"I conceive the education of our youth in this country to be peculiarly necessary in Pennsylvania while our citizens are composed of the natives of so many different kingdoms in Europe. Our schools of learning, by producing one general and uniform system of education, will render the mass of the people more homogeneous and thereby fit them more easily for uniform and peaceable government."
Dr. Benjamin Rush,
Thoughts Upon The Mode Of Education Proper In A Republic (1786)
Chapter 6: Evolving From Small Schoolhouses To Big Public Schools
Not many schoolhouses in the Wissahickon Valley Region were built, but after the 1834 Free School Act was passed, more schoolhouses were being built for families to enroll their children in. As the enrollment of students increased, there was also a need for a bigger school. This marked the beginning of Whitpain Public School that lead to the establishment of Wissahickon High School.
Education in Colonial PA
After William Penn landed in Philadelphia and founded the state of Pennsylvania, there was a need of education for the young children. Stephanie Hoover stated that education mainly took place in religious institutions and other private sources.
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It wasn't until Founding Father and doctor Benjamin Rush wrote a pamphlet in 1786 titled A Plan for the Establishment of Public Schools and the Diffusion of Knowledge in Pennsylvania; to Which Are Added, Thoughts upon the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic. He presented his proposal to the Legislature and the people of Pennsylvania. According to Benjamin Rush biographer Stephen Fried, Rush was ambitious to create a public school system in the commonwealth for all children and teenagers.
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During this time, schoolhouses already existed in Wissahickon Valley Region. In Whitpain, there were four schools: the Ellis School (1787), the Sandy Hill School (1796), the Centre School (1800), and the Centre Square School (1825).
"Prior to the adoption of the school law the usual branches taught were spelling reading writing and arithmetic. Some few scholars studied grammar, mensuration and surveying. The books in general use were Comly's Primer and Spelling Book; introduction English Reader; sequel, Columbian Orator, Scott's Lessons and the American Speaker. The three last were considered high branches. Arithmetics: American Tutor (by Zachariah Jess), Pike's and Rose's Geographies: Adams Olney's and Smith's These were generally used for reading books, and the questions asked by the master (teacher). The early school houses were all built of stone. The desks were placed around against the walls, and the pupils occupying them sat facing the windows. Benches without backs, for the smaller scholars, occupied the middle of the room. A desk for the teacher, a huge wood-stove in middle of the room, a bucket, tin cup, splint-broom, and what was called a "pass," a small paddle, having the words 'In and Out' written in opposite sides, constituted the furniture of the room. During the time of wood-stoves, it was customary for the larger boys at noon to cut the wood and carry the same in the house and place it around under desks for use. The larger girls took their turns in keeping room clean."
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- Thomas Bean, History of Montgomery County, PA (1884)
The Fight for Public Schools
"I am aware, sir, how difficult it is for the great mass of the people, who have never seen this system in operation, to understand its advantages. But is it not wise to let it go into full operation, and learn its results from experience? Then, if it prove useless or burthensome, how easy to repeal it!"
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- Thaddeus Stevens
As more laws continued to be passed to improve the education system for the poor and African Americans, Pennsylvania governor George Wolf pushed the PA legislature to establish the common free schools.
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The PA Legislature went to work to pass the free school act, started by PA Senator Samuel Breck. With only three senators opposing the act, it was approved and signed by Governor Wolf on April 1, 1834. The act went into effect in September the same year. There were some PA communities that went against the free school act, causing division in the commonwealth. It caused Governor Wolf to lose reelection as well as other lawmakers who also didn't win reelection.
The new legislature pledged to repeal the free school act of 1834, but it was not going to happen under PA Representative Thaddeus Stevens' watch. With trial and error, Stevens was able to make his closing address on his opposition on the repeal of the free school act of 1834. His speech affected everyone in the legislature, including those who initially wanted to repeal the law. There were those who still oppose the law, and they were the ones who were German and were part of parochial schools. Despite this, the law came into effect on May 26, 1836.
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On May 2, 1837 the people of Whitpain took a vote whether to continue the free school law or not. The vote was 70 to 59, resulting to continue the new system. The last election was held on March 19, 1841 where the votes were 89 to 55, officially ending the opposition to free schools. This lead to the creation of two additional schools: Franklinville School and the Mount Pleasant School (later called the Shady Grove School).
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Meanwhile in Gwynedd, six school directors strongly opposed the free school law, and continued to oppose it until 1840. They took a vote to determine if the free school law should be put into affect or not, and the result was 86 to 80. The free school law was officially placed, and four schoolhouses were built: the Cedar Hill School, the Dager School, the Maple Grove School, and the Penllyn school.
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Seven years before the incorporation of Ambler, the Ambler Independent School District was created, and built their first school: The Forest Avenue School. The Mattison Avenue School was the next school built in 1903.
A Need for a Bigger School
As more children were enrolled in every school available in the Wissahickon Valley Region, the school directors in Whitpain knew there needs to be a bigger school built. In 1895, the Whitpain Public School was built and chartered. In 1916, the Whitpain Township Consolidated Public School was built for grades 1 to 8 while the Whitpain Public School served students from grades 9 to 11.
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Meanwhile in Ambler, the first school was burned down in 1926. The Forest Avenue School was rebuilt for elementary students. The new building was 2 stories that had limited space with only 1 acres. Ambler High School was built in 1922 with additions built later on in the years.
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Grade 12 students who lived in the lower part of Whitpain went to Ambler High School while other students who lived in the upper part of the township went to Norristown High School.
The Creation of WSD
In the 1950s, the Ambler-Lower Gwynedd-Whitpain Joint School District was created to oversee the students in grades 7 to 12 from Ambler, Whitpain, and Lower Gwynedd. With increasing enrollment in secondary school, the Shady Grove Junior High School was built in 1957. Students in grades 7 to 9 attended Shady Grove while the students in grades 10 to 12 attended Ambler High.
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Menawhile in Whitpain, the Blue Bell Elementary School was built the same year as Shady Grove. In 1964, the Stony Creek Elementary School was built.
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In Lower Gwynedd, students from the Penllyn School and the Spring House School were all transferred to the Spring House School. Later in 1966, the Lower Gwynedd Elementary School was built for students in grades 4 to 6 while the Spring House School had students from K to 3.
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In 1962, Wissahickon High School was built, resulting in Ambler High becoming a junior high school with Shady Grove. Ambler High continuing to operate until it was ordered to shut down in 1973.
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The Mattison Avenue School Elementary School was opened for grades K to 3 in 1966 before the old Mattison Avenue School closed down. That same year, the Wissahickon School District was reformed to unify all three townships.
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In 1975, the Shady Grove Junior High School was closed down, and was reopened as Shady Grove Elementary School. It was that same year Wissahickon Middle School was built across from the high school.
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In 2013, Mattison Avenue was closed down due to the school board decision to split students between Shady Grove and Lower Gwynedd.