The following letter was written by Paul G. Lubold regarding an error in an article that appeared in the Upper Dauphin Sentinel (Millersburg, Pennsylvania), that stated that the Kessler School closed in 1953. The Kessler School was also known as the Erdman School, Erdman, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
School House Closed in ’58
Dear Editor:
I have been reading, with keen interest, your recent series of articles featuring homes and buildings that are a part of the Gratz Historical Society’s tour. Of special interest was the entry on October 5, “Erdman School House is Part of Tour.”
Since I attended three years of classes at Kessler’s School in Erdman, I feel compelled to clarify a point which was made in the column. Kessler School did not close its doors to student education until the conclusion of the 1957-1958 school year (not 1953 as stated). In fact, I began the educational process as a first grade student in September of 1953 at Kessler School. During that first year, grades one through eight were housed in the tiny one-room school. The teacher was Mrs. Russell Hoffman [Edna Hoffman] of Gratz, a position she held until the school closed in 1958.
in 1954, with the formation of the Upper Dauphin School District, Kessler School structure was altered to consist of only grades four through six. I completed the fifth grade at Kessler School during the 1957-1958 school year, whereupon the little one-room schoolhouse’s bell rang for the final time.
I feel indeed privileged to have had the opportunity to participate in a piece of history, and I will long remember and cherish those days at Kessler School.
Sincerely,
Paul G. Lubold
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.