Memorable Members of our Society who have had a great impact on lives in Our Township
In Honor of Marian Burkhardt: A Teacher at St. Paul's One-Room Schoolhouse
_ Marian Burkhardt was born on March 7, 1914. Her parents were Ralph and Lillian Minnich. Marian attended Kutztown College for four years. Her first teaching position was at St. Paul's one-room schoolhouse in Cherryville, a little red brick schoolhouse in Lehigh Township (also known as the Indianland Schoolhouse). She taught children from grades 1 through 8 in a one room class setting. When she taught there, there was a ban on teachers being married. Later, it changed and she married Herbert Burkhardt in 1941. She then taught at a two-room schoolhouse in Treichlers.
A typical school day at St. Paul's Schoolhouse in Cherryville started at 9 a.m. and ended at 3:30 p.m. She walked from Berlinsville to school and back each day. She said school opened each day with a Bible reading, then they all said a little prayer followed with saluting to the flag and singing "America." The schoolhouse did not have a piano but she could play the piano and read music so she brought her own songs and music for the children.
Marian visited the schoolhouse which was restored by LT Historical Society on September 24, 2010. She remembered vividly teaching in the classroom and where certain items were located. She recalled a little bell on her desk (a bell you had to push down on it to ring). She noted that the clock was not where it is today and they had a stove with a guard around it. The children went to the cellar for coal but she would stoke the fire. They would have a morning and afternoon recess. Since the school had no running water or bathroom facilities, they used outhouses outside. She kept the attendance and made out her own report cards. She stated that "Discipline was not a problem."
She commented that in those days, the teachers did everything. They were the nurses, teachers, janitors, etc. Later, when the one- and two-room schoolhouses were closed and children were bused to Lehigh Township Elementary School, she taught the kindergarten children there. She said she was very glad to teach at the elementary school "where it was warm, they took care of things for you, and you didn't have to worry about things." It was quite different from when she taught at the schoolhouse.
Marian was a devoted teacher and taught students for about 33 years. She does not live in Lehigh Township anymore; she presently lives near her son, Barry. So many township residents have fond memories of Mrs. Burkhardt at the Lehigh Township Elementary School and everyone who attended the local schoolhouses will always remember the "little red schoolhouse" and those early "school days."
For more information see the article in the Times News at this link: http://www.tnonline.com/2010/nov/12/return-one-room-school?page=1_
Mrs. Burkhardt celebrated her 102nd year on March 7, 2016. For a 2016 update see article in the Town and Country Gazette (March 3, 2016 issue) submitted by Cindy Deppe at this link: http://issuu.com/idpcreative/docs/town___country_march_3?e=1863291/33874571
Update: Marian M. Burkhardt passed away on March 29, 2016 at the age of 102. You can view her obituary at this link:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mcall/obituary.aspx?n=marian-burkhardt&pid=179501281&fhid=9573
A typical school day at St. Paul's Schoolhouse in Cherryville started at 9 a.m. and ended at 3:30 p.m. She walked from Berlinsville to school and back each day. She said school opened each day with a Bible reading, then they all said a little prayer followed with saluting to the flag and singing "America." The schoolhouse did not have a piano but she could play the piano and read music so she brought her own songs and music for the children.
Marian visited the schoolhouse which was restored by LT Historical Society on September 24, 2010. She remembered vividly teaching in the classroom and where certain items were located. She recalled a little bell on her desk (a bell you had to push down on it to ring). She noted that the clock was not where it is today and they had a stove with a guard around it. The children went to the cellar for coal but she would stoke the fire. They would have a morning and afternoon recess. Since the school had no running water or bathroom facilities, they used outhouses outside. She kept the attendance and made out her own report cards. She stated that "Discipline was not a problem."
She commented that in those days, the teachers did everything. They were the nurses, teachers, janitors, etc. Later, when the one- and two-room schoolhouses were closed and children were bused to Lehigh Township Elementary School, she taught the kindergarten children there. She said she was very glad to teach at the elementary school "where it was warm, they took care of things for you, and you didn't have to worry about things." It was quite different from when she taught at the schoolhouse.
Marian was a devoted teacher and taught students for about 33 years. She does not live in Lehigh Township anymore; she presently lives near her son, Barry. So many township residents have fond memories of Mrs. Burkhardt at the Lehigh Township Elementary School and everyone who attended the local schoolhouses will always remember the "little red schoolhouse" and those early "school days."
For more information see the article in the Times News at this link: http://www.tnonline.com/2010/nov/12/return-one-room-school?page=1_
Mrs. Burkhardt celebrated her 102nd year on March 7, 2016. For a 2016 update see article in the Town and Country Gazette (March 3, 2016 issue) submitted by Cindy Deppe at this link: http://issuu.com/idpcreative/docs/town___country_march_3?e=1863291/33874571
Update: Marian M. Burkhardt passed away on March 29, 2016 at the age of 102. You can view her obituary at this link:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mcall/obituary.aspx?n=marian-burkhardt&pid=179501281&fhid=9573
Featuring our Oldest Member: A Man Who Wears Many Hats
Peter Pagotto is Lehigh Township Historical Society's oldest member, he is 97 years old, and attends most of the monthly meetings plus other special activities. Peter was born in Lehigh Township. He had three brothers and three sisters. His parents spoke Italian and German and as he grew up, he learned English and Pennsylvania Dutch. His father was a farmer and he learned how to farm from him.
He wore many hats in his lifetime - he shoed horses, learned plumbing, worked in a cement company over 20 years and farmed in the northern section of Lehigh Township. He served in World War II from 1940-1945. He was in England and went to Germany. He fought in major battles, having served with the Fourth Infantry Division of the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1945. He proudly wears his red Veteran hat with attached pins. One pin he is especially proud of is the pin he received from Rep. Julie Harhart for being a veteran.
Peter is very useful to the society. He talks about his various exploits with his past jobs. He is interested in history and most times, knows what certain objects are when they are donated. He placed stamps on envelopes to help with society mailings and adds humor to our meetings. You will usually see Peter around the township, which he knows very well, wearing his red Veteran hat.
Update: Peter Pagotto passed away on October 25, 2013 at the age of 98. You can view his obituary at this link:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tnonline/obituary.aspx?pid=167706103
He wore many hats in his lifetime - he shoed horses, learned plumbing, worked in a cement company over 20 years and farmed in the northern section of Lehigh Township. He served in World War II from 1940-1945. He was in England and went to Germany. He fought in major battles, having served with the Fourth Infantry Division of the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1945. He proudly wears his red Veteran hat with attached pins. One pin he is especially proud of is the pin he received from Rep. Julie Harhart for being a veteran.
Peter is very useful to the society. He talks about his various exploits with his past jobs. He is interested in history and most times, knows what certain objects are when they are donated. He placed stamps on envelopes to help with society mailings and adds humor to our meetings. You will usually see Peter around the township, which he knows very well, wearing his red Veteran hat.
Update: Peter Pagotto passed away on October 25, 2013 at the age of 98. You can view his obituary at this link:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tnonline/obituary.aspx?pid=167706103
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