District History

Prior to 1858, the children of Lower Slatington attended a school one-half mile north of the Borough of Slatington and the children of Upper Slatington attended the Friedensville School

The first school within the present limits of Slatington was in the old stone mill in Lower Slatington in 1820 which was built by William Kern, but is was only operated for a year or two. The next school was opened in 1858. At this time, a Welsh Church divided and the School Directors of Washington Township rented the stone church building located on West Church Street in the borough. This building was used for school purposes until 1868. A school also operated for a time in the second story of the Lehigh Slate Company’s store.

From 1857 to 1866 Rev. A.G. Hamed, pastor of the Presbyterian congregation, maintained a private school in the church. It was taught for a part of the term by Solomon Berry of Maine. Other schools were held in private houses, but in 1868 most of them gave way to the Public Schools. In that year, the new school house was erected. It was a substantial structure measuring 47 feet by 50 feet, two stories high and built at a cost of seven thousand ($7,000) dollars. Dedicated on Sunday, August 30, 1868, the schools were divided into four departments: primary, secondary, grammar and high school. Enrollment hovered near the 200 pupil mark. In 1875, Professor Frank J. Stettler, who directed the grammar school for two years, became the principal. He re-graded the schools, established a better classification, and introduced a regular course of study. At this time, the attendance increased considerably and another primary school was opened in the McDowell Hall in Slatington. Higher studies were also introduced for advanced pupils in the high school.

In 1879, the number of pupils had increased substantially and more room was necessary. Consequently, an addition, two stories high and 25 feet by 45 feet, was built for twenty-five hundred ($2,500) dollars. The rooms were furnished for one thousand ($1,000) dollars.

The Slatington High School became popular and was attended by nonresident pupils from Northampton and Carbon Counties, as well as from adjoining districts in Lehigh County. In 1883, the overcrowded conditions of the school demanded more room and another addition was built. In September, a total of eight schools were opened. Beginning in 1875, professor Stettler conducted a Summer Normal Institute for thirteen years during which time approximately 150 young men and women graduated as teachers. Most of them secured positions in Lehigh and the adjoining counties. Two night schools were conducted for several years, one attended by quarry and factory boys, the other by teachers and advanced pupils. In 1890, the school had again become so overcrowded that more room was absolutely necessary. During the summer of 1890, a two-story, four-room brick building, 50n feet by 50n feet, was erected on Fairview Avenue, in the Southeastern part of the Borough.

In 1892, the Board elected an assistant teacher in the high school. However, the primary school in the new building became so overcrowded, it was necessary to employ an assistant teacher making 14 teachers in all. In 1897, the school authorities decided to require the high school to cover a period of three years instead of the former two year courses. This act retained the C years class in the high school for the years 1897 and 1898, and thus no graduation was held in the year 1897.

In 1896 the school, overcrowded for several years, reached its highest enrollment. In the spring of 1897, the School Board broke ground for the erection of a new school building. The corner stone was laid on the 31st day of July 1897 by the R.W. Grand Lodge of F. and A.M. of the Grand Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania.

The aforementioned information offers an overview of the beginning developments of our Slatington Schools. However, the next one hundred years reflect such drastic changes in our school and community that a time-line synopsis was developed.