Robert L. Righter, an instructor of history and political science at Penndale Middle School, will receive the Sixth Annual Edwin G. Holl Historic Achievement Award sponsored by the Lansdale Historical Society.

The award will be presented at the organization’s annual banquet Tuesday, April 13, at William Penn Inn, Lower Gwynedd.


Righter has spent his entire 38-year teaching career in the North Penn School District, first at Pennfield Middle School and now at Penndale for the past 28 years.

He has been described by a colleague as “an amazing history teacher who inspires his students with his challenging assignments and personal enthusiasm for the subject.”

In past years, his students have been involved in extensive Civil War research, producing their own “Civil War Journal.” Another project involved a retrospective of World War II: the battles and the home front.

He has led his classes on numerous field trips to important historic sites, including Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., and Antietam. And they have been encouraged to complete outside research and create replicas of historic buildings, some of which are on display at the U.S. Constitution Center.

Righter also has emphasized the need to get involved in the political process, urging students to study the positions of the political parties and attend political events in the community.

To better understand the framework of our government, each of his students is issued a personal copy of the U.S. Constitution.

The Holl Award is given in memory of the late state senator who was a lifelong supporter of the society’s mission to preserve and promote the rich history of the North Penn region.

Likewise, recipients are chosen based on exemplary efforts to preserve history, promote the importance of it in the community or by encouraging future generations to appreciate history through education.

According to society President Dick Shearer, this is the first time the award has been given to an educator:

“I don’t think our committee could have made a better choice. In discussing the nomination, our board members all said essentially the same thing: Somewhere along the way, an inspired history teacher sparked our interest.

“I suspect many of Bob’s accomplishments have flown under the radar, which I hope isn’t the case. Unfortunately, it seems that too often history doesn’t get the attention it deserves in today’s public school curriculum.

“I’d like to think there are many more teachers like him across the country who continue to provide the inspiration we received. It’s terribly important that our kids learn from the successes and the failures of the past if they are to build on what we have now.”

In addition to his classroom duties, Righter has worked on local history projects in Bucks County and at Valley Forge.

He is also developing a display for the Holocaust Museum in Washington based on his father’s military experiences in Europe during World War II when he was involved in the liberation of Dachau.

The awards banquet is open to the public. Reservations ($35 per person) can be made by contacting the society at (215) 855-1872. More information and a reservations form are available at www.lansdalehistory.org.