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| Reade High School Reade Township Cambria County, Pennsylvania |
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History and Student listings (1901-1965)
| Reade Township has the distinction of having the first township high school in Pennsylvania. Around 1897, the idea of a high school was discussed by a number of individuals, including George Bowman and other educational promoters. The idea was met with much opposition in the township, but after considerable debating and planning the Board of Education decided in favor of the plan, and work was begun on the school building in the Spring of 1898
Late in July of 1898 a small one-room building and director's room was completed. That fall, the school was opened for the first term with Bruce L. Myers as Principal. The first class consisted of Guy Glasgow, Dan Glasgow, and Janet McMahon. Commencement exercises were held in the Mountaindale Baptist Church in April 1901, after a three year course. The following year the school was closed for a time due to an epidemic of smallpox, thus causing a delay in graduation until June 1902. There was but one graduate this year, Miss Amber Gilmore. During this period of four years, there were three principals: Mr Myers, who taught 1 year; Lloyd Gortman, 1 year, and D. Murray Hetrick, 2 years. Following this, the enrollment of RTHS began to increase and, in 1907, it was necessary to make alterations to the building, to change the course to four years, and to add a new teacher. In 1915, there were 54 students enrolled and it was necessary to build an addition to the building. Seven years later, more alterations were made and a third teacher added to the faculty, and a commercial course started. Further growth necessitated still other additions. In 1925 a classroom and an auditorium were added and the interior completely renovated. In 1951, after equipping a kitchen and a sewing room, a home-making course was started. In 1952, a machine shop was built and equipped and another course, Industrial Arts, was added. In 1954, the faculty consisted of eight teachers. (Altoona Mirror, May 18, 1954). Reade merged with the Glendale School District in 1965, and the High School ceased to exist. Reunions are held annually on the last Saturday in September at the Glendale High School. |