1873 Freehold map
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Daniel
Coxe Memorial School was opened in 1896. The black and white photo on
the far left shows the original school building. In 1913 the school was
enlarged to accommodate a growing student population. The color picture
at near left shows the larger school and includes some landscaping. The
school is now gone, and in its place is a Senior Center.
The Freeland High School building shown at right was built
in 1922, on property located at the intersection of Dewey and Johnson
streets. A green (not red?) felt sweater badge with a home-made look
is also shown here, dated 1935. In 1966 the Hazleton Area School District
was formed, and students from Foster Township and St. Ann's High Schools
were transferred to Freeland High. Freeland High School was torn down in
1973.Foster Township High School was opened in Woodside in 1912, joining the elementary school that was already there. A new high school building was built in 1936-1937. I'll add a picture of Foster, and more information, when I can - if you have a photo that you'd be willing to share a copy of, please let me know.
The Mining & Mechanical Institute (MMI) was first opened
in Drifton in 1879. After a devastating fire in 1888, the school reopened
in temporary quarters in the Birkbeck Block on Centre Street just above
Main Street, in 1893. A new school building, shown at left, was completed
in late 1902. According to the 11th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica,
MMI was modelled after the German Steigerschulen, with elementary
and secondary departments and a night school for workmen. The school
was gradually transformed into a college preparatory school, and was recently
renovated and expanded.
Sophia Coxe, wife of Eckley B. Coxe, thought that some
sort of extra education was also needed for girls in the Freeland area.
She founded an Industrial School for Girls, which was later called The
Loyalty Club or The Girls' Loyalty Club. This was a bit like a finishing
school, where local girls could learn some of the 'womanly arts' such as
various crafts and needle arts as well as cooking and deportment. This building
was later donated by the Coxe Estate, in memory of Sophia Coxe, for
a new church that was being formed in 1937, Ss. Peter & Paul's Eastern
Greek Catholic Church. The building still stands today, although it has been
modified and expanded to accommodate the needs of the parish.
The original
St. Ann's school and convent were built in Woodside in 1883. A new St.
Ann's Parochial School and convent were built on Chestnut St. in 1929.
After serving the parish for many years, the high school closed in 1966,
and the elementary school closed five years later. Another parochial
school, St. Mary's Greek Catholic School on Fern Street, was built sometime
before 1921 -- it is listed in a borough directory in 1921. I'll add
a picture of it when I can. In 1984 a new parish center for St. Mary's
was dedicated on the site of the old school.
There were
numerous other small schools in Freeland and the surrounding area. Shown
here are the Sandy Run School (near right) and the Jeddo School (far right).
Other photos will be added here as I find them.