GRADE SCHOOL

In 1797 a colony of people looking for a new home settled in Ebensburg.

After constructing huts in which to live, their first consideration was building a house in which they could worship God.  There next consideration was establishing schools so that their children could be prepared to take up the burdens of life.

The year 1834 brought into existence our public school system.  It required some courage on the part of the men who conceived this to have the law written on the statute books.  They succeeded and as a consequence the educational interests of Ebensburg were taken care of by three one-room buildings located at points most convenient.

 One of these buildings was located on the site of the house where the James Caldwell family now resides (corner of Sample and Sugar streets).  Another where the residence of Mrs. Fred Jones now stands, 211 West Ogle Street, and the third on the corner of Crawford and Marion street where a store now stands.

These met the needs of a time but the idea of centralization was in the minds of the people so a modern structure was erected where our grade school now stands.  This was a four-room structure.  It was not long until this was outgrown and in order to accommodate the children, the building known as the Ebensburg Academy consisting of two rooms was rented.  This building was located on the same square now occupied by the court house.  About the time the Academy was used there was a primary school in operation.  This school was located on the site of the Wilkinson Marble Shop.  In order to further centralize schools two rooms were built in 1885 being an annex to the four room building mentioned above where the present grade school building now stands.  The Ebensburg Academy and Wilkinson Marble Shop schools were discontinued.

This satisfied the needs of the town until the year 1892.  At this time an incident occured which might have ended seriously.  School had just convened for the morning session when it was discovered there was fire in the building.  The situation was handled in such a way that there was little confusion and no one was injured.  Quarters were secured in various buildings of the town and the school term of about two more weeks was completed.  The school directors of that day immediately set to work on plans for a larger building and an eight room building was constructed with an auditorium on the third floor.  This building before too many years became inadequate and in 1916 it was razed and on the same site now stands the present school building.  About 300 children attend school where there are nine class room teachers, an art instructor, a music director and a dental hygienist.

Some of the men who have served as principals are:  Mr. T.B. Allison, Mr. Frank Lyte, Mr. J.W. Leech, Mr. T.I. Gibson, Mr. Herman T. Jones, Mr. T.B. Ott, Mr. W. L. Leopold, Mr. Leffler, Mr. Fetter, Mr. Hayes Willians, Mr. Clyde Lady, Mr. R.J. Hartzell, Mr. C.M. Graham, Mr. J.C. Williams, Mr. W.C. Weyant, and Mr. Chas. D. Miller, present principal (1954).

Some of the grade school teachers who have served in the past years are:  Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Claudia Lewis; Miss Margaret Shenkle, Miss Maria Brookbank, Mrs. Elizabeth Linton Sheridan, Mrs. Frances McK. Davis, Miss Annie Jones, Mr. Lester Larimer, Mr. Ande4rson, Mr. Pechtel, Mrs. Gussie Davis Leech, Mrs. T. C. Jones, Miss Agnes Myers, Miss Harriet Bradley, Mrs. Martha G. Kerbey, Mrs. Lydia Davis Koontz, Miss Allie Lloyd, Mrs. Mollie Evans Hill, Miss Julia Connell, Miss Mary Connell, Mrs. Jennie Evans Howell, Miss Ethel Davis, Mrs. Gertrude Wilson, Mrs. Edna Kessler, Magdalene Davis, Effie Myers Davis, Miss Annie Beynon, Mrs. Mary Englehart Laubaucher, Mrs. Gertrude Englehart Brady, Mrs. Dora Owens Rowland, Mrs. Flo Stiles Apel and Miss Katherine Moxhan.