Perkiomen School - Griffin Yearbook (Pennsburg, PA)

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THE HISTORY OF PERKIOMEN SCHOOL 1IlllIlllIlllllllIIllIlllIIllIIllIIlllllllllllllllIIIIIlllllllllIllllIlllIIllIIlllIIIIIIIllIIllIllllIIllIllllIIllIIlllIIIIIIIIIllllllllIIllIIIlIIIllIIIIIIllIllIllPIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllllllll IlllllllllIIIIIllllIIlllIllllllIIllIIlllllllIIIIIIIIIIlllIIIIIIIIlIIIllIIllIIIIIIIIIIIIllIIIIIIIllIIIllIIllIIIllIllIIIllIIIllIIllIIIlIIIIIIllIIIlllIIllIIllIIllIIIIIIIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Perkiomen School was founded seventy-five years ago in Pennsburg by the late Rev. Charles S. Wieand. Dr. and Mrs. Wieand had hardships of all kinds which forced them to give up the school in 1883. During the period between 1883 and 1890, two other men men served as principals, the Rev. Andrew 1. 1-letrick and Iames Griffith. Mr. Griffith finding that the group of men who owned the school were difficult to deal with, moved the school in 1889 to the brick house next to the present St. Mark's Church. Perkiomen Sem- inary, as it was known in those days, continued to function for only one more year and finally closed in lune, 1890. The Society of Schwenkfelders had been considering the establishment of a private school and had collected a fund for the purpose. They found that the then sadly dilapi- dated building of Perkiomen Seminary could be bought for 53,500.00 After careful con- sideration and thought the property was bought and Dr. Oscar S. Kriebel, the man who had manifested the greatest interest and had been the promoter of the project, was elected principal, with the Society of Schwenkfelders forming the first board of trustees. After the purchase and restoration of the building, the School was re-opened on October 3, 1892. Dr. Kriebel made many changes and improvements during his forty years of out- standing leadership. Although from the first it had been a co-educational school, in 1918 it was decided to restrict it to boys only. Another important change was the adoption of the new name, Perkiomen School. Many extensive additions were made to the cam- pus. The original building was enlarged in 1895, the gymnasium with dormitory facilities was constructed in 1905 and the Andrew Carnegie Library was built in 1913. Later four other houses were added, the Headmaster's House, the lnfirmary, Duyckinck Hall, and South Cottage. After the death of Dr. Kriebel in 1932, Webster S. Stover was Headmaster until October, 1934. Irwin W. Kehs, our present Director of Courses and senior advisor, was acting Headmaster from that date until April, 1935, when Clarence E. Tobias became Head- master. Mr. Rogers has been the Headmaster at Perkiomen since May, 1944. Many improve- ments were made during his administration, a new baseball field, which is located in the rear of the tennis courts, and a soccer field, which is at the extreme end of the football field have been constructed. Also, the track and the football field have been entirely remade by means of a generous donation from one of the trustees. Kriebel Hall and Kehs have both been improved by having their lavatories completely tiled and modernized. Mr. Rogers has placed the stress on present activities and advancements, and by doing so he has invigorated the school life at Perkiomen and increased school in general, The past is important, but the future is more important. The all-weather tennis courts, which are on the north side of Kehs Hall are a recent me- morial to the Perkiomen boys who died in World War ll. This is another of the outstand- ing advancements which have taken place during Mr. Rogers' excellent record as Perki- omen's Headmaster. Perkiomen has come a long way since the day it was opened in 1874 with nineteen stu- dents. It can now boast of 2,639 graduates and an additional 6,000 who have gained ad- mission to higher ranking colleges all over the country and have become important fig- ures in every walk of life. The philosophy of the School is that every student has great potentialities and that his educational program can produce a mature man of high ideals, alert to responsibility as well as to opportunity. lf we can do this, the man and the school that train him are both truly successful. .

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ALMA MATER When the shades of night are falling O'er the campus green, When the evening bells are pealing Daylight's tun'ral peang On the campus sward we gather, Sings the songs of oldg And we Watch the sunset blending Purple and the Gold. Let your rnem'ries linger longer, Alma Mater dear, Ev'ry day We're growing fonder, Be We far or near, When We Wander, Wander, wander, Far away from you, Perkiornen's sons are loyal, Loyal, tried and true. Comrades, friends and brothers ever Each to each we'll be, There are ties which naught can sever Through eternity, Bonds of union, bonds of friendship, Bonds of endless love, That are bred by Alma Mater, And by God above. -Al Dubin, l l

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T en 75th Anniversary Program Saturday, October 22, 1949, was an eventful day in many a year for Perkiomen, for it marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of the school. Registration of guests began at 9:00 a. m. in Kriebel Hall. At lU:UU, visitors began to file into the Carnegie Library to see the special exhibits on display. They included work done by Perklomen students in various subject fields, an exhibition of art work sponsored by Mrs. Stutzman, and a showcase of interest- ing documents of historic interest having to deal with Perkiomen in its early days. A convocation was held in the chapel at ll:0O o'clock for three hundred or more guests, many of whom were alumni. The Headmaster extended his greetings to all present and introduced the guest speakers. The addresses were given by the following: Elmer E. S. Iohnson C'95J, D.D., Chairman, Anni- versary Committee representing the trustees, the Rev. Franklin W. Ruth C'l5l, Pennsylvania State Senator, representing the alumni, lames I. Wendell, LL.D., Headmaster, the Hill School, representing secondary schools, Levering Tyson, Litt.D., LL.D., President, Muhlenberg College, representing colleges and univer- sities. Following the Anniversary Service a buffet luncheon was served to all those who were able to remain. Several speeches were made by prominent alumni. Then nearly everybody made preparation to see the football game with Penn- ington School at the Pennsburg High School Athletic Field. The alumni re- turned to Perkiornen after the game to take part in their class reunions. And so ended the program commemorating the three-quarters of a century in the history of Perkiomen School.