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Heidelberg Township School Houses

The first school of the township was connected with the Heidelberg Church. Some of the early teachers were: Thaerges Lupp (1170-80), Joseph Fulton, Jost Heinrich Miller (1780), and Ferdinand Berkemeyer.

The first English school of the township was started at Saegersville in 1823. This building was one story, built of logs. It was in use until 1880. Two of the early teachers for this school were John Brown (one armed) and William Lester, a Quaker, who came from Germantown. Later, in 1884, Heidelberg township had ten school districts. In each district there was a school house. With four exceptions, these were built in 1855, the expense being met with funds bequeathed by Frederick Miller. These exceptions were the Haak’s, Water Pond, Central, and Church Schools. All of the schools were one story, with one room, except for Kemmerer’s which has two rooms, addition made in 1903. Saegersville, Germansville, Pleasant Corner, Mantz’s, Kemmerer’s, Peter’s, Haak’s, and Water Pond were continued frame buildings until 1877 when brick buildings were substituted.

Edna Hill (1910-1990), a 1928 graduate of Kutztown Normal school, taught in several one-room schoolhouses in the Heidelberg Township area, including Heidelberg Church School, Saegersville School and the Jim Peters School.

Download a map (PDF) of the locations of the schools.

Water Pond School
District or School #9, was originally a frame building built for a cost of $800. This school was operated jointly with Lowhill township.

Water Pond School Momento Water Pond School
Above: Souvenir momento from Water Pond School.

Pleasant Corner School
District or School #6, was originally a frame building built in 1855 for a cost of $800.

Central School
District or School #10, constructed of brick in 1883 for a cost of $2,000. Vacant since 1905.

Germansville one-room schoolGermansville School
District or School #3, was originally a frame building built in 1855 for a cost of $800.

Right: c. 1900 photograph of the Germansville one-room school. The brick came from the Neff’s brick yard and the original potbelly stove was bough from tinsmiths William Adams and John Hail for $8. The building served as a school until it was closed in the mid-1950s, when all the one-room schools were closed. Many of the original fixtures and out buildings still remain, including the inside closets, slate board and coal shed, and one of the outhouses. The coal shed was turned into a shelter for goats who chewed on portions of the outside of the shed.

Photograph courtesy of local residents and can be found, along with more in the book, Images of America: Northwestern Lehigh County.

Mantz’s School
District or School #1, was originally a frame building built in 1855 for a cost of $800.

Haak’s School
District or School #8, was originally a frame building built for a cost of $800.

Haak's School House

Above: Photo Haak’s School House Bar from 2012. Courtesy of Gregg Obst.

Kemmerer’s School
Also known as Harter’s, District or School #2, was originally a frame building built in 1855 for a cost of $800.

Kemmerer's School Momento Kemmerer's School
Above: Mid-1920’s photograph of Kemmerer’s School shows children and teacher outside for recess.
Above: Momento of school days at Kemmerer’s School 1923-1924 was prepared and given to each student in the school. It shows a picture of the teacher, Floyd Schmick, and lists all the students as well as the school board. Photographs courtesy of local residents and can be found, along with more in the book, Images of America: Northwestern Lehigh County.

Saegersville School
District or School #4, was originally a frame building built in 1855 for a cost of $800.

Saegersville School Souvenir Saegersville School Souvenir
Above: Souvenir momento from Saegersville School.

Heidelberg Lutheran ChurchChurch School
District or School #5, constructed of brick in 1881, for a cost of $2,000.

The present-day Fellowship Hall of Heidelberg Church (pictured at right) served as a schoolroom from 1882 until the consolidation of the Northwestern Lehigh School District in 1951. From 1959 to 1962, a building project to increase classroom space was under way. The old schoolhouse was connected to the church with an addition to the west end of the building, and a narthex and porch were added to the front of the church. This is the current structure.

Peter’s School
District or School #7, was originally a frame building built in 1855 for a cost of $800.

Peter's School
Above: Peter’s School Class from 1927-1928