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Page 11 text:
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Perry Township High School- - 1906 err? ownaAip .NIM .S9cAoo! ln 1904 Perry Township High School was established. Classes were held in Carson's Hall, the building adjacent to the present Post Office Building. The first principal was Mr. Christner and the Board of directors was: Dr. J. I... Cochran, Charles B. Elwell, Obediah Hough, J. W. Townsend, Joseph Harper, and William J, Bowers. The first graduating class in 1906 consisted of twelve students. The need for a high school building was fully realized by the directors. Construction of this building began in 1906. On August 31, 1907, it was dedicated, with the placing of the cornerstone in the southwest corner of the building. J. Buell Snyder became the first principal in this building. During the early years of the school, the Philo and the Thesian LiterarySocietieswere organized and a library was started. ln 1909 Mr. Snyder established the three-year course of study for his students and also directed an athletic program. At that time the school was rated in the top ranks of the 3-year high schools in the state. In 1918, the new four-year course and a commercial department were started. ln the music and speech departments, students' talents were developed, and as aresult, Perry Township High School placed a number of winners in the Forensic and Music contests, then held in the county and the state. Mr. Snyder left in 1911. The aftermath ofthe First World War did not weaken the spirit of the students. Through their work football was restored in the school. In a few years, the athletic teams were being recognized as championship teams. J. V. Ridenour preceded Earle E. Curtis as principal, Mr. Curtis being principal from 1930 to 1948. During Mr. Curtis's administration the school continued to grow. The Home Economics Department was introduced in 1935-36 and in 1939, the Industrial Arts Department started. A school nurse was employed. Many honors came to the school in sports, music, orations, debates, and dramatics. Each year additional courses were being offered and more teachers were needed. In the late 1930's, there were 12 teachers on the staff as compared to 3 in the beginning of the school. In 1940 60 students graduated from Perry. In 1942 Perry's largest class up to that time, 75 students, graduated. 1831 students have now graduated from this high school. In 1946 was the re-opening of the Commercial Depart- ment. ln 1948 the Home Economics Department moved into its finely equipped quarters. Robert S. White followed Mr. Curtis as principal and now is holding that position. During his term of office, Drivers Training and Vocational Agriculture have been added to the curriculum. The school has become a junior-senior high school. In 1951 Lower Tyrone Township joined with ours, and today the school is called the Perry-Lower Tyrone High School. At present there are 618 students. Twenty-five teachers comprise the faculty. Today our school offers academic, commercial, general, and vocational agriculture courses. Many activities are a part of the student's school life, as sports, music, social, and literary organizations. Students, alumni, and citizens of Perry support these activities by their co-operation and interest. A P, T. A. organization is a part of this cooperative effort. This year, 1956, we commemerate the 50th Anniversary of our school. May it continue to grow and to serve its students and community in the traditional worthwhile manner. A
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Page 10 text:
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The Washington Mill 0 I' OPO L5 elll'l.5g Uallla The small community of Perryopolis with a population of fifteen hundred people is located in Perry Township, thirteen miles north of Uniontown, the county seat of Fayette County, and thirty miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Perryopolis is rich in historical importance, records having been traced to 1769 when Col. William Crawford, a close friend of George Washington, acted upon his requests and purchased sixteen hundred acres of land where Perryopolis now stands. Washington visited his Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Valley possessions the following year and was very much pleased with his purchase here Later Washington decided to have a gristmill builthere and sent a man by the name of Gilbert Simpson to manage the new project and to look after his other possessions in this area. After many hardships and difficulties, the mill was finally put into operation in 1776. Though the mill was considered one of the best 'in this section, it proved unprofitable and was soon up for sale. The mill and surrounding land were leased four years later to Col. Israel Shreve. In 1795 Col. Shreve and Washington made an agreement for the sale of that land. However the agreement was never completed during Washington's lifetime, but after his death, in 1779, it was finally declared valid, The mill has now deteriorated from lack of care. Perryopolis was named in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry who had defeated the British fleet on Lake Erie in 1813. Previously it had been called New Boston. In 1814 the town was laid out on a plan similar to that of Washington, D. C,In the center of the town is a small circular area which is now often referred to as the diamond, from which streets extend in every direction, like a replica of a large wheel. Some of these streets bear such historic names as Liberty Avenue, Federal Street, Independence Street, and Constitution Street. A high school was established in 1904, followed in 1906 by the construction of the present high school building and in 1921 by the elementary building. ln 1951 Perry and Lower Tyrone Townships joined to form the present Perry-Lower Tyrone Joint Junior-Senior High School. The 50th Anniversary of the school was celebrated from October 19 to October 23, 1955. Many noted people have visited Perryopolis: in l825,Marquis de La Fayette, in 1908, William Jennings Bryan, in 1944, Harry S. Truman. J. Buell Snyder, at one time high school principal,was a member of the United States Congress for thirteen years. Eight years ago Mary Fuller Frazier, who had spent her childhood here, willed to the community fBl,500,000. Perryopolis became known as the Cinderella Town . Such nationally known magazines as Life, Time, and Newsweek carried stories and pictures while other articles appeared in New York, Texas, and California newspapers. In 1954 Perryopolis became a borough. Some of the civic improvements proposed for the town include a public lighting system, now completed, sanitary sewage disposal plant, under contract, water supply system, and educational center. The town has four churches - Methodist, Christian, Roman Catholic, and Greek Catholic, all of which provide one weekday Religious Education period with released school time for the high school students. Perryopolis residents engage in many types of work. There are professional and business people, steel and mine workers, railroaders and farmers. Industries in the community include a pre-fabricated homes company, a large milk company, and two brick companies. The business enterprises are privately owned. In 1951 a housing project of sixty homes was completed.
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