Posts Tagged Perry

      Third graders in Agnes DeFonde’s class at Perry Elementary School held a “Cowboy Day” to go along with a reading lesson back in 1987. Those that took part included (front from left) Eric Scott, Robert Wiley, and Jared McElwain. Back row from left were Justin Beachem, Cindy Thompson, Kyleigh Kissick, Erica Laszlo, Kandis Boy, and Jim Norton.
      Today children are discouraged from bringing guns to school, so “Cowboy Day” is not as popular. Mrs. DeFonde, who is recalled very fondly by those we have talked to, also held a “Hawaiian Day”.
      We would enjoy hearing your memories of Mrs. DeFonde’s class, or maybe you had another teacher that used to hold fun events like this. Please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

Picture Compliments of Caleb Cragle

    Construction for the School in what is now Ewing Park began in 1925 when the area was still part of Wayne Township. The eight room school was officially dedicated January 1st 1926 as an independent school and not part of the Ellwood City School District. The park area continued to be a part of Wayne Township until 1931 when it became the fifth ward of Ellwood City at which time the school became part of the Ellwood City Area School District and became the Ewing Park Elementary School.
    The area was originally called Wayne Park before becoming more commonly known as the Shelby Land Company’s Plan. The mill decided to honor the Generals and Admirals of World War I with its street names in the park. The name of the plan was later changed to Ewing Park after Thomas Ewing. Mr. Ewing was the assistant to the Vice President of the National Tube Company and was also the tube mill attorney who did the legal work associated with the building of the community in the park.
    The last time the school was used for education purposes was during the construction of the new Hartman Elementary School on Fourth Street. This was however not the first time displaced students attended the school. After the Wurtemburg School burned down in 1933 grades first through third were bused to the Ewing Park School while fourth through sixth grade were bused to Hazel Dell to attend Northside Elementary. The temporary classrooms were setup in the basement of the school. School children from Wurtemburg and Perry would walk a mile to meet at the old school building and get on a modified bus that the students called the Chicken Coop.
    After the students were back at the current Perry Elementary School, the basement was reverted back to its previous state. I have never personally been inside the school building, but luckily Bob Burrows filled us in on the layout of the basement classrooms. The small room under the entry stairs that faced Wood Street was reserved as a shelter in-case of an emergency and some government supplies were stored in that room as well. The room was also used on occasions to house the visiting dental hygienist and other similar temporary uses. The room to the left (North towards Adams Avenue) was the music room and arts and crafts room. The room to the right (South towards Beatty Street) was used as the indoor dodge ball/gym class when the weather prohibited outdoor physical education.
    After the school closed, the yard was used for a number of years for football and cheerleader practice for the Ellwood City Packers and later the Ellwood City Little Wolverines. I remember running the triangle shaped field before and after each practice. We would love to hear your memories of the school, please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

   The United Presbyterian Church of Wurtemburg was organized in 1859 by Rev. Thomas Guthrie, D. P., who served the church until 1867. The members of the new church originally belonged to the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Perry Township until splitting. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Perry Township traces its roots back to the old Camp Run Reformed Church formed sometime before 1825. The old Camp Run Reformed Church originally was located on Samuel McElwains farm, over the hill from Pleasant Hill Grange Hall with Thomas C. Guthrie serving as pastor. In 1833, a group split from the church and the new movement became the Pleasant Hill Church. In 1840, the church built a new building on Harvey McElwains farm. The original Camp Run Reformed Church ceased to exist by 1851.
    The Wurtemburg large frame building was built in 1860 upon land donated by James Mehard, a member of the congregation, to house the original eighty members and a Sunday-School that has been kept up most of the time since. 1861 marked the year Pleasant Hill & Wurtemburg congregations united to form the United Presbyterian Church of Wurtemburg. The first regular pastor of the new organization was Rev. J. H. Peacock, who came about 1867 and preached here for five years. Rev. John P. Glenn took over the duties November 1, 1874, at the same time supplying the Center Church in Shenango Township.
    A portion of the congregation, some forty-five members, left the church in 1873, and formed a new congregation in Perry Township called Camp Run. They built a church in 1874 and held meetings in connection with the Mountville United Presbyterian Church.
    Sunday June 2, 1985 the Wurtemburg Presbyterian Church marked it’s 125th Anniversary by opening the church’s time capsule from September 1948. The contents of the capsule contained a church bulletin from 1948, a complete listing of the membership and a history of the church 1922-1948. The time capsule was put back into the cornerstone along with mementos from the 125th celebration.
    If you got a little confused reading the history of the churches above don’t worry, I got a little confused writing it. This is a very old church that has continued to grow, split, and evolve over the years and we would love to hear your memories of the church. If you would like to share you memories of the church or its members, please leave a comment below or email us by CLICKING HERE.

    The picture here is of the Wurtemburg Combined School (late 1920′s) given to us by Mr. Thomas Gregg of Grove City College. The school is but a memory as the building was completely destroyed by fire in 1933. The current Perry Elementary School was built to replace the Wurtemburg School on the same grounds in 1936. 
    After the Wurtemburg School burned down in 1933, for the following three years, grades first through third went to Ewing Park Elementary School, while students in fourth through sixth grade went to Northside Elementary School. As you may recall, Ewing Park School was not very large so additional classrooms were setup in the basement of the building. Young children that lived in Wurtemburg and Perry would walk up to a mile to meet at the old school building and get on a bus unlike today when each child gets picked up at their own individual house. The bus was not actually a bus; rather it was an old Lorry that had chicken wire fence wrapped around to keep children from falling out. The students that we have talked to that recall the odd looking vehicle told us that they used to refer to it as the “Chicken Coop”. 
    If you have any memories of the old Wurtemburg Combined School you would like to share with everyone, please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

    Our gratitude goes out to Jonica Walters who took the time to help by filling us in on the history of VanGorder’s Beach. As you can see below in her own words, Van Gorder’s Beach was on VanGorder Mill Road just past the third bridge on Route 488 in Perry Township.
    The beach was not similar to current popular swimming spots in Ellwood City like “B.A.B.” and “Little Falls” but was more similar to Hubers Beach (later called Nedda Lake Park) on the grounds of what is today Olde Stonewall golf course. Those that went to the popular beach would pay an entrance fee to Joe VanGorder. The creek was considerably deeper then and the bottom was completely stone. Also, along the beach were bath houses so swimmers could change their clothes.
    Please see Jonica Walters comments below and if you would like to add any memories you may have of the beach, please leave a comment below or email us by CLICKING HERE.

    Most people in Ellwood City that follow football on the High School level are fairly familiar with the 1935 “Miracle” football team coached by R.J. (Denny) Schill that beat everybody except Beaver Falls. The team that started a football renaissance here in Ellwood was lead by Mike Kraynak. The team included Bill Young, Jiggs Hazen, Joe Pishioneri, Dave Luxenberg, Jim Flannagan, Cy Hughes, Russia Funari, Tony Scopellite, Al Bognosky, Phil Tammaro, Abe Pratt, Harold Young, Bill Daufen, Nick Gib, Ben Keller, Ben Bartle, Al Biego, Francis Miller, Augustine Metz, Carl Zeigler Jr, Horace Shapiro, Bob Schantz, Mike Santillo, and Nick Perry. Denny Schill is remembered as a coach here in Ellwood City though this was the only year he coached.
     As good as that team was, perhaps the greatest team in Ellwood City history and perhaps the state was the 1925 team led by Tom MacMurdo.  Among others Ross Parker, Johnny Sander, Harold Johnston, Bill Marsh, Jim Fitzgerald, Jim MacMurdo, Bill Herge, Art Applebaum, Bob MacMurdo, and Curt Neff led Ellwood City to a 9-0 record. Ellwood not only beat New Castle (who would cry for years that the Ellwood City Fire Department watered down the field) for the first time, but did not give up a single point until the National Championship Game against Freeport, Illinois.
    Even before the great 1925 team, Ellwood City already had its “legends” of the gridiron including the 1907 football team. The ’07 team was captained by “Kitty” Wyant, and included Ray Patterson, Morry Kraus, Ralph McGinley, Dave Hamilton, Clyde & Ralph Poister, John Christie, Loren Gelbach, Gerry Butler, & Claude Herwick. Howard Jones of the 1914 football team served as both captain and coach and won seven games, tied one, and lost none. The list also includes local hero Roy Hamilton who anchored the 1910 football team.
    Football in the early part of the 1900′s was not only limited to the High School level with local fans cheering on Ellwood’s Semi-Pro team the Boltbusters and the 1903 Ellwood A.A. Gridders (Ellwood Athletic Association Gridders).
    Before 1925, the football teams were always known as “the Ellwood City High School” teams as Lincoln High School was not yet built. Even then, the teams were not known as the Wolverines until 1935 when Head Coach Denny Schill had an open competition to name the team, a name that the school and community could rally behind. Lastly, the team got its colors from the mother of one the players on the very first team. According to the book “Ellwood City Houses and the People Who Lived in Them” by Charles R Moser, Eugene Swartz was a member of the very first football team for Ellwood City High School and the team’s colors are blue and white because that was the color of the suit his mother bought for him.
    We mean no disrespect to those that we did not mention above such as Dale Brown or some of the greats from the 40′s but we need your help. Please tell us who else you think should be on this list or if you remember any of the men we mentioned please EMAIL US or leave a comment below.

   It was almost 11:30 AM on a very cold January morning in 1984 when a small fire was discovered that would change the structure of Lawrence Avenue forever.
   The fire started at the rear of the Majestic Theater and spread to three adjoining structures causing almost a half a million dollar in damages. The burned out Theater was not the only business devastated as ten other businesses on either side sustained fire, smoke, and water damage.  The Majestic Hall that was located at 506 Lawrence Avenue was completely destroyed and the two story building on the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Fifth Street (known as the Young Building) was heavily damaged. Helen’s Dress Shop immediately to the west and Stereo Systems immediately to the East of the Theater were complete loses. Stereo Systems had moved to 504 Lawrence Avenue after a fire at the 7-L building almost exactly two years earlier caused damage to their shop next door to it. 
    The Ellwood City Fire Department assisted by firemen from Wurtemburg-Perry, Wayne Township, and Franklin Township fought the large fire for over four hours before they could get control and the thick dark smoke could be seen for miles away. Helen Mantz, owner of Helen’s Dress Shop, and Joseph Sobczak, owner of Stereo Systems, were two of nine people that were taken to the hospital and treated from various injuries that ranged from smoke inhalation to injuries sustained from falling on the ice that formed quickly with the mixture of multiple hoses and the cold Ellwood City January weather.
    The fire at the Majestic Theater was the fourth major fire on Lawrence Avenue in two years. The other fires included Keller’s Department Store at 613 Lawrence Avenue, Vinny’s Pizza and Sub Palace at 705 Lawrence Avenue, and the 7-L building on the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Seventh Street.
    If you have any memories you would like to share of the Majestic Theater please leave a comment below or email us by CLICKING HERE.

    In the 1953 Knee Hi League, the Eagles were THE team to beat as they were on their way to a third straight championship title. The only thing in their way was the VFW squad led by head coach Charles Hall.
    The VFW jumped to an early lead when Joe Decaria crossed the plate on a single by John Perry after being hit by a pitch to get on base and stealing second. The Eagles came back in the third when staring pitcher Ron Hughes reached second base on an error and scored on a single by Alfonso. Alfonso was later driven in on a single by Vic D’Angelo and the defending Champs were ahead 2-1.
    A couple of singles from the VFW’s Barry & DeCaria paired with the speed of Billy Frazier tied the game until a solo home run in the fourth by Eagles catcher Ray Goscewski off of pitcher Rich Pertile put the Eagles back in line for the Championship Title. In the fifth inning the Vets got Elliot Hall on base and sacrifices by Ron Mazzano & Barry put Hall in scoring position on third base. Joe DeCaria took to the plate and got his second RBI of the game off of a single and the game was all tied again.
    Going into the bottom of the seventh, the capacity crowd was getting ready for extra innings until Hall got walked again. A sacrifice bunt by Mazzano moved Hall to second base. Barry grounded out and was unable to advance Hall to third. Up to the plate came Joe DeCaria with the game tied, man on second, and two outs, and the Title on the line. It was the kind of situation kids all across America pretend to be in when playing ball in their backyard. DeCaria was now in position to be the hero, with all the pressure and stress to go along with it. DeCaria found a Hughes pitch he liked and blasted a shot to left field. The third base coach waved Hall past third and headed for home. The Eagles fielders played the ball right as they should and the ball was headed for catcher Goscewski. It was going to be close. Everyone’s eyes were on the home plate umpire as he stood up and yelled “SAFE!!”

    The Tri-County Little League Championship was the second game in the Championship doubleheader. Ellwood City was looking for their second straight title but ran into a tough New Castle team led by heavy hitter Wilson. In the bottom of the fifth inning Ellwood City was already trailing 3-0 when Ellwood’s Dave Weingartner got on base by being walked. Shortly after Dave stole second and then stole third, he was able cross the plate on an error to give the Ellwood fans hope. John Savor opened the sixth inning with a big double and later scored on a single by Huppertz to be within one run of tying the score. That is when NC’s starting pitcher Don Kuzma stepped up and stopped the rally himself to claim the title for New Castle. Kuzma struck out 12 to Ellwood’s Jimmy Navolio’s 9 K’s.

The Attached picture are all the employees of the Tube Mill that either coached or umpired in the various baseball leagues of 1953.

The VFW’s starting lineup: Barry ss, DeCaria cf, C. Hall 2b, Perry c, Pertile p, Rosen 1b, Caplan lf, E. Hall rf, & Mazzano 3b.
The Eagel’s starting lineup: Alfonso 2b, Frazier ss, D’Angelo cf, Ammeen 1b, Gaskell 3b, Goscewski c, Raman lf, Timmerman rf, & Hughes p.
 Ellwood City’s lineup: Sheeler 2b, Ammeen 3b, Navolio p, Huppertz ss, Hudson cf, Smith lf, Bishop lf, Raman c, Majors 1b, Savor 3b, Pavich cf, Weingartner lf, Butler c.

If you have any memories you would like to share, please leave a comment below or email us by CLICKING HERE.

We would like the thank coach Charles Hall for sharing the story above.

• Lincoln High School
• Riverside H.S.
• Northstar School
• Wampum High School
• Hartman Elementary
• Northside Elementary
• Walnut Ridge Elementary
• Perry Elementary
• Ewing Park Elementary
• Riverside Elementary

If you are able to help us get pictures of the trophy cases at the schools we do not have pictures of, please email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

In 1914, the Ellwood City School Board purchased the crown jewel of Ellwood City, the Hotel Lawrence located where Fifth Street meets Cresent Ave for $19,000. The School Board did not tear down the Hotel right away, instead converting the twenty-two year old building into a make-shift school house. The rooms on the first floor of the Hotel were turned into school rooms while the second story was rented out as apartments until the building was torn down in 1923 to build the current Lincoln High School.
    The large auditorium was added at the end of the 1920′s and the first assembly was held there in 1930. The football and baseball field known as Lincoln Field was moved to Ewing Park and renamed Helling Stadium in 1953. The field at the school was removed when the school remodeled again in 1961. During that particular restructuring, the South wing of the school was torn down along with the field to make room for the current cafeteria, the music department, superintendent offices, large gym, and a parking lot. Ms. Dorothy Ednie kindly pointed out that due to some of the classrooms being destroyed during this remodeling process Lincoln High School was forced to go to split school days. Half of the students would start school early in the morning and end the school day around lunchtime while the other half began after lunch and was in school until around 5pm.
    Today, Lincoln High School is part of the Ellwood City Area School District and includes students from Ellwood City, Ellport, Wampum and the townships of Perry and Wayne.  Lincoln is home to both the Junior and Senior High School for grades 7-12. The total enrollment in Lincoln High School including both the Junior and Senior High is approx. 1,080 students.
    Please share your favorite memory (or memories) of Lincoln High School by either leaving a comment just below or on the forum page, or email us by CLICKING HERE.

    You can view the Lincoln High School trophy case by CLICKING HERE.

      Ellwood City has had many different schools beginning with the “Old Brick School House” built in 1850 by Adam Shoemaker at the top of the old covered bridge road where Glen Ave meets 6th St. Classes were held there until 1893 when the West End Building was completed but re-opened in 1894 due to overcrowding in the other schools. Classes ended for good in 1895 and the building and land was sold to the Pittsburgh Co. for land to build the Circle Building for classes.
The Matheny Schoolhouse was also used during this time with all 12 grades in one classroom. This school was located on the Moses Matheny property on Wampum Rd across from the Matheny cemetery which would become the first Catholic cemetery in Ellwood City. A small portion of the cemetery remains today beside Aiken Refuse but most of the headstones are to dilapidated to be legible today.
Another old school in Ellwood City was the Textor building located on Lawrence Ave between 8th & 9th streets which was used until 1891. 1892 marked the beginning of a two room school house in Hazel Dell. This school located on the southeast corner of Line Ave & College St was used until Hazel Dell became part of Ellwood City in September 1st, 1914.
The West End School opened 1893 and a few years later the Circle School, located where Circle playground stands today, began classes in 1895. And yet another school inside the Columbus building on the corner of Lawrence Ave and 9th St opened in 1897. In 1902, Ellwood City built the Central Public School on the corner of Lawrence Ave & 6th St.
Finally in 1914, Ellwood City purchased Hotel Lawrence located where 5th St meets Cresent Ave. School rooms were held on the first floor of the Hotel while the second floor was rented out as apartments until the building was torn down in 1923 to build the current Lincoln High School. While the school was being built, classes were held at the Church of God.
Classes began in the 12 room North Side Elementary school located on North St & Orchard Ave in 1916. Hartman Elementary was finished before the new Lincoln High School and started classes in 1923. When Ewing Park became the 5th Ward, Ellwood City purchased the Ewing Park School and dedicated it Jan 1st 1926. Perry Elementary and Walnut Ridge Elementary schools would soon follow.

Pictures and comments of the Schools of Ellwood City

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