Shady Dell One-Room School
Arthur Lehman, Jr. provided photos of the inside pages of this 1902 Christmas Program for Shady Dell School in Springettsbury Township. Arthur’s grandfather, John R. Lehman, is listed as a pupil. Arthur wanted to know where this school was located in Springettsbury Township.
Here is the cover for this program. The photo most likely shows the teacher, Allen W. Forry.
My index of one-room schoolhouses does not contain a Shady Dell School, however I have been keeping a list of potential one-room schoolhouses. Within that list is the notation “Witmer’s Shady Dell School,” to which I added, “see schoolhouse newspaper clipping folder” & my note: “probably Spring Garden Township.”
That 1914 newspaper clipping provides no clue about the location of Witmer’s Shady Dell School, however, last year, I suspected Spring Garden Township, because that is where Shady Dell is located. With this Christmas program stating Shady Dell School is in Springettsbury Township, I decided to determine the location where the students resided using the 1900 United States Census, to see if they clustered in a specific area of a township.
In 1900, most of these children were in Springettsbury Township households, and they were all tightly clustered between visitation numbers 291 and 319; remaining children where from neighboring townships, with their families likely moving into Springettsbury between 1900 and 1902. I recognized the Springettsbury Township parents of many of these children, from the deed searches I did in conjunction with my post on Witmer’s One-Room Schoolhouse along Stonewood Road.
I’m going to do some further research; however I believe early in its life, Witmer’s One-Room Schoolhouse was likely know as Witmer’s Shady Dell School. If any of my readers can confirm, please post a comment.
From the 1900 United States Census, a tabulation of birth month and birth year follows for the teacher and students. I’ve arranged the list from oldest to youngest and added their age at the start of the 1902-1903 school year:
Teacher or Student . . . Born . . . Age on Nov. 1, 1902
- Allen W. Forry . . . . . born Oct. 1881 . . . 21
- Sue R. Kauffman . . . . born Oct. 1887 . . . 15
- Harvey W. Hunt . . . . born Aug. 1888 . . .14
- Maggie E. Welty . . . born Sept. 1888 . . .14
- Dora A. Throne . . . . born Feb. 1889 . . . 13
- Havana R. Daron . . . born Sept. 1889 . . . 13
- John Moul . . . . . . . . born Mar. 1890 . . . 12
- Martha E. Landis . . . born Jul. 1890 . . . . 12
- Mazie B. Landis . . . . born Jul. 1890 . . . . 12
- Annie C. Throne . . . . born Sept. 1890 . . 12
- Otis R. Golden . . . . . . born Feb. 1891 . . . 11
- Nora I. Hunt . . . . . . . . born May 1891 . . 11
- Ceila K. Kise . . . . . . . born Jan. 1892 . . . 10
- John R. Lehman . . . . . born Apr. 1893 . . . 9
- Paul E. Landis . . . . . . born Jun. 1893 . . . 9
- Elsie R. Landis . . . . . born Jun. 1893 . . . 9
- David F. Hunt . . . . . . born Aug. 1893 . . . 9
- Harvey D. Landis . . . . born Nov. 1893 . . . 8
- Millard E. Leiphart . . . born Aug. 1894 . . . 8
- Grace A. Throne . . . . born Aug. 1894 . . . 8
- Grace L. Kise . . . . . . born Nov. 1894 . . 7
- Paul J. Hursh . . . . . . . born Jan. 1895 . . . 7
- Edna M. Throne . . . . . born May 1895 . . . 7
- Gertie M. Henise . . . . born Oct. 1895 . . . 7
- Samuel M. Hunt . . . . born Oct. 1895 . . . 7
- Ada B. Golden . . . . . . born Jan. 1896 . . . 6
- Greta M. Kise . . . . . . . born Jan. 1896 . . . 6
- Carrie R. Lehman . . . born Nov. 1896 . . 5
- Bentz Kauffman . . . . born Apr. 1897 . . . 5
- Elmer H. Henise . . . . . born Jul. 1897 . . . 5
- Grace R. Hoke . . . . . . born Aug. 1897 . . 5
- Chester E. Hursh . . . . born Oct. 1898 . . . 4
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