CHESTNUT STREET SCHOOL

Bell tower as seen above the school located on Chestnut Street in 1902.		Class behind Chestnut Street School in 1880.

Rockhill Township originally built and maintained the first Perkasie school building. The school was originally called East Rockhill Elementary School. This building is located at what is today 509 Chestnut Street in Perkasie. The Borough of Perkasie purchased the school in 1879. At this time it was a one room, one story brick building. During the second year of operation there was an enrollment of fifty-seven pupils. Expenses of operating the first term of the Borough of Perkasie School amounted to $238.98

In 1883 an additional room was added and the building was used as a school until 1893 when it was sold. After the school closed it was used as a cigar factory, furniture store, grocery store, a variety store, boarding house, tire shop, and office building. Today this building serves as an apartment building.

The first teacher, Ephraim Kratz was paid a salary of $28.00 a month. In 1880 fifty-seven students were enrolled. In 1890 the school year was lengthened to eight months for the primary class and the primary teacher's salary was set at $30.00 per month. The grammar class had a nine month term and the grammar salary's teacher was $42.00 per month.

In this photo the brick building is still recognizable.		This is how the building appears today. New siding has been recently added.