2009_08_XXV_1 - Ben Avon Historical Association

BEN AVON AREA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
NEWSLETTER
Vol. XXV - Number 1, August, 2009
www.benavon.com/BAAHA/
mailto: baaha@benavon.org
Avonworth in 1959
by B.J. Robertson and John Warren
Fifty years is an arbitrary figure, but
useful for our purposes, because events
of 50 years ago are alive in the memories
of many readers of this newsletter. In this
article, we hope to tweak a few of those
memories of Avonworth as it was half a
century ago. Befitting an article by two
former teachers,
we
have
included
two
“pop
quiz”
questions,
a
homework
assignment,
and
an
opportunity
to
earn
extra
credit!
tide of students that threatened
overwhelm the district’s facilities.
to
Making Space: Construction
Avonworth’s facilities consisted of the
high school/elementary complex at the
corner of Dickson and Sturgeon
(demolished 1995), plus the elementary
school in Emsworth (recently converted to
apartments). A new elementary building
on
Roosevelt
Road in Ohio
Township
was
already
under
construction, and
scheduled
to
open
in
Fall
1960. It would be
followed in short
order with an
addition at the
Dickson Avenue
site
increasing
the number of
classrooms
for
the
elementary
grades.
Added elementary classrooms are on Sturgeon (far right)
The 195859 school year
marked
the
beginning of a
transitional
period
for Dickson Avenue complex.
Avonworth.
Warren Hollenback had
retired in June 1958, after 35 years as the
high school principal.
His successor
(James McLaughlin) and the other
administrators and teachers faced the
challenge of coping with an onrushing
Additional
space was urgently needed, because the
high school was essentially full, and it
was about to experience the full impact of
the postwar Baby Boom.
The 1959
yearbook included 90 members in the
senior class, and the average for grades
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7 - 12 was about 105. But the Class of
1965 had reached sixth grade, and that
class – which would number 156 at
graduation – was ready to explode upon
the high school in September 1959.
Making Space: Cafetorium
Five years down the road, the
population explosion would claim the
school’s auditorium. All the seats were
removed, opening up the space for
rectangular tables and metal folding
chairs. Before and after lunchtime, the
“cafetorium” was used for a study hall.
But in 1958-59, the auditorium still
existed. There wasn’t a play that year,
but there were
a number of
interesting
programs,
including
one
presented
by
the
baritone
Bob
Mosley,
who sang for
years at the
Presbyterian
church across
the street from
the school.
Ben Avon to Emsworth. No such option
was available in 1959, as any visitor to
the Emsworth building could plainly see.
Students arrived at Emsworth on foot,
by trolley (along Church/Center Avenue),
and by bus. The bus riders from Ohio
Township and Ben Avon Heights ate their
lunches at tables in the gymnasium. The
other students hustled home and back
within the allotted hour. Trolley-riders
who lived in Ben Avon had about 15
minutes to grab a sandwich before
heading back to their trolley stops along
the carline [Church Avenue].
The
second
floor
at Emsworth
belonged
to
“the big kids.”
The four sixth
grades (Leila
Campbell,
Gladys Coyle,
Ruth
Shaw,
Adna
Weis)
and the three
fifth
grades
(Anne Agnew,
Mildred Pauch,
Wilbur
Sheranko)
were full to
The
overflowing.
auditorium
Miss Agnew,
Current view of the intersection of Dickson and Sturgeon
was also the
for
example,
venue
of
had
43
forensic
tournaments
hosted
by
students in her classroom.
Avonworth’s outstanding Forensic Club.
A block away, at Sacred Heart
With more than 50 members, the club
School on North Avenue, were still more
competed against other schools in
students, many of whom would wind up
speech, debate, and student congress
at Avonworth. Some of them would stay
events.
The debate team won the
at Sacred Heart through Grade 8, while
Allegheny County championship.
others would make the switch after sixth.
Making Space: Emsworth Building
First in Consolidation
In the mid-Fifties, the administration
The Emsworth building existed
had obtained some more high school
because Emsworth and Ben Avon
space by shifting grades 5 and 6 from
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originally had separate school systems.
The
consolidation
that
created
“Avonworth” was engineered in 1938 by
Dr. A. W. Beatty, who brought in Dr.
Oliver Floyd as the first supervising
principal of the union school district.
Avonworth was the first union school
district in Pennsylvania.
[Ed. Note:
The members of the
governing board in the union structure
are elected by the voters at large
throughout the district. Members in joint
(jointure) schools are elected by voters in
each municipality separately. ]
As approved by referendum in 1938,
Avonworth consisted of Emsworth, Ben
Avon, Ben Avon Heights, and Kilbuck
Township. Ohio Township joined the
district in 1955.
Incidentally,
creation
of
the
Avonworth district was only one of Dr.
Beatty’s many notable achievements. He
was a pioneering educator whose
influence spanned the country. Working
at the Allegheny County level years later,
he developed the systems of community
colleges and technical schools that gave
rise to similar schools throughout the
United States.
Long-Gone School Districts
Many other districts would eventually
consolidate, but that process had not
advanced very far by 1959, as a study of
the Avonworth football schedule reveals.
In 1958-59, Avonworth’s enrollment
placed it in Class B of the WPIAL. (At
that time, schools were classified as ‘A’,
‘B’, or ‘C’.) Its nine football opponents
were:
Aspinwall, Avalon, Bellevue,
Millvale, Montour, Neville, Sewickley
Township,
Upper
St.
Clair,
and
Zelienople.
The football team, coached by Bob
McCormick, finished with an 8–1 record.
They lost only to Montour, the team that
won the WPIAL Class B championship.
The boys’ basketball team did even
better, finishing 20–4 and winning the
WPIAL championship.
Their season
ended with a four-point loss in the PIAA
regional playoffs.
1958-59 was a good year for
Avonworth High School, highlighted by
outstanding student accomplishments.
Those accomplishments were set against
the background of a school district
preparing itself for the challenges of the
Sixties.
POP QUIZ #1: During the Montour
football game (Avonworth’s only loss of
the season), the spectators were thrilled
during halftime to watch the twirling of
two fire batons by Avonworth’s head
majorette. Can you name her?
POP QUIZ #2:
Here is the
photograph of the boys’ basketball team
from the 1959 yearbook. Rrrring, Rrrring
– you are saved as the period ends. (We
ran out of space, so we have something
to look forward to next issue.)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:
A
check for information on the girls’
basketball team reminds us of how
greatly things have changed in 50 years.
In the 1959 yearbook, that information
consists of this sentence: “A varsity
basketball team played against other
school varsity teams in the vicinity.” That
sentence is contained within the
yearbook’s coverage of the Girls’ Athletic
Association (GAA), which organized
intramural
programs
of
volleyball,
basketball, and bowling.
Please check your family’s post-1959
yearbooks and help us determine when
the coverage of girls’ basketball became
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comparable to that of boys’ basketball –
including a team picture, game scores,
and action pictures.
We found that
yearbooks from the Sixties included team
pictures, and isolated instances of game
pictures and scores, but always in the
context of a GAA write-up.
EXTRA CREDIT: Now that BAAHA
has an office, we have room for our
archives to grow.
One goal is to
assemble a full collection of Avonworth
yearbooks. We already have some of
them, but there are lots of gaps in the
collection. If you can help us fill the gaps,
drop us a line by mail or email, and we’ll
get back to you with a list of the books
that we already have.
Annual Report
from
Dick Herchenroether
The success of BAAHA depends
volunteers who give their time in monthly
meetings and on projects and also those
of you who send money. Board members
are:
Jean Henderson, Vice President
Trudy File, Secretary
Darlene Phillips, Archivist
Tracy Ferguson
Bob Kiser
B. J. Robertson
The web pages are a joint effort of
Jeff Cieslak and Lloyd Corder. Write to
us by email at baaha@benavon.org
which many of you have used to order
books or ask questions. When we hear
from you it is always a nice surprise.
A recent surprise came from Dan
Benacquisto.
He owns a metal
fabricating shop and sent a note to tell us
he made a couple of tin candle sconces
to put in the log house. We have done so
and they look great with hand made
candles added for full effect.
Our June, 2009 financial position
held steady during the 12 months since
June, 2008. Our stodgy certificate of
deposit earns ever lower interest. But it
IS a plus, not a minus, and the West
View Savings Bank is not involved in the
"troubled asset" program.
Participation in the donor clubs
(above $50 for the year) dropped from 38
to 28, but including all memberships our
base increased from 97 to 117 donors.
Total membership and extra donation
dollars fell from nearly $5,600 last year to
about $4,200 for the year ending June
30, 2009. But recall that our opening
period for the donor clubs was an
extended period from February, 2007
through June, 2008. The "Panic of 2008"
must also be considered. All in all we
continue to be encouraged by your
support.
Our Wish List
A new way to support us is by
donating items on our wish list. We
recently picked up a standard four drawer
file cabinet. Outside dimensions are 15
inches wide, 52 inches tall and 26½
inches deep. We would like two more to
match. A copier, or better yet, a laser
printer which can also make copies,
would be a big help. A lot more difficult to
find, at least as a surplus item, is a "Flat
file cabinet" for storage of maps,
blueprints, plans and oversize materials.
Usually these have many shallow
drawers. Photos are our most popular
archive category. But maps are a close
second favorite. Flat storage is best.
Displaying both photos and maps is
easier when mounted or framed. If you
are talented in this skill we could use you.
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Financial Report
Ben Avon Area Historical Association
July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009
INCOME/EXPENSE
INCOME
EXPENSES
Postage and supplies $ 570.69
Rent
3,600.00
Maintenance
0.00
Electric service
100.00
Publishing
240.00
Program/Education
360.30
Fund raising
70.00
Preservation
175.00
Property Insurance
377.28
TOTAL EXPENSES $5,493.27
$ (347.84)
BALANCE SHEET
6/30/2008
6/30/2009
$127.00
8,385.10
7,986.80
$127.00
7,898.09
8,125.97
TOTAL $16,498.90
$16,151.06
Cash
Checking
CD
Note:
Benefactors
Dick & Sue Herchenroether
Patrons
Checking Interest
$ 50.62
Certificate Interest
139.17
Mailing list dues
1,785.00
Donations
2,586.00
Items for sale
585.00
TOTAL INCOME
$ 5,145.43
NET INCREASE
Donor Clubs
Based on receipts
July, 2008 through June, 2009
Balances include $3,225 from the 1992 Ben
Avon Centennial Committee surplus.
Dick Herchenroether, President & Treasurer
Henry & Nell Herchenroether
Betty Jane Robertson
Subscribers
Jane & John Angelini
Jim & Bonnie Bass
Richard D Batchelor
John & Gail Buchanon
Helen J Calhoun
Dave & Mary Chalmers
Jean Clem
Ed & Alma Finke
Mary Ann & Ed Graf
Ruth Hazeltine
Dan & Wendy Herchenroether
Peter & Susan Herchenroether
Martha B Huddy
Bill & Mildred Johnston
Keith & Michelle Johnston
James D Little
Bill & Barb Millar
Jack Nieri
Jody Redman
William B Sample
Eleanor Schaffner-Mosh
Marjorie T Simonds
John Warren
Carl Weitz
Thelma Woelfel
Renewing Members – THANK YOU!
Robert & Jane Winter
Jack & Patty Latshaw
Barbara & Harvey Hinch
Chuck & Sally Davis
Keith & Michelle Johnston
Diane C Lawson
Jean Springer Kratzert
Nancy J Simon
Ed & Alma Finke
Mary Witul
Margo Forsythe
Kilbuck
EMS
Moon Twp PA
BA
BA
Washington MI
Aliquippa PA
BAH
EMS
Kilbuck
Kilbuck
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Ben Avon Area Historical Association
c/o 136 Dickson Avenue
Ben Avon
Pittsburgh, PA 15202
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Renewing Members – THANK YOU!
Gene McBride
John & Adda Ferguson
Dave & Mary Chalmers
Lloyd & Patty Corder
Everett & Virginia Niemela
Al & Arlene Grubbs
Jack Nieri
Kathleen M Elder
Tim & Diana Hartman
Jean Buckman
Phil & Vicky Brind'Amour
Don Pierce
Mark Robinson
Dick & Sue Herchenroether
Janet Phillips Shaffer
Barb & Jim Meehan
Ronald C Hahn
BJ Robertson
Fred & Judi Duda
Bob & Marlis Kiser
.
Aleppo
Aleppo
Glen Osborne PA
BA
Newton Square PA
BAH
Columbia SC
BA
BA
BA
BA
Fullerton CA
Bellevue PA
BA
Franklin Park PA
BA
Glenshaw PA
EMS
BA
Kilbuck
Ben Avon Area Historical Association
c/o 136 Dickson Avenue, Ben Avon, PA 15202
baaha@benavon.org
Name:
Address:
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Local Municipality:
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Email address:
Members ($10/$20)
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Patrons (from $200)
Benefactors ($500+)
The month/year on your mailing label indicates the last time
we received a contribution from you.
Thank you for supporting BAAHA
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