Desks and chairs still sit, collecting dust where teenagers once took notes for their English lessons. When it was decided the school would close, William Penn had only 641 students enrolled, with a maximum capacity of 2,423. Some spooky findings in this hunting cabin (the windows were smashed out, steps rotting, an empty safe lay open on the floor). We were told no one was available for comment. Vaux Promise Academy, located in North Central, was one of the schools that shut itsdoors during the 2013 mass school closing. Photo courtesy of Madelyn Smith/Snapper Morgan Huber and Olivia HeilemannStaff Writers Central Pennsylvania is well known for its rich history, exemplified by our landmarks and structures that have been preserved through time, like Valley Forge, Eastern State Penitentiary, and other beautiful nods to our [] Established in 2008. Philadelphia High School Track A Look at Tim Hickey's 31-Year Coaching Career at William Penn High (1973-2003) This page includes stories, team scores/places in championship meets, individual winners in championship meets and overall breakdown during Coach Hickey's 31 seasons. The auditorium is huge, and equipped with sound and lighting equipment, albeit old. One of the largest high schools in Philadelphia prior to its shutdown in 2013, Germantown High School had a maximum capacity of 2,218 students. A Past Preserved: Historic Harrisburg Association celebrates 50 years of fighting, saving, Commonwealth buys Susquehanna River islands to conserve, keep public, Modern-style apartment building proposed along riverfront in Harrisburg, Harrisburg School District to sell former Woodward School property to affordable housing developer, Address: 920 N 3rd Street, Suite 101, Harrisburg, PA 17102. In late 2019, school district receiver Dr. Janet Samuels renewed a contract with a commercial real estate firm to keep the sale price at $2.5 million. January 10, 2023. In June 2013, 23 schools were closed according to a plan by the SRC and the School District of Philadelphia to cut down on education costs. Board President Brian Carter questioned what costs would be for only a partial re-use, noting that the districts downtown SciTech campus needs gym space. Basketball. William Penn High School is an above average, public school located in NEW CASTLE, DE. A ping pong and tennis room and state of the art gym equipment was available to the students. People are looking for modern, quality schools. It was beautiful and well designed, he said. Arson at abandoned William Penn High School in Harrisburg under investigation, ALSO IN HARRISBURG, AN INTENTIONALLY-SET FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AT THE OLD WILLIAM PENN HIGH SCHOOL. There were no injuries reported, and according to police there was no active threat. Student Camille Clark as Hamon, in a selection from Radio Golf by August Wilson during Penn-Griffin School for the Arts' commemoration of the Feb. 11, 1960, sit-ins in High Point. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Business SLC had top notch business courses and typing classes. Back then, high school lasted three years instead of four. William Penn Exemplary Demonstration High was opened in 1970. February 28, 2023 | by M. Diane McCormick, Sign up for notifications of the monthly release, breaking news and exclusive Harrisburg offers, Sign up for notifications of the monthly release, breaking news and exclusive Harrisburg offers Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Pennsylvania-based construction company opens new, 3 arrested after allegedly stealing vehicle from, Lancaster Co. accepting rentable gardening plots, York-based Holla Spirits expands sales into North, Railroad removal in Lancaster County to cause road, Bipartisan train derailment disasters bill introduced, PA House GOP unveil package of tax relief bills, McClinton named Pennsylvania House Speaker, Pennsylvania lawmakers pushing four day workweek, Casey returns to the Senate after cancer surgery, Pennsylvania lawmaker pushing to make Daylight Saving, York to host Special Olympics Pa. Indoor Winter Games, Trinity Shamrocks cruise to 19th District III Title, Lancaster Catholic wins 20th District III Championship, 3-peat! Copyright Matthew Christopher Photography LLC 2004-Present. Here are the best, Answers to the most asked Mandalorian questions, Chocolate peanut butter cups recalled nationwide, Supreme Court hears cases on student loan forgiveness, US warns China not to supply weapons to Russia, Mount Calvary Christian girls win District III 1A, EPA not testing for dioxins, scientist calls reason, EPA administrator in town for opening of new center, PFBC approves proposal to raise fishing license rates, Hersheys Parkside Bar & Grille soon-to-be under, Community members pledge $50k each to save Hoke House, Pennsylvania Lottery prize worth $125K won locally, Make-A-Wish seeking volunteers to help fulfill wishes. One such structure is William Penn High School, an educational facility dating back nearly a century. To see other historic pictures of William Penn High School, visit The William Penn Project page on Facebook. Several board members queried what intermediate options the district might have. This does not mean that a brighter future for William Penn High School is out of reach. ABC27 reached out to the Harrisburg School District. For most William Penn graduates, its been a long time since they danced at a sock hop or scored a goal in intramural sports. So, builders have big plans for other big school properties in the city. A lot of Pennsylvania Canal is abandoned and ruins still remain, found out in Royalton today at a bridge crossing. "While the building is in disrepair, the building sits on 25 beautiful acres right near the riverfront," said Acting . The sellers were asking for just $100,000. OVERALL 2-10 0.17 Win % LEAGUE 0-4 8thBlue Hen Flight - A. After June 2013, high school students were moved to Overbrook High School while the Lamberton School remained open for grades K-8. S1 E9: Abandoned Resorts of the Catskills, S1 E8: The Tragedy At Third Presbyterian Church, S1 E7: Losing Our Religion - Abandoned Churches, S1 E5: The Closure of the State Hospitals, S1 E2: The Rise And Fall of American Theaters, Join us on Patreon for high quality photos, exclusive content, and book previews, Subscribe to our mailing list for news and updates. read more If you have any questions, concerns, or william penn high school delaware Beau Brown, a commercial real estate broker, says that may be part of the problem. In my opinion, that may be a little high, Brown said. Witnesses reported seeing young people running from the abandoned building around the time of Tuesday afternoon's fire. But others envision the building as something else entirely. The city isnt just growing; its thriving. Penn Wood High School in the William Penn School District. A professional dance studio with a certified teacher that taught various dance art. The district, he said, continues to weigh all viable offers. Many state lawmakers long ago abandoned their constitutional duty to preserve the environment by instead representing the natural gas industry. For other educational establishments with a similar name, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Old memories, new hopes for former Philly high school grounds", Ackerman plan would revamp and reimagine failing schools, close others, Public Hearing on the Proposed Closure of William Penn High School, "William Penn High School demolition begins", "Morning Headlines: Former William Penn High on North Broad to Be Demolished", Progress begins at William Penn site to create athletic fields south of campus, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Penn_High_School_(Philadelphia)&oldid=1023681894, This page was last edited on 17 May 2021, at 18:57. William Penn High School, where someone fired a gun inside a boys' bathroom on the second floor on Tuesday (Jan. 10, 2023). 1979. PF 421 PA 651 STREAK 3L. William Penn High School Alumni Class List. Assistant Chief Penn is a native of Winston-Salem, NC. [4], In 2014 Temple University paid $15 million to acquire the Penn site. OVERALL 12-7 0.63 Win % LEAGUE 3-2 4thBlue Hen Flight - A. An eerie sight in a quaint neighborhood, the former campus sparks the curiosity of locals and tourists alike. The William Penn school building, located on the north side of Division Street, just east of Italian Lake, has been abandoned for over a decade. They had huge halls, local historian and William Penn alum Calobe Jackson recalled. . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Informal meet in 1974,) Jackson graduated from the class of 1948. . [10] Temple planned to install an athletic center on the east side. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Investigators said they're looking at surveillance video to determine who started the fire. 2 /10. Urban architect Charles Howard Lloyd, who would later claim fame for the Zembo Shrine, was busy designing schools. No doubt the building would require air and heating updating and cosmetic and structural improvements, but its a crime to allow it to deteriorate the way it has. Chief William Penn, Jr. is a 25-year veteran of the Winston-Salem Police Department. Its not that old, there are definitely people around who remember it when it was open. of 3. It's hard to imagine that students actually attended it at one point. An unsettling atmosphere permeates throughout the abandoned William Penn High School. It's like The Breakfast Club, only abandoned. The building formerly known as William Penn High School has remained abandoned ever since. It just became a dumping ground when they had extra materials.. Once the 1920s came roaring around, the school district needed to play catch up. S2 E6: The Lost Garden of Beatrix Farrand, S2 E5: The Skin Experiments at Holmesburg Prison, S2 E4: The Story of Urban Exploration Resource, S2 E2: The Life & Death of the American Mall. William Penn High School - An innovative high school in Schools Details: Web10th -11th graders can register for self-paced, online course to prepare for SAT/PSAT by 3/1.Complete the course by 6/1 for a full credit towards graduation! Navigate 1 page back. View Full Report Card. Over a decade after the school was closed, the property has reached an "emergency state" where it's a major physical hazard, according to one school board member. It was a part of the School District of Philadelphia (SDP). A top district official told school board . 2ba. The timeline shows seniors what they should be doing each month to ensure they are ready for graduation and beyond! We are excited to be chasing Blue Hen Championships in Boy's basketball and Wrestling. Years ago, they used to say William Penn was the largest high school campus in the U.S., Jackson said. Overview. Not really an abandoned place, but the Devil's Racecourse is . It is important that everyone follows the procedures outlined to ensure that all scholars, staff and visitors are safe during arrival and dismissal on the campus of William Penn High School. This school had a wide variety of class opport. William Penn High School will be closed until next week to allow Delaware State Police to investigate a gun being fired inside the building on Tuesday, the . HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) William Penn High School in Harrisburgs uptown closed its doors for good in 2010. Equipment and decor left behind remind visitors of the decades of history fostered there, ranging from mid-century desks and gurneys to nineties-style colorful triangle designs on the cafeteria walls. Most are parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. Many have been forced to cut back on everything from school supplies and textbooks to programs and staff. But with people hungry for top-notch education, Harrisburg Tech became a government center and a new, larger high school was proposed. He meets Robert's uncle, Algernon Sidney, in exile in Turin, Italy, for his views on . All the while, William Penn has sat in the hands of the Harrisburg school districttoo damaged to hold on to, too big and costly to give up easily. In addition, there was a kitchen, cafeteria, housekeeping suite, science and lab rooms and shop spaces for tech courses, amongst other classrooms, according to Building Harrisburg, a book by historian Ken Frew. It sits along Division and North 4th streets in uptown Harrisburg. School Number: K321. I was proud to call Harrisburg home, so many things about it to love.. My grandparents actually went there, I think they really enjoyed the school from what they said but they are definitely sad that it ended up like this. Trending. According to philly.com, originally Vaux was supposed to be closed for only a brief period of time and then reopened as a new K-8 school, but the plan was abandoned and the school was closed indefinitely. The names listed below are alumni who have been searched for on this site from William Penn High Schoolin New Castle, Delaware . NEW CASTLE, Del. Today. Click here to find out why it's all falling apart on the new Abandoned America podcast! In the last year, they were approached in the hopes of establishing a senior living community there, only for the plan to fall through in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ove We're huge fans of street art and wall murals that we spot while traveling around. Register to let other graduates of William Penn High School find and contact you. By the 21st century, this school had steadily declined in quality. He says the foundation appears to be strong, but a lot of work and investment would be needed to turn the former school into a positive force in the neighborhood. Monday. 0:46. The fields are still used by Camp Curtin middle school, which abuts the William Penn property to the east. read more. The 34-year-old real estate agent . Always seems abandoned. The voices of young men and women once echoed within these walls, now vacant and decaying. March 8, 2023. Troopers did discover a handgun on the outside of the school. According to state test scores, 15% of students are at least proficient in math and 30% in reading. Come Take a Journey with Us! Board member Danielle Robinson asked if the district had a cost or consideration to clean out the building in order to property mothball it, even if re-use was many years off. >> IT IS A LARGE CAMPUS. 9-12; Public; 113 Students; Wilkinsburg Borough School District. Getting in wasn't easy, but we managed to find an entrance and get in without being seen by passerbys on the city street. Parents whose students are currently enrolled in any PWCS preschool program (preschool or special education) do not need to complete the online kindergarten registration process. Sorry if this is a stupid question, There was a decline in enrollment and they couldnt afford to stay open. Thousands of young men and women from all walks of life built their futures there, learning the skills they needed and making memories that would be cherished for a lifetime. "It was really a beautiful school." Jackson's class had a little over 300 students, while the full school had about 1,200. William Penn High School was a public high school serving grades 9-12, located at 1333 N Broad St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Penn had five programs called SLCs (Small Learning Communities). There were so many students in the school before its rapid decline in enrollment, that street lines were put on the floor of major hallways to control student traffic. Many city schools were built in the post-Civil War yearsthe 1870s and 1880s. But during its final year open, the building only had 728 students enrolled, according to U.S. News & World Report. Published January 10, 2023 at 10:02 PM EST. William Penn High School Basketball; William Penn Girls Basketball. The fire chief said the department has responded to fires at the building in the past. For more information on The Rebirth Project, visit their Facebook page. Skip to content. These included carpentry, cosmetology, graphic design, costume design, culinary arts, and medical assistance. Bill Schmidt ( Class of 1942): He competed in just one sport, but he was the best in the nation when it came to his event. We read them every time we were in that space, and I think they had deep meaning to all serious students, recalled John Robinson, a member of the class of 1964 at William Penn High School.