Members of the North Penn High School Class of 1965 gathered at Fischer's Park for a birthday celebration on June 16.  Most of the class of 1965 has turned (or will turn) 65 this year. Don Lewis, former class president,  organized the event.  The afternoon was filled with singing happy birthday to all, a game of croquet, and,  searching through our yearbook to identify one another. 

By DICK SHEARER
For The Reporter
As more than a thousand North Penn High School seniors line up to receive their diplomas this week, let’s look back to the very first commencement held in the former Lansdale School District.
There was no sea of blue caps and gowns or the need for a facility the size of Crawford Stadium back in 1888 when four students — that’s right, four — were rewarded for successfully completing 12 years of public school education.
W, Y. Young, D. Brower Longaker, Harvey H. Godshall and M. May Ramsey received their diplomas not on a football field or in an auditorium but in the school hall which was about the size of a double classroom.
Humble setting notwithstanding, the accomplishments of these pioneer grads were matter of community pride for the people of Lansdale. The ceremony was conducted on a small stage with the students gathered in the center and their teachers and school officials standing nearby. The county superintendent of schools showed up for the event as did two clergymen, and of course, the proud parents came early for a good view of the proceedings. Even the Lansdale Orchestra was on hand to play a few selections.
With only four students in the class each one was required to present a speech about their school experiences or what they expected to encounter in the future. In true small-town fashion each of their presentations was critiqued by the editor of the Lansdale Reporter. In fact, he went so far as to comment on their physical appearance.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the diplomas by school board President Isaac Heebner. Then an endurance contest began as the county superintendent delivered a rambling 45-minute speech which he cut short to catch a train. There was yet another speaker but he graciously discarded most of his prepared remarks so those attending could head home by 6 p.m., ending a long but historic afternoon. 
The following year (1889) eight students received diplomas. This time the proceedings were moved to the newly-opened Music Hall Theater, which accommodated a full house of more than 600 onlookers.
One thing didn’t change was the length of the ceremony. Once again, the proceedings dragged on for hours, prompting some in the audience to leave early and others to create a rowdy disturbance near the entrance.
Apparently they didn’t have beach balls to bounce around in those days.
Dick Shearer is president of the Lansdale Historical Society.
Photo courtesy of the Lasndale Historical Society.

Contact us
Do you have old photos that you would like to share with our readers? If so, we’d love to hear from you.
We would like to feature a photo each week that will give our readers a peek at the past — and we hope you may have some photos to share.
Whether you are affiliated with a historical society, are an elected official or simply have some great old photos that we can borrow, we’d love to hear from you.
You may send them to History Photos, The Reporter newsroom, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, PA 19446; e-mail to citydesk@thereporteronline.com, with a subject line of “History Photos”; or call (215) 361-8824 for more information.
Please include as much information with your photos as possible, and a phone number where we can contact you.

Photography was among the most popular fads of the Victorian Age. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to have their picture taken.
Civil War photographer Matthew Brady inspired a generation of pioneer cameramen who had an eye for a good shot and the expertise to work wonders in a darkroom. One of the best in this area was John C. Bartholomew, who captured thousands of images during his half century of work in Lansdale.
A collection of Bartholomew’s photographs will be featured at the Lansdale Historical Society’s next Community Program, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m., at the Lansdale Parks and Recreation Building, Seventh St. and Lansdale Ave. Society Vice President Steve Moyer will host, John C. Bartholomew, Photographer, a video show he has assembled with the assistance of the Bartholomew family.
A native of Wilkes-Barre, Bartholomew began his career as a traveling photographer who operated a “portable studio” that moved from town to town between Wilkes-Barre and Lansdale. He made regular stops in Quakertown, Perkasie, Sellersville, Souderton and Telford.
In 1891 he finally found a permanent home for his business in Lansdale, first on Walnut Street and later in a frame building on Courtland Street behind the present Wells Fargo bank.
Bartholomew captured a wide spectrum of images that included individual portraits, group shots of all sorts, landscapes and community events. His work was in demand up until the time of his death in 1943.
There is no admission charge for the society’s programs but donations are appreciated. Attendees can find additional parking in the lot behind Lansdale Catholic High School.
For more information, call (215) 855-1872.
Contact us
Do you have old photos that you would like to share with our readers?If so, we’d love to hear from you.
We would like to feature a photo each week that will give our readers a peek at the past — and we hope you may have some photos to share.
Whether you are affiliated with a historical society, are an elected official or simply have some great old photos that we can borrow, we’d love to hear from you.
You may send them to History Photos, The Reporter newsroom, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, PA 19446; e-mail to citydesk@thereporteronline.com, with a subject line of “History Photos”; or call (215) 361-8824 for more information.
Please include as much information with your photos as possible, and a phone number where we can contact you.

By The Reporter
This week we feature a photo submitted by Dorothy Rhoads of North Wales, who noted that the photo probably was taken about 1961.
The information she included indicated that the photo was snapped as part of an event of the Lansdale Golden Age Club, which was formed in 1949 by the late Fred Young.
There were 24 charter members and the first meeting was held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Lansdale.
An article accompanying the photo noted that the motto, suggested by Mable Reed, was “Live, Laugh and Be Happy.”
In 1952, the club moved to the Eagles Home and then in 1961 to the Moose Home.
They provided their own entertainment, Rhoads said, and her mother was part of the group.
Looks like everyone was dressed in bridal wear or other finery for this photo in today’s feature.
FROM LAST WEEK:
Last week we featured a photo from the American Chick Sexing in Lansdale, and several people provided more information.
Loretta Gehman Umstead from Lansdale called to let us know that her father worked for American Chick Sexing about 67 years ago, for about 15 years.
Her father, Jacob Gehman, then of Hatfield, went to the school in Lansdale and then worked in areas that included Colorado, Kansas, Iowa and later the Pennsylvania/New Jersey/Delaware region, she said.
According to Umstead, the people doing the chick sexing worked from February to June.
Also, Harold Jenkins called in and left a message, saying he remembered the school was on Line Street in Lansdale, next to the Interstate Hosiery Mill. The students would go out on jobs and then were required to come back for retraining. When they were at the Lansdale school, a lot of them worked for Shelly Brothers in their candy-making operation on Broad Street. The candy company got busy in the fall and they needed extra help to make candy canes. Jenkins said he worked for Shelly’s at that time, in the late 1940s.
Also, by email, George Reese of Rocky Mount, N.C., sent this: “American Chick Sexing was owned by John Nitta. He lived on Lansdale Avenue. His three children, Joanne, David and Glen, went to North Penn High School. I graduated with David in 1962.”
Thank you, everyone!
Contact us
Do you have old photos that you would like to share with our readers?
If so, we’d love to hear from you.
We would like to feature a photo each week that will give our readers a peek at the past — and we hope you may have some photos to share.
Whether you are affiliated with a historical society, are an elected official or simply have some great old photos that we can borrow, we’d love to hear from you.
You may send them to History Photos, The Reporter newsroom, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, PA 19446; e-mail to citydesk@thereporteronline.com, with a subject line of “History Photos”; or call (215) 361-8820 for more information.
Please include as much information with your photos as possible, and a phone number where we can contact you.

By Journal Register News Service
Today’s photo features a family homestead — the Harman family homestead, to be exact.
It is located on Salford Station Road in Upper Salford and was built in 1912 by J.S. and C.B. Alderfer, according to Jeanette Harper of Harleysville, who submitted the photo.
As she notes, “It had three stories, 22 rooms, no central heat (note the seven chimneys) and no bathrooms. It was purchased by George W. and Mary Alice Hinkle Harman in 1920.
“The Harmans and their seven children moved from Macksville, W.Va., in November 1920. Their children were getting old enough to get jobs in public works, which were scarce in West Virginia, since most families made their living on farms.”
Mrs. Harper notes that she is “the oldest grandchild of George and Alice Harman, was born in this house in 1921, grew up there and was married to Michael L. Harper in September 1945 and lived there three more years before moving to our newly built home on Oak Drive, Harleysville.”
The property has since been purchased by the New Live Youth and Family Services and is now being used as the administration office, she said.
Contact us
Do you have old photos that you would like to share with our readers?
If so, we’d love to hear from you.
We would like to feature a photo each week that will give our readers a peek at the past — and we hope you may have some photos to share.
Whether you are affiliated with a historical society, are an elected official or simply have some great old photos that we can borrow, we’d love to hear from you.
You may send them to History Photos, The Reporter newsroom, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, PA 19446; e-mail to citydesk@thereporteronline.com, with a subject line of “History Photos”; or call (215) 361-8820 for more information.
Please include as much information with your photos as possible, and a phone number where we can contact you.

School has ended for summer break, but those classroom memories live on.
Today, Joe Delikat has submitted a picture of the eighth-grade graduating class of 1961 from St. Stanislaus Grade School in Lansdale.
We’ll let him tell the story:
“This year the class is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Back then the class was 103 strong (two people were sick and are not in the picture).
“Msgr. Joseph Schade is seated front and center. He was the founder of Lansdale Catholic High School, which opened in 1960.
“As a comparison to today’s class sizes, the 103 students were in 1.5 rooms since seventh and eighth grades were split and one classroom contained both seventh- and eighth-graders. That is an average of 69 students per class.
“FYI. I am the last boy in the second row to the right.”
Delikat noted that this class has a very active alumni group and he planned to forward this photo to all for whom he had e-mail addresses.
We hope they enjoy!
Contact us
Do you have old photos that you would like to share with our readers?
If so, we’d love to hear from you.
We would like to feature a photo each week that will give our readers a peek at the past — and we hope you may have some photos to share.
Whether you are affiliated with a historical society, are an elected official or simply have some great old photos that we can borrow, we’d love to hear from you.
You may send them to History Photos, The Reporter newsroom, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, PA 19446; e-mail to citydesk@thereporteronline.com, with a subject line of “History Photos”; or call (215) 361-8820 for more information.
Please include as much information with your photos as possible, and a phone number where we can contact you.

The end of the school year has come, and so today we feature a few more photos of school days gone by.
These photos are from the West Telford High School, featuring faculty from 1930-31, and the classes of 1931 and 1932.
Joanne Kratz of Souderton has submitted the three photos we feature today.
She notes:
“They belonged to my cousin, Marian Fensterle ... and came into my possession after she passed away. Both Marian and her sister, Ruth, quit school to go to work in one of the local factories. Had they remained in school, I believe Ruth would have graduated in 1931 and Marian in 1932.
“Marian had the pictures in an album and labeled with all the names.”
The photo of the faculty shows Miss Wampole, Miss Crankshaw, Miss Moyer, Mrs. Scholl, Mrs. Guenther, Mrs. Kenneth Bickel and Cora Mitch.
The Class of 1931 features Miss Crankshaw, Mabel Halteman, Leila Price, Jacy Bartel and Mary Brunner in the back row; Alma Moyer, Evelyn Simmons, Helen Moyer and Miss Mitch in the middle row; and Howard Wampole, Garland Savacool, Lloyd Freed and Herman Carver in the front row.
The Class of 1932 features, in back row, Carey Savacool, Anna Utz, Anna M. Huhn, Edna Fetter, Doris Blank, Grace Barndt and Vincent Garges; in middle row, Herbert Weigner, Fern Magee, Marian Shade, Perna Gerhart, Violet Hayes and Howard Savacool; and, front row, Gordon Strohm, Harold Shade, Charles Keller, Lamar Slemmer and Russell Rittenhouse.