive  her  hundredth  anni- 
versary. 


M-Ju  ^ 


HISTORY  OF 
ROOSEVELT  JUNIOR  HIGH  SCHOOL 

The  original  Roosevelt  Junior  High  School,  costing  a  third  of  a  million 
dollars,  was  dedicated  November  18,  1921,  during  Dr.  Fred  W.  Robbin's 
superintendency. 

Because  of  crowded  conditions  in  the  elementary  schools,  the  building 
originallv  housed  grades  one  through  nine.  During  the  period  from  1921 
to  1938,  as  new  elementary  schools  were  built,  the  elementary  classes  were 
gradually  removed  from  the  Roosevelt  building.  Since  the  opening  of  the 
1938  school  term,  the  building  has  been  used  only  for  grades  seven,  eight, 
and  nine.  Of  the  faculty  of  eleven  teachers  who  taught  the  original  enroll- 
ment of  three  hundred  sixty-seven  pupils,  several  are  still  teaching  in  the 
Williamsport  schools. 

The  educational  philosophy  of  J.  Fred  McMurray,  first  principal  at 
Roosevelt,  was  reflected  in  the  school  motto:  "The  World  Stands  Aside  for 
the  Boy  or  Girl  Who  Knows."  Mr.  McMurray  was  a  firm  believer  in  the 
idea  that  schools  should  serve  the  community  and  be  used  for  community 
activities  beyond  the  regular  school  hours.  It  was  under  his  leadership  that 
a  strong  progressive  parent-teacher  association  was  developed.  Following 
Mr.  McMurray's  sudden  death  in  1942,  C.  E.  Groover,  a  member  of  the 
Roosevelt  faculty  was  selected  as  the  second  Roosevelt  Principal. 

Ground  was  broken  for  the  new  million  dollar  Roosevelt  building  on 
September  25,  1949  and  the  building  completed  for  the  opening  of  the 
1951-1952  school  term.  The  new  structure  embodies  the  latest  in  school 
design  and  represents  the  combined  planning  of  the  board  of  education, 
administration,  school  faculty  and  other  professional  employees  of  the  school 
district. 

Since  the  building's  opening,  it  has  undergone  several  changes.  First, 
Mr.  Groover  left  for  a  position  in  the  Department  of  Public  Instruction  and 
Mr.  Clair  G.  Brown,  a  former  Roosevelt  teacher,  who  was  serving  as  prin- 
cipal of  the  Washington  Building  was  selected  as  the  third  Roosevelt  Prin- 
cipal. Second,  there  has  been  a  dramatic  change  in  enrollment  since  the 
new  building  was  opened:  when  first  opened,  the  building  had  29  teachers, 
it  now  has  forty;  when  first  opened,  there  were  six  rooms  not  being  used,  there 
are  no  vacant  rooms  todav  and  the  cafeteria  is  even  being  used  as  a  home- 
room; when  first  opened,  the  enrollment  was  six  hundred  and  twenty,  it 


is  now  eight  hundred  and  fifty. 

Despite  this  growth,  the  Roosevelt  Building  is  still  a  community  school 
with  such  organizations  using  the  school's  facilities  as  the  Community  Con- 
cert Society,  the  Civic  Choir,  the  Billies,  the  Williamsport  Symphony  Or- 
chestra and  many  others. 


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HISTORY  OF 
LLOYD'S   ADDITION  AND   SHERIDAN   SCHOOL 

The  beginning  ot  the  Lloyd's  Addition  Sehool  was  with  the  Jerry- 
Church  purchase  oF  land  east  of  Academy  Street  in  1833.  In  1850,  Abra- 
ham Updegraff  and  Samuel  Lloyd  bought  land  north  and  east,  which  was 
known   as  Lloyd's  Addition. 

A  log  schoolhouse  was  built  on  the  north  side  of  Sheridan  Street  east 
of  Sherman  Street.  This  building  is  still  standing  and  is  the  property  of 
Mrs.  Fox.  In  time,  the  log  building  was  too  small  for  a  school.  Land  was 
purchased  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Sherman  and  Sheridan  Streets  and 
a  new  four  room  building  was  built.  This  is  now  the  property  of  the 
Christian  Alliance  denomination  and  is  used  as  a  church. 

At  this  time,  Miss  Cora  E.  Reed,  Tom  Flack,  Anne  Marie  Mvers,  and 
Charles  Drick  were  the  teachers,  Mr.  Flack  being  the  principal.  Miss  Hill 
had  sixty-eight  pupils  her  first  year  ant!  sc\'cnty-two  pupils  the  second  year. 
When  Mr.  C.  M.  Houseknecht  was  principal,  he  went  to  the  School  Board 
and  told  them  that  Miss  Hill  could  only  "keep"  school,  not  teach,  with  such 
a  mob.  The  School  Board  then  hired  Lou  Finkbinder  to  teach  her  second 
grade. 

There  was  only  one  aisle  in  a  room.  Four  children  sat  in  a  row  on  either 
side  of  the  aisle.  When  one  next  to  the  wall  wanted  to  get  out,  all  the 
row  had  to  get  up  to  leave  that  one  out. 

The  first  P.  T.  A.  for  the  Lloyd's  Addition  School  (by  the  way,  this 
was  part  of  Loyalsock  Township)  was  organized  February  16,  1911.  The 
following  were  the  officers: 

President  Mrs.  Annie  Airgood 

Vice  President  Miss  Estella  Shields 

Secretary  Miss  Ida  Bowerman 

Treasurer  Mrs  Ernest  Lentz 

Members  of  the  School  Board  at  that  time  were: 

Mr.  W.  B.  (Bud)  Stuart,  Mr.  John  Bird,  Mr.  Wilbur  Kimble,  Mr. 
Curtis  Wheeland,  Mr.  Joseph  Milnor,  Mr.  Brownell,  and  Mr.  Harvey  Bair. 
This  School  Board  purchased  a  plot  of  land,  where  the  building  now  stands, 
from  Mrs.  Emma  Lewis,  widow  of  William  Lewis  and  the  mother  of  Edward 
Lewis,  on  April  4,  191L  They  paid  $1,000.00  for  the  land.  The  building 
was  completed  and  was  first  occupied  January,  1913. 


The  board  had  quite  a  time  deciding  what  to  name  the  school.  They 
wanted  to  name  it  the  Stuart  Building  for  W.  B.  Stuart,  because  of  his 
interest  and  work  in  the  erection  of  the  building.  Mr.  Stuart  would  not 
allow  them  to  use  his  name,  so  the  name  of  Sheridan  was  decided  upon 
because  of  the  name  of  the  street  on  which  it  stood. 

During  these  early  days,  Miss  Eva  Keller  was  hired  to  come  in  to 
teach  Art,  as  a  "special"  instructor  and  Professor  Hart,  to  teach  penmanship. 
Miss  Keller  received  $12.00  a  month  for  her  service  and  Mr.  Hart,  $10.00. 
These  salaries  were  paid  by  the  P.  T.  A. 

Some  of  the  teachers  who  taught  at  Sheridan  School  quite  a  long  time 
were:  Miss  Cora  Reed,  Mr.  O.  W.  Mitstifer,  Mrs.  Ira  High,  and  Mrs. 
Glen  Royer  and  "Pop"  Miller,  the  janitor. 

In  1923,  Sheridan  School  became  part  of  the  Williamsport  School  Sys- 
tem and  the  boundary  line  established  at  that  time  was  as  follows: 

Charles  and  George  Street,  west  to  Franklin  Street,  south  to  Wyoming 
Street  and  midway  between  Catharine  Street  and  Warren  Avenue  and 
north  to  the  hills. 

Miss  Cora  Reed  states  that  there  were  many  children  attending  this 
school  who  later  became  lawyers,  ministers,  teachers,  nurses,  public  account- 
ants, stenographers.  Vice  President  in  Electric  Companies  and  one  is  work- 
ing to  become  Lt.  Commander  in  the  Navy,  mail  clerks  in  large  Post  Offices 
and  mail  clerks  on  trains,  manager  of  hotels  and  one  graduate  who  is  a 
missionary  in  Brazil,  S.  A.  Some  are  owners  of  large  stores  and  no  doubt 
there  are  many  others  holding  responsible  positions  that  she  can  not  recall. 


CONTINUATION  SCHOOL 

The  Continuation  School  was  one  of  the  most  interesting  classes  held 
at  George  Washington  School.  The  entire  life  of  this  school  was  conceived 
and  directed  by  Mrs.  Mabel  Turner.  Mrs.  Turner,  a  retired  teacher,  has 
consented  to  write  the  history  of  these  classes. 

In  1916,  as  in  1957,  the  words  "Continuation  School"  meant  only  a 
question  mark  to  most  people,  and  likewise  to  me,  when  Dr.  Franklin  Rob- 
bins,  then  Superintendent  of  Williamsport  Schools,  offered  me  the  oppor- 
tunity to  try  my  wings  as  a  teacher  of  the  about-to-be  established  Continua- 
tion School. 

Dr.  Robbins  explained  to  me  that  at  the  previous  session  of  the  Penn- 
svlvania  State  Legislature  in  1915,  a  very  excellent  Child  Labor  Law  had 
been  enacted.  It  was  in  compliance  with  the  regulations  of  this  law  that 
Williamsport  and  all  communities  in  the  state  employing  twenty  or  more 
minors  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  sixteen,  then  established  one  or 
more  Continuation  Schools,  depending  on  the  number  of  said  minors  em- 
ployed. 

Consequently,  as  soon  as  arrangements  could  be  made  for  housing 
the  school,  securing  proper  text  books  and  supplies,  and  finding  a  teacher, 
the  school  was  opened:—  the  date,  February  8,  1916;  the  place,  a  very  small 
room,  suitable  for  the  accommodation  of  twenty  pupils,  on  the  third  floor 
of  the  George  Washington  School;  and  the  teacher,  Mrs.  Mabel  C.  Turner. 
Since  previous  to  the  passage  of  the  law,  there  had  been  no  teacher 
training  program  for  this  type  of  work,  all  teachers  who  planned  to  teach 
a  Continuation  School  were  required  to  attend  summer  sessions  in  order 
to  be  certified. 

In  order  to  be  eligible  for  employment,  young  people  wishing  to  leave 
"regular"  school  and  to  work  had  to  satisfy  the  following  requirements:  per- 
mission from  the  parents,  employer's  statement  of  employing  the  applicant, 
a  doctor's  certificate,  proof  of  having  completed  six  grades  of  school,  and  a 
birth  certificate  showing  proof  of  age.  When  the  specified  conditions  were 
met,  an  employment  certificate  was  issued  and  the  child  assigned  a  day  to 
attend  the  school.  A  certificate  was  valid  for  only  one  job  and  each  change 
of  occupation  required  a  repetition  of  the  procedure.  All  children  working 
in  Williamsport  were  required  to  attend  the  Continuation  School  regardless 
of  their  places  of  residence. 


From  the  small  number  of  twenty  pupils  a  day,  because  of  opportuni- 
ties for  employment  afforded  during  the  duration  of  World  War  I,  the  at- 
tendance increased  to  one  hundred  eighty  pupils  a  week.  The  one  small 
room  became  two  small  rooms  by  the  cutting  of  a  doorway,  and  finally  the 
removal  of  the  entire  partition  gave  to  the  Continuation  School  the  space 
so  sorely  needed. 

Pupils  attending  the  school  were  allowed  to  work  fifty-one  hours  a 
week,  which  time  included  their  school  day  of  eight  hours.  These  eight 
hours  could  be  broken  into  periods  of  two  or  more  hours  on  different  days; 
but  because  of  distances,  most  pupils  and  employers  preferred  one  day  of 
eight  hours.  The  schedule  was  varied,  but  usually  the  day's  work  began 
at  eight  A.  M.  with  an  hour  for  lunch,  and  ended  at  live  P.  M.  Six  hours 
were  used  for  continuation  of  the  interrupted  academic  school  work  and  two 
for  vocational  work. 

Efforts  were  made  to  fit  the  instruction  to  the  needs  of  each  pupil,  the 
superintendent  giving  the  teachers  much  liberty  in  grouping  the  pupils, 
choice  of  materials  and  methods  of  work.  The  prinicpal,  Mr.  MacLaren, 
and  teachers  of  the  entire  Washington  School  cooperated  in  making  the 
Continuation  pupils  feel  that  they  were  indeed  a  part  of  the  school  and  its 
program. 

At  the  end  of  the  war,  when  the  men  returned  from  overseas,  the 
school  numbered  fewer  and  fewer  pupils  and  was  located  for  a  time  in 
smaller  rooms,  on  the  second  and  third  floors.  Finally  with  the  enactment 
of  the  National  Recovery  Act,  which  prohibited  the  employment  of  minors 
under  sixteen  years  of  age,  the  Continuation  School  was  legally  discontinued 
after  nearly  sixteen  years  of  service  to  our  children  employed  in  Williamsport. 


U.  S.   ARMY 

U  S   ARMY   RESERVE  CENTER 


XI 


-^  ■■  i 


HISTORY  OF  EMERY  SCHOOL 

520  Park  Avenue 

The  Emery  Building  was  built  in  1882.  It  was  named  in  honor  of 
Josiah  H.  Emery,  who  was  then  president  of  the  Williamsport  School  Board. 
He  was  a  business  man  and  a  financier. 

The  first  principal  of  record  of  the  Emery  School  was  Charles  H.  Spotts. 
He  was  followed  in  turn  by  the  following  principals:  J.  A.  Stadden,  W.  W. 
Stiber,  George  R.  Walters,  Harry  G.  Sanders,  and  Samuel  Long  who  was 
principal  in  1938  when  the  school  was  closed  and  turned  over  to  the  Bethune 
Douglass  Center,  by  whom  it  is  still  occupied.  Mrs.  Walter  Flemino  was 
the  first  president  of  the  Emery  P.  T.  A.  which  was  organized  in  1922  and 
continued  until   1938. 


HISTORY  OF  WILLIAM  PENN  SCHOOL 

"Schule  tagen'"*"  to  the  youngsters  of  sixty-six  years  ago  out  on  Dutch 
Hill,  or  the  eastern  section  of  Williamsport,  meant  days  spent  at  the  Wil- 
liam Penn  School  on  Hughes  and  Penn  Streets.  This  substantial  two- 
story  brick  building,  erected  in   1891,  was  the  pride  of  the  eighth  ward. 

At  that  time  "Newtown"  was  a  German  settlement,  and  according  to 
some  of  the  earliest  alumni  of  the  Penn  School,  about  ninety  percent  of  the 
students  were  the  children  of  German  immigrant  families.  Presumably, 
Germania  Street,  which  is  near  the  school,  was  so-called  in  honor  of  the 
little  community.  Most  of  the  pupils  were  bi-lingual,  speaking  English  in 
school  and  German  at  home.  As  might  be  expected,  the  Penn  School, 
through  the  years,  has  had  some  fine  German  musical  groups. 

The  first  faculty  of  the  school  was  made  up  of  the  following  teachers: 
Clara  A.  McCollum,  Fannv  Steinhilper,  Alberta  Strine,  Delia  Maneval,  and 
Thomas  E.  Nicholson,  Principal. 

The  Penn  Building  served  as  a  public  school  for  forty-eight  years,  then 
in  1939,  it  became  St.  Mary's  High  School. 
*  "Schule  tagen"  means  school  days. 


HISTORY  OF  SAMUEL  TRANSEAU  SCHOOL 

On  an  important  morning  in  September,  1897,  the  Samuel  Transeau 
School  opened  its  doors  to  the  children  of  the  Thirteenth  Ward.  Formerly 
these  youngsters  had  hiked  across  the  open  fields  to  attend  the  "old"  Stevens 
Building  where  the  Lose  School  now  stands. 

The  plot  of  ground  on  which  the  Transeau  School  was  constructed  ex- 
tended from  First  Avenue  to  Second  Avenue,  but  the  Board  of  Education,  not 
realizing  the  possibility  of  future  expansion,  decided  that  they  had  acquired 
too  much  land,  and  they  sold  some  of  it  as  building  lots.  It  is  also  interest- 
ing to  note  that  the  Transeau  School  was  the  only  school  in  the  city  which 
had  grotesque  little  gargoyles  adorning  the  roof.  Since  these  impish  orna- 
ments have  never  served  any  real  purpose,  the  reason  for  their  existence 
has  remained  the  secret  of  the  designer. 

Named  in  honor  of  Samuel  Transeau,  the  City  Superintendent  of 
Schools,  the  Transeau  School  on  its  opening  day  had  the  following  teachers 
on  its  faculty:  Alice  Fuller,  Alicia  Sigfried,  Harriet  Lowe,  Edith  Bevere, 
Blanche  Balliet,  Mary  Braine,  Janet  Ephlin,  Anna  Watson,  and  J.  A.  Kiess, 
Principal. 

For  fifty-eight  years  the  Transeau  School  served  the  community  as  a 
public  school,  then  in  December,  1955,  it  became  the  Center  for  the 
United  States  Army  Reserve. 


Ill  III 


HISTORY  OF 
WILLIAMSPORT  TECHNICAL  INSTITUTE 

Can  Do— the  famous  motto  of  the  Sea  Bees  of  World  War  II  fame- 
fits,  equally  well,  the  Williamsport  Technical  Institute.  Since  its  begin- 
ning in  1914  as  a  small  industrial  arts  shop  of  the  Williamsport  High  School, 
to  its  present  status  as  a  separate  unit  of  the  Williamsport  School  District, 
the  Institute  has  proven  it  can  adapt  to  and  meet  the  demands  for  trained 
manpower,  regardless  of  the  situation.  In  fact,  the  expansion  and  develop- 
ment of  the  Institute  has  been  a  direct  result  of  this  foresightedness  and 
adaptability.  War— peace— depression— all  have  presented  technical  training 
problems.  Over  the  years  W.  T.  I.  has  come  up  with  a  solution  to  each 
of  the  challenges— and  some  of  the  solutions  have  gained  nation-wide  atten- 
tion. Dedication  to  the  principle  that  vocational  education  should  fit  itself 
to  the  needs  of  the  individual,  the  community  and  the  nation  has  made  this 
possible. 

When  the  present  high  school  was  constructed  in  1914,  a  large  part 
of  the  shop  section  was  devoted  to  woodworking.  It  is  apparent  that  the 
large  woodworking  payroll  in  the  community  influenced  this  planning. 
From  1914  to  1920  there  is  evidence  of  a  high  level  of  activity  in  the  wood- 
working courses.  Machine  shop  was  the  other  course  offered  then.  W.  R. 
Yocum  was  appointed  director  of  this  industrial  arts  program  in  1919. 

Following  World  War  I  there  was  the  problem  of  retraining  veterans, 
the  majority  being  disabled.  This  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  first  adult 
day  school  on  a  full-time  basis.  Shop  was  set  up  in  an  old  building  at  the 
rear  of  the  Pine  Street  Methodist  Church  and  the  program  continued  for  a 
year.  Courses  open  to  these  veterans  included  patternmaking,  automotive 
and  electric,  with  a  limited  number  enrolled  in  the  machine  shop  located 
in  the  high  school. 

Concurrent  with  this  program  was  the  organization  of  the  industrial 
evening  school  which  has  continued  to  the  present  day.  Enrollment  statis- 
tics attest  to  the  public  acceptance  of  this  program:  1920  figures  show  130 
in  attendance;  1957  has  2050  persons  enrolled  in  a  wide  variety  of  courses. 

Evening  conferences  in  foremanship  training  began  in  1927,  as  a 
cooperative  effort  of  the  school  district  and  the  Williamsport  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  to  meet  the  demands  for  supervisors  in  rapidly  increasing  diver- 
sified industries  in  this  area.     By  this  time  George  H.  Parkes  had  become 


director  of  vocational  education  in  the  city  and  it  was  he  who  organized 
and  led  these  early  conferences.  In  the  first  four  years  more  than  150 
foremen  from  20  plants  took  this  advanced  training.  This  close  cooperation 
between  the  school  and  local  industries  is  reflected  throughout  the  history 
of  vocational  education  in  the  area. 

In  the  Twenties,  a  cooperative  course  of  study  was  set  up  for  students 
of  the  industrial  department  of  the  high  school.  By  this  plan  a  student 
over  sixteen  years  of  age  who  was  proficient  in  the  school  shops,  was  eligible 
to  receive  part  of  his  training  in  the  classroom  and  part  through  employment 
in  a  local  plant,  alternating  the  two  periods.  In  1929  there  was  48  local 
companies  cooperating  with  the  school  in  this  training.  This  program  is 
still  in  operation  for  high  school  students  today  who  are  taking  the  industrial 
vocational  course.  So  sound  was  the  original  program  that  the  only  notable 
change  has  been  the  rate  of  pay;  students  now  receiving  a  wage  comparable 
to  a  beginner  in  industry,  instead  of  the  20c  an  hour  he  earned  in  1929. 

One  of  the  finest  examples  of  cooperation  between  the  school  and 
local  industry  occurred  during  the  depression  years.  The  speed  and  intelli- 
gence with  which  Williamsport  licked  the  unemployment  problem  gained 
nation-wide  recognition. 

In  1930  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  surveyed  local  industry  and  dis- 
covered that  while  unemployment  was  increasing,  there  was  a  substantial 
and  increasing  shortage  of  certain  skilled  tradesmen.  The  logical  solution 
was  to  retain  men  from  the  unemployed  ranks  to  fill  these  vacancies;  and 
the  logical  place  to  do  it  was  in  the  high  school  vocational  shops.  Early  in 
1931  the  first  experimental  class  was  enrolled.  The  success  of  this  program, 
which  became  known  across  the  country  as  the  Williamsport  Plan,  was 
soon  evident.  It  encompassed  cooperative  training  of  CCC  and  NYA  youths. 
WPA  made  its  contribution  by  providing  instructors. 

This  retraining  program  was  no  hit  or  miss  affair.  Eight  coordinators 
blue-printed  the  city's  employment  situation  and  students  were  trained  to 
fit  specific  jobs  in  the  community.  Data  assembled  in  1932  indicated  a  need 
for  truck  drivers.  The  school  borrowed  trucks  and  set  up  its  own  training 
course,  which  was  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  country.  This  course  evolved 
into  the  present  day  safe  driving  course  which  is  a  part  of  many  high  school 
curriculums. 

The  school  made  such  an  impression  on  the  community  with  its  pro- 


grams  that  Williamsport  voted,  during  these  depression  years  when  most 
school  boards  were  cutting  budgets,  to  build  a  new  vocation  building  to 
accommodate  the  increased  enrollment  in  both  the  high  school  and  adult 
programs. 

The  adaptability  and  foresightedness  of  our  vocational  education  leaders 
were  never  more  apparent  than  when  they  met  the  challenge  of  a  world  at 
war.  On  May  10,  1940,  when  the  Nazis  marched  into  Holland  and  Bel- 
gmm,  a  shocked  United  States  began  an  immediate  program  of  rearmament 
for  defense.  On  May  21  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Williamsport  School 
District  appointed  a  special  Emergency  Training  Commission  to  steer  the 
local  vocational  program  through  the  changing  times.  At  the  end  of  the 
regular  school  term  on  June  14,  the  school  staff  made  a  swift  change  from 
an  extensive  program  of  retraining  unemployed  men  and  women  to  an  in- 
tensive program  of  training  for  defense  industries.  The  staff  and  vocational 
facilities  swung  into  a  24-hour  schedule  to  meet  the  demands  of  industry. 
By  this  quick  action  the  school  was  among  the  first  in  the  countrv,  if  not 
the  first,  to  gear  its  program  to  wartime  training. 

This  defense  training  soon  increased  adult  enrollment  to  the  astounding 
figure  of  6,500  for  1941.  It  was  in  this  year  that  the  adult  education  pro- 
gram and  the  vocational  high  school  program  were  merged  into  one  unit 
known  as  The  Williamsport  Technical  Institute.  Although  organized  into 
one  vocational  education  unit  since  that  time,  each  has  maintained  its 
own  separate  program. 

Early  in  1942  the  school  entered  into  an  intensified  program,  in  coop- 
eration with  a  local  plant  and  the  Pennsylvania  Rehabilitation  Service,  for 
training  handicapped  men  and  women  for  war  production.  This  program 
earned  for  the  Institute  a  well-deserved  reputation  for  outstanding  training 
of  handicapped  persons  and  led  to  the  establishment  of  other  rehabilitation 
programs  which  are  carried  on  today. 

Having  demonstrated  the  value  of  foresight  and  preparation  in  meeting 
the  demands  of  war,  the  Institute  applied  this  same  foresight  in  its  plans  to 
train  for  peace-time  industrial  reconversion.  Anticipating  being  called  on  to 
tram  war  veterans  for  civilian  jobs,  and  with  special  emphasis  upon  ser- 
vice to  the  disabled,  the  Williamsport  Technical  Institute  was  geared  to 
accept  the  thousands  of  students  entided  to  training  through  G  I  educational 
rights. 


Even  before  the  G  I  Bill  of  Rights  was  passed  in  1944,  the  school  made 
plans  for  training  returned  servicemen  by  setting  up  a  scholarship  program 
in  cooperation  with  several  progressive  manufacturers.  These  employers, 
taking  a  long  range  view,  were  willing  to  invest  in  building  skilled  workers 
for  the  future.  A  similar  scholarship  program  is  carried  on  today  under 
the  sponsorship  of  the  Williamsport  Vocational  Association. 

Always  one  jump  ahead  of  the  times  the  school  adopted  in  1945  what 
is  known  as  the  Watsontown  Plan,  forerunner  of  the  area  technical  school 
which  is  under  discussion  today.  Under  this  high  school  plan  students 
from  area  schools,  who  lack  vocational  facilities  in  their  home  schools,  may 
spend  their  two-week  shop  time  at  W.  T.  I.  and  receive  their  related  classroom 
studies  in  their  respective  schools. 

In  1946  Unit  No.  6,  a  reconverted  industrial  plant,  was  officially  opened, 
bringing  the  total  school  acreage  to  more  than  30.  This  is  exclusive  of  a 
large  hangar  and  aviation  shop  at  the  local  airport  and  a  farm  at  nearby 
Muncy,  which  has  been  used  since  1946  to  train  agriculture  students.  The 
aviation  shop,  started  in  1942,  was  the  first  in  the  country  to  be  erected  at 

an  airport. 

Rural  Electric  Cooperatives  in  Pennsylvania,  looking  for  a  job-training 
and  safety  program,  turned  to  W.  T.  I.  for  assistance.  Ever  alert  to  such 
demands  the  school  set  up  a  program  and  has  provided,  since  1947,  a  full- 
time  itinerant  instructor  who  visits  each  cooperative  and  conducts  classes 
in  first  aid,  accident  prevention,  and  job  training. 

Feeling  a  need  for  a  new,  more  practical  method  of  vocational  counsel- 
ing of  rehabilitation  clients  and  clients  with  limited  educational  or  cultural 
backgrounds,  the  school  began  in  1951  its  Vocational  Diagnostic  Program. 
Under  this  program,  the  only  one  of  its  kind  in  the  country,  a  client  is  en- 
rolled at  the  school  for  a  four-week  period.  During  this  time  he  is  guided 
and  counseled  in  his  effort  to  make  an  occupational  choice.  The  most 
important  phase  of  the  program,  and  the  reason'  it  is  now  gaining  nation- 
wide interest,  is  the  job-trial  method  used.  With  the  unlimited  facilities 
of  the  school  at  his  disposal,  the  client  is  able  to  spend  two  weeks  in  various 
shops  and  thus  test  his  ability  and  interest  under  real,  rather  than  imagined 

conditions. 

One  of  the  first  groups  to  make  use  of  this  program,  along  with  state 
bureaus  of   rehabilitation,   was   the   United   Mine  Workers.     Through  ar- 


rangements  with  the  UMWA  Welfare  and  Retirement  Fund  in  1951, 
handicapped  miners  or  their  dependents  are  provided  with  an  integrated 
medical,  vocational  diagnostic,  and  training  service. 

The  Pennsylvania  State  Council  for  the  Blind  entered  a  pilot  case  in 

1952  and  since  that  time  has  made  extensive  use  of  this  program  which  has 
produced   such   favorable  results. 

Upholding  its  principle  that  vocational  education  shoud  fit  itself  to  the 
needs  of  the  individual,  the  work-experience  program  was  initiated  in  1952. 
Under  this  program  any  seventh  or  eighth  grade  student,  who  is  age  15  or 
older,  can  enter  the  Williamsport  Technical  Institute  to  learn  a  trade  through 
shop  training;  academic  subjects  meet  the  minimum  requirements.  Upon 
successful  completion  of  his  course,  the  student  receives  a  high  school 
diploma. 

The  fame  of  the  Williamsport  Technical  Institute  as  an  outstanding 
vocational  center  has  spread  beyond  the  borders  of  the  United  States.     In 

1953  the  school  was  officially  approved  for  the  training  of  foreign  students, 
although  several  nations  were  represented  on  the  rolls  prior  to  this.  Edu- 
cators from  many  foreign  countries  have  enrolled  at  W.  T.  I.  to  study  our 
methods  of  vocational  education  in  an  effort  to  set  up  similar  centers  in  their 
own  countries. 

The  most  recent  demand  for  trained  manpower  that  W.  T.  I.  has  met 
is  in  connection  with  the  Industrial  Development  Committee  of  the  Wil- 
liamsport Chamber  of  Commerce,  which  was  set  up  in  1956  to  draw  new 
industry  to  the  city.  The  decision  of  several  companies  to  re-locate  here 
has  been  attributed  to  a  great  extent  to  the  availability  of  trained  workers 
from  the  local  Institute.  Special  courses  of  study  have  been  geared  to 
meet  the  specific  demands  of  these  companies. 

With  such  developments  as  these  the  Williamsport  Technical  Institute 
under  the  leadership  of  Kenneth  E.  Carl,  who  succeeded  Dr.  Parkes  in  1952, 
is  continuing  to  make  its  important  contribution  of  furnishing  practical  voca- 
tional training  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  day. 


J.V.  BROWN  LIBRARY 


6801  9300  390  734  1 


^^N^^^^'O'V,^^ 


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