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Page 8 text:
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A HISTORY OF LANSDOWNE- ALDAN In a small town like Lansdowne, a high school plays an important role. To understand Lansdowne, one must observe its students. The local school has proven to be the main gathering spot for youngsters to meet and mold their future. Many of Lansdowne and Lansdowne-Aldan High School graduates have helped to transform this small borough into a bustling community. It is appropriate for us, at this time, to reflect on the heritage left us by previous graduates, because this is the last June that students will graduate from our school, Lansdowne-Aldan. During the summer of 1889, the Upper Darby School Board, feeling that the population of Lansdowne had reached sufficient numbers to warrant the building of a school house, constructed one at what now is East Baltimore and Highland Avenues. The three rooms on the first floor were to be used for school purposes, but the second floor was leased and managed by an association known as the Lansdowne Hall Association. School opened on February 3,1890 with twenty-one pupils, and Miss Hattie B. Irvin as the only teacher. During the first week, attendance increased to such an extent that Miss Edna Hall was transferred from Fernwood to assist Miss Irwin. The first term closed on June 26, 1890 with 90 pupils. In September 1891, school opened with an enrollment of one hundred ten pupils. That year, the Upper Darby School Board conceived the idea of making this the high school for the entire district. In June of 1892, Miss Irwin resigned and the Board transferred Miss H. Emilie Groce from Keystone School to Lansdowne which was the newly graded school. In 1892, the school opened with a total enrollment of one hundred seven pupils, but steadily increased in numbers. In November 1892, the crowded condition of the rooms necessitated additional space, so the upper floor was rented from the Hall Association and converted into classroom space. In June 1893, Lansdowne was made a borough. A Mr. Griffin owned a strip of land on the southern side of the railroad tracks and during his moving from Philadelphia, there was considerable difficulty in the shipment of his furniture. At the time, the station was known as Darby Road for the borough was not yet incorporated. Because of the similiarity between the name and Darby , Mr. Griffin's furniture was shipped to the latter. Being aggravated by this inconvenience, which he realized might easily reoccur, Mr. Griffin petitioned Mr. Scott, President of the Pennsylvania Railroad, for a change of name. Since Mr. Griffin greatly admired Lord Lansdowne, then a prominent member of the British Parliament, he suggested the adoption of the name Lansdowne . Many other names were submitted for consideration. Scott, however, did not concede to any of these petitions. Finally, in desperation, Mr. Griffin had a huge sign painted, which read Lansdowne . One night Griffin replaced the Darby Road sign with the Lansdowne sign. No action was ever taken by Scott. Soon the name Lansdowne appeared in train time tables and the small borough, one mile square, adopted the name Lansdowne. Since the school year began on June 1,1894 and Lansdowne had not at that time received its charter as a borough, the Upper Darby Township Board retained its management of the school until June 1, 1894. In the previous year there had been a school board election in Lansdowne. Mr. Isaac Garrett, Mr. William P. Freeborn, Mr. Joseph Fleming, Mr. C. B. Lewis and Mr. E. Fackler were chosen for the Board and assisted the Upper Darby Board in Lansdowne matters.
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Page 9 text:
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In September of 1894, with two hundred fourteen pupils, the doors of the schoolhouse opened as the borough school. During this year, the school outgrew it's present building which was not yet six years old. Early in the year the School Board commenced planning specifications for an addition. The new part would be eighty by twenty-four feet and would consist of four rooms, each with the capacity for seating forty pupils at single desks. Under the addition, a gymnasium was to be constructed. The first graduating class of 1895 consisted of three girls: Emily Hibberd, Kate Anna Beadle and Elsie Taylor Robertwon. At commencement excercises on June 27,1895, each gave a short address and received a set of books from the School Board. Through the efforts of the then Burgess of Lansdowne, J. T. Stewart, a playground had been established on a lot on Highland Avenue. Many people felt that the Lansdowne High School should be adjacent to an athletic field, so another section of the Highland Avenue property was closed off and a school built. On January 16,1929 the students at the old Highland Avenue building were instructed to gather up their belongings and walk to the new school. Four hundred fifty students arrived at a building which, in it's time, was considered one of the most modern and well-equipped in the county. Up until 1953, Lansdowne High School served students from Aldan, Springfield, East Lansdowne and Millbourne if they were willing to pay tuition. At that time there was a feeling in Aldan, because of the small number of students and the belief that a better education could be attained at Lansdowne, that Aldan should join Lansdowne and share the finance of the school, rather than pay individual tuitions. In 1959 another jointure was formed between East Lansdowne and the Lansdowne-Aldan joint school system. At this point, the school accepted seventh and eighth graders from both Aldan and East Lansdowne. In 1959 the A gym, music, home ec, junior high guidance office art and health rooms were added at the cost of $1,225,000. On July 1,1972 the Lansdowne-Aldan Joint School District, Darby Colwyn District and Yeadon School District were united to form the William Penn School District. In June of 1982, the doors of Lansdowne and Lansdowne-Aldan will close for the last time.
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