Headlines from the Elizabethville Echo of 20 January 1927 tell of a fire which seriously damaged the Gratz school, Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on 17 January 1927.
HEAVY LOSS BY FIRE DURING PAST WEEK END
FIRE DAMAGES GRATZ SCHOOL
PUPILS ATTENDING HALF DAY SESSIONS
Fire which started in the public school building at Gratz, Monday evening about eight o’clock destroyed the roof and second floor of the building before being brought under control.
Other than the Gratz fire company the companies of Pillow, Elizabethville and Wiconisco responded to the alarm, although it was not necessary for the Elizabethville and Wiconisco companies to place streams on the blaze, and by 10:30 firemen had quenched the flames entirely.
The bell tower and roof of the building was destroyed and a large number of books damaged. The books are part of the community library which had been moved into the school building upon the completion of its remodeling last year. The ceiling and desks of the building were damaged by water, but the desks are at present being repaired and refinished. The building which was of brick construction was covered by insurance, which will cover the loss.
The school pupils are at present attending half day session, the High School and Grammar school students attending in the forenoon and lower grade pupils in the afternoon. The sessions are being held in the old school building of frame structure, wile the second building is being repaired for use by the High and Grammar school pupils.
So far, several theories for the origin of the fire have been advanced, among them being that of an overheated furnace, exploding chemicals, and the like, but evidences thus far do not point to a conclusive cause, and officials have declared the cause to be unknown, unless other evidences are revealed.
______________________________
Other, but more brief articles about the fire appeared in the Mount Carmel, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, newspapers.
From the Mount Carmel Item, 18 January 1927:
GRATZ HIGH SCHOL DESTROYED BY FLAMES
Loss Estimated at $50,000 – Overheated Stove Believed to Have Caused Blaze
(By United Press)
GRATZ, Pennsylvania, 18 January 19276 — The Gratz High School today was a mass of ruins following a fire which swept the structure last night. The loss estimated is in excess of $50,000.
It is believed that the fire was started from the stoves which are used to heat the structure and which had been left burning burning because of the severe weather of the last few days.
A frame grade school building which adjoined the High School was saved only after firemen from Lykens, Wiconisco, Elizabethville, and Pillow had been called to the scene.
From the Daily News of Mount Carmel, 19 January 1927:
The interior of the Gratz High School, a two story brick building, was destroyed by fire last night. Five fire companies assisting in fighting the flames prevented the destruction of the grammar school building a few years from the high school. The grammar school is of frame construction.
The fire, thought to have been started by an overheated stove, was was discovered by nearby residents who saw flames coming from the roof. When firemen arrived it was impossible for them to enter the burning building. None of the contents of the building was saved. Included in the property destroyed was the school library.
____________________________________
The news articles were transcribed from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.