Mohnton High School

Mohnton High School

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Knights of Pythias Hall (Blankenbiller)

In June of 1907, the School directors met and secured the second story of the Knights of Pythias Hall for a high school room. John S. McCurdy was elected principal. The first class to graduate from the institution numbered just four. Mohnton was incorporated as a Borough the following year in 1908. This was the beginning of Mohnton High School.

new Mohnton High School 1914

In February 1914 the school board submitted a proposition for borrowing $25,000 for a new school building to the voters of the then-new borough. The proposition was voted favorably for and a new building was to be erected on Chestnut Street, north of Summit St. Work began in 1914 and the halls and upper floors were completed for the 1915-1916 school term. Between the 1914-1915 and 1915-1916 school years, the total amount of pupils went from 80 to 125. Later the 8th and 7th grades were added, forming a 6 year high school.

Mohnton High School
Mohnton High School in 1937
Mohnton High School
Mohnton Elementary School 1948
Mohnton High School
Home Ec room – 1937
Mohnton High School
Senior Homeroom classroom 1937

Various additions and upgrades were added to the original building in 1931. These included recitation rooms, a library, home economics and manual training departments, and a gymnasium. Mohnton High served as the community’s Junior and Senior High School until 1953 when it merged with Brecknock, Cumru, Shillington and Kenhorst to create the Govenor Mifflin School District.

Mohnton High School

Mohnton High’s school colors were Red and Steel, and their mascot was a Panther. Their sports teams included Boy’s Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boy’s Baseball, Boy’s Track, Boy’s Soccer, Girl’s Field Hockey, Cheerleading, and a Girl’s Swim team. Clubs and other activities included Band, Orchestra, Glee Club, Dance Club, Student Council, Debate Club, a School paper called the Panther, Science Club, Drama Club and Junior Red Cross and many others.

Up on a hill-top Stands a school we all Admire
Nobly its portals in truth inspire,
we shall always cherish the days within its walls
and remember friendship it for us recalls

Mohnton, dear Mohnton, our abode of high school days
Always to Mohnton we shall sing our praise

Years passing swiftly Ne’er from our hearts shall turn
Truth and uprightness Which here we learn,
Whate’er the future, We trust we shall be
Better men and women Having learned of thee

Mohnton, dear Mohnton, our abode of high school days
Always to Mohnton we shall sing our praise

School Song
Mohnton High School
Front door to the 1931 addition
Mohnton High School
Dances and dinners in the Gymnasium 1951

The former Mohnton High School building served as the Gov. Mifflin Junior High School from the merger in 1953 until the new high school building was opened in the 1957-1958 school year. The building then became an elementary school.

Mohnton High Prom 1952 in the Gymnasium
Dance in the Mohnton High Gymnasium 1947

By 1971-72, only grades 1 to 4 were taught in the Mohnton building. Later, kindergarten children were bussed to the Cumru building and grades 4 to 6 to the new Intermediate building. The term of 1975-76 was the last one to see children winding their way to school up Chestnut Street. For awhile the old High School building stood vacant and was finally torn down in 1979.

Image from MohntonPA.com

Source: MohntonPA.com

Buy Mohnton High School Vintage Apparel

SHOP BERKS NOSTALGIA’S DEFUNCT SCHOOL COLLECTION


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[…] 1953, Brecknock, Cumru, Mohnton and Shillington consolidated their school systems to create the Governor Mifflin School District. […]


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