Easton Public Schools Chronologically

Easton Public Schools Chronologically

1794

The Penn Building was at one time the old Union Academy. This building was on North 2^nd Street and was taken down to build the Governor Wolf High School. In 1889 it was being used for both grammar and secondary grades.

 

1838

The Sitgreaves School building stood on North 2^nd Street. The building was erected in 1838 on the school lot, and was first located at the corner of 2^nd and Church Sts. (later moved north to accommodate the McCartney School building) It was built by the Easton Female Seminary Co. . When this corporation went out of existence the trustees of the Union Academy purchased it. When the public school system was adopted the property was deeded to the Easton School District. Under the public school system, the pupils were the female department of the High School. It was demolished in 1894 by John Hensler.

 

1854

The Washington School was located on South 7^th Street. It was once known as the

 “West Ward Academy”. This building was said to be built in 1854. In an Easton Express Article from May 6, 1856, they describe the Academy as having 7 schools within the building. The building remains, although privately owned. Currently, it is apartments. 2026

 

1856

The McCartney School building, (the High School) was completed in 1856. This three story building is located on the east side of  North 2^nd Street. Along with the grounds the cost was $20, 190.98. It was built and designed by Charles McIntire and named for Washington McCartney.

 

1860

The Primary Hall/ Jefferson School was located on 7^th Street, right below the Washington School. It was erected by Mr. Levi Bennett for the sum of $1,700. The building still remains and are residences.

 

1873

The Taylor School, also known as the First Ward Building, was located on South 4^th St. between Ferry St. and what was Spruce St. It was completed and occupied in 1873. The land was purchased from St. John’s Lutheran Church in 1870 for $20, 250 with the cornerstone being laid on June 30, 1871.  This three story building could accommodate 130 pupils. The net cost to build the Taylor School was $96, 139.27. The building was demolished in 1962.

 

1875

The Lehigh School, known as a Seventh Ward Building, was located on Franklin St. The grounds were rented from the Glendon Iron Company and in 1875, the one story school was finished at the cost of $1,329.

 

1875

The Lafayette School, known as the Third Ward Building, was located at Parsons and Porter Sts. on College Hill. The school was finished in 1875 and was a two story brick building modeled after a plan published in the “Pennsylvania School Architecture.” In the end, the cost of the building was $8,650. In 1914, the building was converted to a firehouse. The building was demolished on February 15, 1971 to make way for a new fire station.

 

1876

The Centennial School, also known as a Seventh Ward Building, was located at the corner of 12^th and Ferry Sts. The lot was purchased for $2,000. This two story brick building was finished in 1876 (probable reason for the name of the school). The total cost of the building and lot was $12,763.34. The school was closed in June, 1971 and was razed late October, 1972.

 

 1883

The Stevens School  was named after Thaddeus Stevens and was built in 1883. It was located at Wilkes-Barre Street near Coal Street on the South Side of Easton. This was South Easton’s High School. In 1901, it became an elementary school in the Easton School District. Presumably, it was torn down sometime in the mid 1960’s.

 

 Unknown & 1905

The Webster School was located at Iron and Lincoln Streets on the South Side of Easton. The old Webster School was torn down in 1904 and a new Webster School was erected on the same site. Presumably, it was demolished in 1979.

 

 1884

The Franklin School, or Sixth Ward Building was erected in 1884, at Walnut and 9^th Streets. This two and half story building accommodated over 400 pupils. Presumably, the building was torn down in 1962.

 

 1889

The Monroe School was located on Monroe Street on College Hill. It was opened in 1889 and was closed the school year of 1913/14. Presumably, the building was torn down in 1962.

 

 

  1889

The Vanderveer School  was erected in 1899 and named after Reverend Vandeveer. It was located at 11^th and Spring Gardens Streets. Presumably, this building was demolished in 1979.

 

 1891

The Porter School was erected in 1891 and named after the Honorable James M. Porter. It was located at Philadelphia and Wilkes-Barre Streets on the South Side of Easton. It was torn down in 1979.

 

 1891

The Cottingham School building was built in 1891 and is located at 8^th and Northampton Sts. Named after William Cottingham,  Superintendent of Easton Schools. In 1962 it was converted to the school administration offices. The building was put up for sale around 2013 by the school district. As of 2017 it still stands. It is currently apartments.2024

 

 1893

The Governor Wolf High School was built in 1893 on North 2^nd St., site of the former Easton Union Academy.  This was the High School until a new High School was built in 1925, then becoming a Junior High School. In 1961, it was an elementary school. In July 1976, the building was sold for $57,501 and remains privately owned today. Currently, it is apartments, 2026

 

 1896

The Asa Packer School was finished in 1896 and pupils started in this school on October 5. The location was at Lehigh and Nesquehoning Sts.and was constructed by Jacob Raub at the cost of $24,000. (I have a description of the school)  J.M. Stewart of Easton was the architect. When opened there were grammar, secondary, and primary classes. On Sunday May 5, 1968 the school had caught on fire (suspicion of arson as the next day a vacant home on South Side was torched). The building ( the address is now Valley and Nesquehoning Sts.) had been abandoned by the Easton School District, as Cheston School had opened last year, however Title I and Head Start programs were headquartered there and leased the building for $1 a year.

Nothing but the outer walls remained after the fire and at a School Board meeting on September 9, 1968 a contract to demolish the building was given to Miller & Brown Construction at $5,700.

 

 1903

The Traill Green School  building was erected in 1903 and is located at 13^th and Washington Streets. It was named after Dr. Traill Green. In 1977, the building was sold and converted into apartments.

1913

The Francis A. March School  building was erected in 1913 as an elementary school. It was named for Professor Francis March and is located at Monroe and Reeder Streets on College Hill. Later it became a junior high school and then once again, reverted to an elementary school and remains this to this day. It currently serves students grades K- 5^th from College Hill and parts of downtown Easton.

 

 1925

The Building at Northampton and 12^th Sts.

Easton High School, school board pays $107,00 for the lot on 12^th St. The school is built in 1925, in April 1935 a new gym is dedicated.

Easton Junior High School became exclusively the Junior High School in 1961

Easton Middle School

Paxinosa Elementary School Current

 

1924

The S. E.Shull Junior High building was built in 1924 at Berwick and Seitz Sts. at South Easton. It was named after Samuel E. Shull, former Superintendent of the South Easton Schools.

Classes ran into the 1970’s. IU20 held classes in this school until 1993. There was also a Senior Center and a branch of the Easton Area Public Library. The school board sold the building for $100,000 in 1994 to a private builder, who later converted the building into senior apartments

 

 1954

The Palmer Elementary School was built and opened in 1954. This school started as part of Palmer Township School District but by 1958, Palmer Twp. joined Easton School District. It is located on 3050 Green Pond Road. This was always been an elementary school.

It  served students grade K- 5^th from Palmer Township. Last year open was 2019.

* Torn down and rebuilt

The New Palmer Elementary School was opened nearby in  2023.

 

1958

The Forks Elementary School was opened as part of the Easton Area School District in 1958. Prior to that, it was an independent school system. An addition was added in 1989. It is located on Richmond Road in Forks Township. This is and has always been an elementary school. It currently serves students grades K- 5^th from Forks Township and Martins Creek.

 

 1962

The Easton Area High School  was dedicated on May 12, 1962. In 1959, a $5,300.00 bond was issued for this school located off William Penn Highway and 25^th Street in Palmer Township. This is grades 9-12.

 

1967

The Ada B. Cheston Elementary School was opened in 1967 and is named after former South Easton teacher, Ada B. Cheston. It was located on Coal St. in South Easton. This was always been an elementary school. It currently serves students grades K- 5^th from Easton’s South Side.

*demolished and rebuilt in 2020 on the field across the street from old Cheston School

 

 1968

The Edward Tracy Elementary School was opened in 1968 and was named after former Easton Superintendent, Dr. Edward Tracy. This school is located on Tatamy Rd. in Palmer Township. This is and has always has been an elementary school. It currently serves students grades K- 5^th from Palmer Township and Martins Creek. During the school year of 2017-18 the students of this school reported to the Easton Area Middle School, while renovations were being done to the school on Tatamy Rd.

 

 1971

The Paxinosa Elementary School was opened in 1971 and was located on Echo Trail in Southern Forks Township, north of 13^th Street on a 57 acre tract of land. When it was built, it could accommodate 900 pupils and replaced Traill Green, Vanderveer, and Centennial Schools. In 2009  this school was renamed to Shawnee Elementary School. Currently, the school building located at Northampton and 12^th Sts. where the former High and Junior High School were located, is now named Paxinosa Elementary School. It currently serves students grades K- 5^th from the city of Easton and the West Ward.

 

 1978

The Shawnee Intermediate School was opened in 1978 for grades 7 and 8

and was located on Echo Trail in Southern Forks Township.

 

2007

The Easton Area Academy is located on Edgewood Ave. in Easton. This school is alternative education for students grade 6- 12. The Easton Area Academy was started in 2007 after merging with the Success Academy and the Twilight Academy.

 

 2008

The Easton Area Middle School  was once Shawnee Intermediate School and is located on Echo Trail in Southern Forks Township. Starting in 2005 and ending in 2008, a three story addition was added. The Easton Middle School was formally opened to 5^th and 6^th graders, along with the 7^th and 8^th graders already there. Currently, 6^th. 7^th , and 8^th graders are at this school.

 

 2009

The Shawnee Elementary School was renamed in 2009, after being renovated. Formally this school was Paxinosa Elementary School. This school currently serves students grades K- 5^th from Forks Township. It is located at Echo Tail in Southern Forks Township.

 

     Notes

 Around 1919 Martins Creek built a school named Centerfield School. For a few years, this was part of Easton School District. A fire in the spring of 1974, destroyed the building and all pupils who attended this school was sent to March or Palmer Schools.

There may have been an elementary school in Rieglesville, Pa.

 

 While there were school buildings during the early years of Public Schooling, many classes were still held in “private” locations. *In Sept. 1855 a school or classroom for “colored children” was established at the property of Aaron Huff. By the middle of March the next year, it was voted to be discontinued.

 ( *this was in the School Board minutes )

 

Nov. 2017

updated Sep. 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easton Scenes Before and After

Northwest Corner of 3th St. in 1987

Dunkin Donuts and apartments

                         White House Restaurant on North 4th St. in 1988

 

                                                              Apartment Building
 

            Sigal's Women Clothing Store in 1963 - Northampton Street

 

 

      Home of the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society

           Charley's Restaurant in 1987 -Southeast Quadrant of the Circle 

 

                                                           Pearly Baker's Restaurant

                                Abandoned buildings in 1988 on Ferry St.

                                                     Now Setta Luna's Restaurant

Red Rubber Ball

  

There are not too many people over the age of 60 that has not heard the "bouncy"  song

Red Rubber Ball. The song went to No.2 in July 1966, only to have the song Paperback Writer by the Beatles come in at No.1. Quite a nice feat.  

What many may not know is the song was sung by the group The Cyrkle. This band had  3 (sometimes 4) members that were freshly graduated from Lafayette College in 1965. Don Dannemann, Tom Dawes, Marty Fried, and Earl Pickens.

But before the name The Cyrkle came to be they were known as the Rhondells. Playing at Lafayette College and neighboring colleges for frat parties, the songs they sang  were the then popular tunes sung by the Beatles and The Beach Boys. 

For two summers they performed in Atlantic City. It is there that entertainment lawyer, Nat Weiss saw them perform and was so impressed he told his business partner, non other than Brian Epstein, the manager for the Beatles. 

Brian and Nat became co-managers of the Rhondells and quickly signed the band to Columbia Records, but not before changing the name of the band to The Cyrkle. The Cyrkle is a play on words and was supposedly the idea of John Lennon. Some say it also came from Easton's famous "Circle" in downtown.

At Columbia Records, Simon & Garfunkel had just released a poorly received album and Paul Simon took some time off to reflect. During this time he co-wrote Red Rubber Ball with Bruce Woodley of the Seekers. The Seekers turned down the song and Paul offered it to the newly named Cyrkle. They recorded it on April 4, 1966 with producer John Simon and by July it rose to #2.

 

https://youtu.be/EbDKN0dk54M

On July 21, 1966 they recorded their second and last hit, "Turn Down Day". Written  by Jerry Keller and David Blume

https://youtu.be/khOXYrK90Gk

What was even more exciting, Epstein decided to have the Cyrkle tour with The Beatles in what was known as The Beatles 1966 US Tour. This tour started August 12 and ended August 29 and would become the Beatles most controversial and last commercial tour.

 

 On October 18, 1966 The Cyrkle appeared and signed autographs at Horn's women clothing store in downtown Easton.

Unfortunately, the band was short lived. In 1967 Brian Epstein had died of an overdose and by 1968 things had soured between the remaining group members, Dawe and Danneman.

However, both of them (separately) became quite well known in the commercial jingle writing business. Tunes and slogans such as Alka-Seltzer's, "Plop, plop, fizz fizz" and Swanson TV dinners, "It's the next best thing to your Good Cookin" were some of the more popular commercials.

Dawes called it his "five minutes of fame", but it was and still is a very long and continuing fame.

Redecoration of the Easton YMCA in March 1951

A BOY FROM BANGOR

Around September 24, 1951, Mr. and Mrs. William Oxford received a telegram at their Bangor-area home. It was from the Department of the Army and informed the Oxfords that their son, Corporal John DeHaven Oxford, had been Missing in Action in Korea since September 1.

John graduated from Bangor High School in 1947, spent some time as a student at East Stroudsburg State Teachers College, and joined the Army in 1949. He was a chaplain’s assistant with the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. His parents probably nursed a vague hope that it was safer assignment than front-line rifleman; they likely didn’t realize that chaplain’s assistants were there primarily to provide security for the unarmed chaplains.

The Korean Peninsula was controlled by Japan from 1910 until 1945, when World War II ended with Japan’s surrender. Japan’s hold on Korea was broken; the Peninsula’s future was now uncertain. The United States and the Soviet Union, former allies, were competing fiercely for geo-political advantage in the early days of the Cold War. Korea was a target for both. After lengthy maneuvering and negotiation, the contest was a draw. In 1948, Korea was “temporarily” divided into two countries: North Korea, aligned with the Soviets and Communist China, and South Korea, aligned with America and its allies.

On June 25, 1950, North Korea suddenly invaded South Korea, sending 70,000+ of its soldiers across the border. They enjoyed early success; the world soon realized that South Korea’s survival as a sovereign nation was in doubt. The infant United Nations condemned the invasion and called for military assistance to South Korea.

The United States would have to carry the load; there was simply no other country with the military power to fight the North Koreans. The Americans were not ready to fight a distant land war in Asia. Nevertheless, they sent what troops they had in the vicinity and prepared to send reinforcements.

One of the earliest reinforcing units was the 9th Infantry Regiment. It was stationed at Fort Lewis, WA; sailed from Tacoma in mid-July and arrived in Korea on July 31, 1950. The regiment was one of the oldest in the Army; it proudly carried the nickname of the Manchus, derived from an obscure assignment in China 50 years earlier.

The front lines had been pushed steadily southward by the momentum of the North Korean attack. The American and South Korean troops had been pushed into a pocket around the port of Pusan; the outline of the pocket was called the Pusan Perimeter which ran for almost 150 miles. Part of the perimeter was the Natking River; the two armies held opposite sides of it. Unbeknownst to each other, both armies were preparing to attack across the river on the night of August 31. The 9th Regiment’s Company B (aka Baker Company) was positioned near the river in preparation for the maneuver.

The chaplain of the 9th Regiment was Captain Lewis Sheen, an Episcopalian. According to his later report: “On the afternoon of 31 August, 1950, my assistant and I went down to hold services for Baker Company in their HQ location on the Natking River. We planned to hold the service at 1530 hours [3:30] in the afternoon and spend the night.” After the service, he did some “visiting around”; then he, along with a sergeant and a lieutenant, from B Company, settled into a foxhole for the night. They later heard noises that sounded like people crossing the river. Soon after, Company B was on the receiving end of a North Korean artillery barrage. In the small hours of September 1, they were hit by a North Korean infantry attack. The American position was ripped apart; the surviving soldiers retreated in small groups as best they could. Chaplain Sheen led one such group. It took them four days to reach safety; the Chaplain was awarded the Bronze Star for his effort.

His report clearly states that his assistant went with him to the Company B position. The assistant is never mentioned again, in that report or any other. Who was he? Was it Corporal Oxford or was it another assistant? If it was another assistant who accompanied Sheehan, where was Corporal Oxford that night?

One constant of military memoirs is a description of the overwhelming noise, smell, fear and utter chaos of combat. To try and determine exactly what happened to a particular soldier who becomes a casualty is often an exercise in futility. Corporal Oxford was declared Missing in Action. At some later time, his remains were discovered or identified and his official status was changed to Killed in Action. The remains probably were taken to the Army’s temporary cemetery at Minyang, South Korea, with the goal of eventually repatriating them.

Toward the end of September, 1951, the Army did send Corporal DeHaven home. His remains arrived by train at the East Stroudsburg station on September 27; his funeral, with military honors, was held on September 29; he was buried at Northampton Memorial Shrine.

China soon entered the fight on the side of North Korea. The war dragged on until 1953. The total number of deaths in the war - civilians and military personnel of both sides - is unknown, but certainly is in the millions. About 40,000 American men and women died. The war never did officially end; a temporary truce has been in effect for almost 70 years. For that matter, it did not officially begin – the United States did not actually declare war on North Korea or China. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as a “police action” or the “Korean Conflict”.

The years pass. Inevitably, one generation replaces another and the family’s memory of Uncle John or cousin Jean is reduced to a few black & white photos, perhaps stored in a shoebox in the hall closet. Maybe the shoebox also contains a Western Union telegram, one that was opened with shaking hands; the one that forever changed lives, the one that begins: “The Secretary of the Army has asked me to express his deep regret . . .”

Corporal John D. Oxford

INFERNAL MACHINES

by Rory Morgan

INFERNAL MACHINES

‘Infernal machines” was a phrase widely used in newspapers to describe bombs that were hidden or disguised, so as to explode unexpectedly, much like today’s IEDs. It wasn’t a new term; it dated back to the 16th Century. In late 1931, infernal machines came to Easton.

Turmoil in Italy lay behind the events. Anti-Fascists, Socialists, anarchists and Communists fought in the streets against the “Black Shirt” squads of aspiring dictator Benito Mussolini. Thousands upon thousands of Italians sought to escape the tumult in their country by coming to America; among them were radicals who were willing to use violence for their causes.

Easton’s encounter with infernal machines began at about 8:30 in the morning of December 30, 1931. An olive-green coupe pulled up in front of the Post Office on Ferry Street. Witnesses said that one man stayed in the car. Two men got out of the car and carried a box into the building. They went to a counter, removed six (or seven, depending on the source) packages from the box, stood at the counter to address them, and then carried them to the clerk for mailing. There was a discussion between them and the clerk about the postage rate and insurance value. (In light of the events that followed, the reason for insuring the packages is difficult to determine.) The two men left the building and got into the car where the driver was waiting.

The clerk who handled the transaction was Edward Werkheiser, age 28. He, his wife Beatrice, and their three young children lived with his mother on North Delaware Drive. He was a graduate of Easton High School, had worked at the Post Office for eight years, and was active in Masonic organizations. Decades later, his daughter Mabel remembered him as a “happy and friendly man” who enjoyed playing music.

Werkheiser noticed that the packages were all the same size – 5” x 10” x 5” – and all weighed the same – six pounds. Yet, they all had different descriptions of the contents. They were mostly addressed to various prominent Italian publishers and diplomats. All carried the same return address, in Dover, NJ.

The situation seemed suspicious to Werkheiser. Prohibition was still in effect; perhaps the packages contained illicit liquor. He opened one of them. There was an immediate explosion. Although he was still alive, he was very badly injured; among other things, he had lost an arm. He was taken to the Betts Hospital and died there an hour or two later - but before then, he was able to provide some description of the events and the two men; he described them as “foreigners”.

Werkheiser was not alone in the Post Office. When the bomb exploded, his colleague, 56-year-old John B. House, was standing nearby. He also suffered very severe injuries, including a fractured skull, and died that afternoon at Easton Hospital. He left a wife and a grown son. Two other clerks, Clarence Keller and Arlington Albert, were injured, but not fatally.

Meanwhile, the remaining packages sitting in the damaged building presented a problem. Fortunately, there was an explosives expert in Easton, Charles V. Weaver, of McCartney Street, who was employed by the DuPont Powder Company. He supervised the careful removal of the packages, and the transportation of them to an old quarry down Delaware Drive. He recognized that opening the lid triggered the explosion of the bombs, so with the assistance of County Detective George Ryan, Weaver used a long pole, with a knife attached to the end, and opened the lid of one of them. It exploded harmlessly, just as he had planned. He opened the second one; it  initially didn’t explode. Weaver began to walk toward it and then it did explode. He suffered grievous injuries and died the next day at Easton Hospital; Detective Ryan was seriously injured, but survived.

The infernal machines had now claimed three lives in Easton. Other cities were alerted; bombs were found in several, although no other fatal incidents occurred. It was difficult, in some cases, to determine whether a particular bomb was part of a conspiracy or whether someone used the opportunity to settle local political or personal disputes. Investigators focused on various Italian Socialists, Communists and anti-Fascists, but failed to produce any viable leads.

Not surprisingly, the return address in New Jersey was phony. Fingerprints from the packages did not match any others on file. The explosive used had apparently been stolen. Eyewitnesses could not identify any of the suspects brought in by law enforcement, including the 21 “underworld characters” who were "rounded up" and held in Easton’s City Hall.

The Italian government denied any involvement; its consul in Philadelphia attended two of the Easton funerals, visited the third family and donated money to all three families. The anti-Mussolini groups also denied participation. They pointed out that misspellings in the packages’ addresses should cast some doubt on whether the two men were even Italian. A monetary donation to the victims’ families also came from wealthy New York business owner and newspaper publisher Generosa Pope, who was one of the intended recipients. Two of the planned recipients had no obvious involvement in the disputes between the Fascists and anti-Fascists.

Werkheiser, House and Weaver were all buried in Easton Cemetery. In 1932, on the one-year anniversary of the incident, a newspaper published a short article recalling the events of that day and noted that the case was not yet solved.  That still remains true today. We are no closer to learning who mailed those packages than we were 88 years ago.