A More Detailed History

2014

January 3
Proposal to Girl Scouts of Eastern PA Council to save the Stanhope School from demolition was submitted by Linda Mills.

February 27
Pinegrove Historical Society Board does an inspection tour of the schoolhouse.

April 10
Stanhope School Program presented by John Ziegler at the Society's monthly program.

July 3
Pinegrove Historical Society Board votes to purchase the Stanhope School for $1 plus closing costs.

August 6
Pinegrove Historical Society takes ownership of Stanhope School with Linda Mills and Anne DiLorenzo co-chairs. Closing costs total $2,618.

October 9
Saving the One-Room School Program was Society's monthly program.

October 23 - November 8
Roof repaired with 430 volunteer hours by Team Orwigsburg at a cost of $3,381.


2015

July
Tina Keefer takes over as co-chair and Keith Copeland designs logo and T-shirt designs.

May – August
Kutztown University history major intern, Christopher Cooper researches and writes a paper on the some of the former students.

August - September
Exterior wood replaced by Larry Hoffman, Phil Hoffman, Donny Hoffman and exterior painting by Ken Snyder.

September
Acquired 1883-1893 Stanhope School Teacher’s Record from Nancy Yocum Schaeffer.

December 2015 - March 2016
Brad Bowers, Pine Grove Boy Scout Troop 611, Eagle Scout Project to prepare the interior for restoration and run new electric wiring at a cost of $868 using 25 volunteers providing a total of 423 volunteer hours. Dave Thompson served as a consultant for this project. PPL volunteers Joe Lescavage and Rick Madiera connect new electric service.

2016

August - October 2016
Jeremy McGrath of Pine Grove Boy Scout Troop 611 completed his Eagle Scout project by installing insulation in the walls, new drywall to the walls and ceiling. 

2017

March 2017
Students Luke Cline, Gina Naseef, Gino Pambianchi, and Hannah Faber of the Kutztown University Communication Design Department updated the Stanhope School logo, designed a brochure, two posters, and business cards during the 24-hour Designathon event.

May - July 2017
George Stralkus, Mike Galavage, Jane Kruse, and Janet Krammes spackled, sanded, and painted the interior walls and ceiling. Solar Innovations installed a two-sided glass enclosure to show off a section of the original wall. Girl Scout Troop 70002 from Myerstown assisted with sanding and painting trim providing 65 volunteer hours of the 400 volunteer hours this season.

July 6 and July 22, 2017
First "Restoration in Progress" open house events held to celebrate the third year of restoration work.

2018
George Stralkus, Mike Galavage, Jane Kruse restore the two coatrooms and flooring under the stove.

2019
May - August
For the first time since restoration began, the windows were able to be opened after George Stralkus and Jane Kruse restored the interior windows.

September 15
Former Stanhope students Janet Lengel Miller, Patricia Lengel Weckle, Betty Zimmerman Wolf and John Ziegler attend "Restoration in Progress" event and reminisced with Wes Cipolla from the Pottsville Republican Herald. That story became part of an Associated Press story published in more than 108 newspapers across the United States.

2020
The COVID pandemic stops restoration efforts except for having several trees removed in preparation for future landscaping and parking lot work.

2021
June-November
Restoration continued with the floor being scrubbed and polyurethane coated, two blackboards being painted with chalkboard paint until slate can be installed, interior doors put back in place, and the stove cover put back in place thanks to Linda Mills, Jane Kruse, George Stralkus, Mike Galavage, Kevin Derfler, Scott Derfler, John Bebelheimer, and Steve Sholl. 

August
Historical research began using student information from the 1883-1893 Teacher's Book /Attendance Record; issues of the Schuylkill County Herald (1870s-1880s), Pinegrove Herald (1880s-1930s), and Press-Herald (1930s-1950s); and information on the village of Stanhope. Cheryl Schneck and Linda Mills continue to work on this research. 

September 1
A new website and Instagram page, and updated Facebook page went live. It was developed by Mike Moyer with the assistance of Tina Keefer and Linda Mills.

September 26
Annual Restoration in Progress open house event held. This event resulted in the acquisition of a picture of students outside the original brick school, two pictures of students outside the current school, a picture and memorabilia from 1892-93 teacher Elias Berger, and Teacher's Monthly Reports books from 1911-1921.

December 12 - The original schoolhouse bell is moved from Camp Wood Haven to the schoolhouse by Kevin Derfler, Scott Derfler, John Bebelheimer, and Steve Sholl. 

2022
March - August
Terry Winters researched old newspapers, inventoried and arranged books.

April 1
Students Sharea Freeman, Madison Stearns, and Rylee Gavlick of the Kutztown University Communication Design Department designed a secondary Stanhope School logo; designed new merchandise items; updated the brochure, posters, and business cards during the 12-hour Designathon event.

August 13
Grand Re-Opening Celebration attracted 57 individuals, including five Stanhope alumni.  Ribbon cutting participants were, Linda Mills, Chair; Tina Keefer, Co-Chair; John Ziegler, Stanhope alumnus; Jane Kruse and George Stralkus, Stanhope volunteers; Susan McCartney and Dave Thompson, Team Orwigsburg representatives.

September 17
Inaugural public education program, "Stories from the Stanhope Schoolhouse", was presented by Stanhope alumni Gertrude Lengel Pezzoni, Janet Lengel Miller, Patricia (Patsy) Lengel Weckle, and John Ziegler. They shared first hand accounts of attending the schoolhouse, life during that time, and what they have done since leaving the school. The event had pre-event coverage by WNEP - Channel 16 who aired a 2 1/2 minute interview with project chair Linda Mills. The Pottsville Republican Herald printed a front page pre-event story and followed up with a post event story.

2023

January - Kutztown University Elementary Education major Reanna Reynolds begins an independent study course with History Department faculty advisor Dr. Robert Reynolds. Her project is to research one-room school education and develop experimental lesson plans for 4th grade students.

May - September - This was the first year the Schoolhouse was open from May until September for Museum hours and in May, June, and September for educational programs.

May 20 - Education - Past, Present, and Future
Education has gone from one-room schools with no electric to virtual lessons during the COVID pandemic. We learned how education has changed from when the Stanhope Schoolhouse was open to present day and where educators see education in Pennsylvania going in the future. Presented by Heath Renninger, Superintendent Pine Grove Area School District.

July 15 - Iron Gall Ink
How did a wasp, a tree, and some iron sulfide enable Western Civilization to be documented? Before ball point pens, many of the most important documents in history depended upon using a unique permanent ink made from these unlikely ingredients. We learned the fascinating history of Iron Gall Ink that was used in everything from the Declaration of Independence to everyday writing and schoolwork. Presented by Cynthia Barbedette 

September 23 - Then & Now - From Patchwork to Precuts!
Everything has evolved over time including quilting. Methods are now streamlined so there’s no need to trace paper templates and cut out pieces individually – unless we want to! We learned how newer techniques have opened this creative opportunity for everyone! Presented by Cyndi Hershey, Quilt Education and Development Director Kutztown Folk Festival