Volunteer fire company to the rescue

            July 4th, 1946. The victory and horror of World War II was still on the tip of people's tongues as troops returning home were celebrated, those who wouldn't return

East Greenville High School's "Old Main", built in 1914 at a cost of $19,236, lacked a Gymnasium and Auditor- ium.

were mourned, and the fate of the missing left family and loved ones anxious for any news.

            It was now time to pick up at the point where everything seemingly stopped as our nation turned its full attention to the war effort.  

            One of the local projects that came to a halt in 1942 was the construction of the major addition to the East Greenville High School.  The project, begun under the Public Works Administration (PWA), was stopped as resources were redirected with the onset of the war.

            The original project was to be a completely new high school, complete with an auditorium and gymnasium, to augment the existing "Old Main" which was built in 1914.  There was no gymnasium in that building and students traveled to Third and

Students traveled (walked) to Realty Hall at Third and Main Streets in East Greenville to have physical edu- cation sessions in the large expanse on the upper floor. The hall was also used for other school and community events.

Main streets in the borough to use the expansive floor space of Realty Hall for their physical education.

            The cost of the new construction was estimated to be just short of $95,000 with 55% of the funding coming from the federal government.  The East Greenville School District floated a $50,000 bond issue to help pay for their share.

            Before work was halted by the discontinuation of the PWA, the foundation and basement of the new building were complete.

            Now, with the war over and the school district no longer contracted with Realty Hall, a gymnasium and auditorium were sorely needed, along with additional classroom space. 

            With no money to continue construction and the bonds withering in the "for sale" bin, the school district needed help.  Enter the volunteers of the East Greenville Fire Company.

            About 75 members of the fire company attended a special meeting in early July of 1946 to discuss making a donation of $25,000 to the school district and forming a "holding company" to buy up the $50,000 worth of bonds so the school could be built.

            Before it was put up for a vote, Harold Bitting, then president of the fire company, was quoted as saying, "This is a manifestation of the fire company's concern over the school district's present auditorium – gymnasium problem."

            After discussion, almost 90 percent of the members voted to approve forming a holding company for the bonds.  Nearly 70 percent voted to approve the $25,000 donation.  Once again, the volunteer fire company answered the call to help the community – only this time with dollars instead of hoses and ladders.

            In addition to a gymnasium and auditorium, the new building was intended to contain four additional classrooms, a new library, art room, science library, additional shop space, cafeteria, and administrative offices.

The new addition to the East Greenville High School was intended to have a gymnasium and auditorium, four additional classrooms, a new library, art room, science library, additional shop space, cafeteria, and administrative offices.

            New plans called for the building to be a brick structure instead of concrete.  It still stands today.

            That new building would become part of the East Greenville High School and, soon after, the Upper Perkiomen High School after the merger of seven local school districts.  By 1968 it became the Upper Perkiomen Middle School and today houses Upper Perk's 4 & 5 Center.

            All with a little help from the volunteers of the East Greenville Fire Company back in 1946.