Retrospective Exhibit

The first high school in Williamsport was organized in 1869; 13 pupils from existing grammar schools were selected to attend. Grammar school teachers objected to losing their best pupils and the public objected to the added expense. The three-year course of study for high school included algebra, chemistry, physiology, and natural philosophy.

The course of study was extended to four years in 1873.

The first Williamsport High School building was constructed on the southeast corner of Third and Walnut Streets in 1887.

By 1900, the high school had 370 students and 11 teachers.

In 1910, the high school began offering basic industrial classes in wood shop and metal shop.

Construction of a new high school building began in 1913.

The old school burned down April 4, 1914.

The new Williamsport High School opened on West Third Street. The school included a small industrial arts shop – the first of its kind in the state – offering woodworking and machining.

Because local lumber and woodworking industries were in a boom period, woodworking was the most popular course offered from 1914-20.

The first adult full-time day school and an evening industrial school were established. Pattern making, automotive and electrical courses were added to the curriculum, providing expanded opportunities for retraining WWI veterans, many of them disabled. A cooperative work-study industrial course for students over 16 years of age began. By 1920, 48 local companies were using co-op students.

Evening conferences in foremanship training, co-sponsored by the school district and local Chamber of Commerce, were started to meet the rising demand for supervisors in area industries. In the first four years, 150 foremen from 20 plants took the evening training course.

A Williamsport Chamber of Commerce survey of local industries revealed that while unemployment continued to rise, there was a concurrent increase in the shortage of skilled workers. The high school was chosen to design a retraining program for the unemployed. Working in cooperation with several agencies, the school developed a plan to screen, train and place unemployed workers. The first experimental class was enrolled in 1931. The successful result, "The Williamsport Plan," gained national acclaim.

To remedy the shortage of truck drivers revealed by the 1930 survey, the high school borrowed trucks to begin the first truck-driving course in the United States. Out of this course grew the driver-training curriculum, which was later offered in high schools nationwide.

Civilian Conservation Corps and National Youth Administration workers were trained by the Williamsport Area School District and then Williamsport Technical Institute.

Industrial training shops were moved from the high school building to new industrial units on Susquehanna Street. A new wing was added to the high school building, containing 20 classrooms and a small theater.

The Works Project Administration began construction of a gymnasium across the street from the high school building. The new gymnasium was dedicated in 1937.

On May 21 – 11 days after the Nazis invaded Holland and Belgium – the Board of Directors of Williamsport School District established a special Emergency Training Commission to adapt the vocational program to meet defense needs. On June 14, the program for defense industry training began to operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Williamsport was among the first schools to adapt an existing vocational program to meet war needs.

The high school vocational and adult education programs merged to form Williamsport Technical Institute.

Dr. George Parkes was first director of W.T.I., which enrolled 6,500 and operated 24/7 in support of World War II efforts.

Anticipating the rising importance of the airplane and the need for skilled aviation technicians, the Aviation Shop was instituted at the airport in Montoursville. It was the first instructional shop in the United States to be set up at an airport.

The famous "Line 48" experiment (one step in the manufacture of the Lycoming R-680 engine) began. Lycoming Division of the Aviation Manufacturing Corporation (Avco) wanted to train disabled workers for assembly line war production. W.T.I. worked with several agencies to set up the entire assembly line at the school. The disabilities of the men had to be carefully studied so that each could be matched with the right machine. When Line 48 became an efficient unit, machinery, workers and school staff moved to the Lycoming plant. This experience prepared W.T.I. staff for retraining disabled veterans after World War II.

How to Operate a Lathe, a book by W.T.I. faculty member John Shuman, was published; it was used nationwide to teach lathe operators.

Clyde M. Ludwig became the first student to attend W.T.I. on the GI bill.

W.T.I. adopted the "Watsontown Plan," allowing students from area schools with no vocational education facilities to spend two weeks at W.T.I. learning a vocation and two weeks in their respective schools taking regular classes.

The institute's agricultural education program was developed under the leadership of James Bressler.

Dr. Parkes left his position at W.T.I. to serve as the superintendent of the Williamsport School District until his retirement in 1958.

The institute's Vocational Diagnostic Program was established. Students were enrolled for four weeks, during which they received guidance, counseling and opportunities to test their abilities in real, hands-on work in various shops. The United Mine Workers was one of the first organizations to enroll their workers in this program.

Dr. Kenneth Carl became the second director of W.T.I.

Due to its growing international reputation, W.T.I. was officially approved to train foreign students.

The Williamsport Chamber of Commerce formed the Industrial Development Committee to attract new industry to the area. Some companies' decisions to relocate to Williamsport were a direct result of W.T.I.'s training programs.

Total W.T.I. enrollment was 2,000 students; 68 teachers were employed at the high school and 85 teachers at the technical institute.

The Community College Act was enacted, authorizing local communities to petition the Pennsylvania State Board of Education to sponsor and establish community colleges.

Aviation course enrolls first woman, Edna Day.

Williamsport Technical Institute became Williamsport Area Community College, the second community college established in Pennsylvania. Classes began Sept. 7.

1,000 books were moved out of the Williamsport High School Library and into leased space at 1223 West Fourth St., a former Laundromat. After two years, the W.A.C.C. library moved again, into leased space in the Rishel Building at 1201 West Third Street.

When a new Williamsport High School was constructed at 2990 West Fourth Street, W.A.C.C. acquired the former Williamsport High School building on West Third Street.

The Herman T. Schneebeli Earth Science Center is dedicated in Allenwood.

Dr. Carl retired as president of W.A.C.C.

Dr. William Feddersen became the second president of W.A.C.C.

The Career Development Center was established at W.A.C.C.

The W.A.C.C. Foundation, Inc. was established to raise funds to support college programs.

Dr. Robert Breuder became the third president of W.A.C.C.

The new Learning Resources Center opened providing a permanent on-campus home for the library as well as classrooms and laboratories.

Veronica M. Muzic earned the College's first Master Teacher Award.

Local school districts ended sponsorship of W.A.C.C. Because the community college system required local sponsorship, the future of the institution was in jeopardy.

The City of Williamsport agreed to become the sole sponsor of W.A.C.C. on a temporary basis, while College officials pursued a permanent solution to the sponsorship crisis.

Governor Robert P. Casey signed legislation on July 1, transforming W.A.C.C. into Pennsylvania College of Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Pennsylvania State University.

A one-year planning grant from the National Science Foundation served as the basis for the development of the College's Technology Transfer Center, which became operational this year; in later years, it became known as Workforce Development & Continuing Education.

The College purchased the Capitol Theatre in downtown Williamsport and began a campaign for community support to develop a Community Arts Center.

Interface, a sculpture by alumnus Frederick T. Gilmour, was dedicated to honor all College alumni.

Penn College held the first public demonstration of its complete Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) process in its "factory of the future" in the Advanced Technology and Health Sciences Center; the event was believed to be the first time an American college achieved such a demonstration of industrial-scale equipment linking multiple CIM components. The College also was selected as one of 11 colleges and universities in the nation to participate in IBM's Manufacturing Industrial Fellowship Program.

Penn College – one of 95 colleges selected from among 540 competing in the highly competitive "Title III" program – earned a $2.5 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Strengthening Institution's Program; the grant set in motion an "educational revolution" for technology-based instructional projects.

Penn College became a four-year institution with the offering of its first Bachelor of Science degrees in construction management, dental hygiene, manufacturing engineering technology, plastics and polymer engineering technology, and welding and fabrication engineering technology.

CBS Evening News aired a national broadcast from the Penn College campus on the subject of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The piece focused on inconsistencies in the government's handling of work retraining resources and featured Penn College as an example of how retraining programs can work for adults who lose their jobs after factory closings.

The first Penn College Bachelor of Science award was presented to John Upcraft, of State College, who earned a degree in manufacturing engineering technology after transferring from Penn State.

Kathryn Wentzel Lumley Aviation Center opened at the regional airport in Montoursville.

Alvin C. Bush Campus Center was opened as a facility to provide student services, recreation, and meeting space.

Community Arts Center opened in downtown Williamsport following an $11 million restoration and reconstruction of the former Capitol Theatre.

Penn College's Tech Prep Consortium – the largest in the U.S. – was directly impacting more than half of the state's public school districts by integrating education to better prepare students for technology-based careers of the future.

Plastics Manufacturing Center opened to serve the needs of Pennsylvania businesses in one of the nation's fastest growing industries.

Penn College was named the worldwide Textron Lycoming Authorized Training Center, providing training for domestic and international customers and employees.

Students, faculty, and staff completed the Victorian House on campus. Designed to provide hospitality for College guests, the building was an historic design using modern features.

Dr. Breuder announced plans to leave the College after 17 years as president.

Dr. Davie Jane Gilmour became the second president of Penn College.

With plans to expand the campus to Maynard Street, the College purchased the former PBI industrial site and the adjacent Campus View Apartments.

Alumni Relations Office was established.

Advanced Automotive Technology Center opened on Wahoo Drive to provide labs for alternative fuels, emission testing, engine and chassis performance, and motorsports.

Last train ran through campus on March 31, 1999

New, main entrance to campus, opening onto Maynard Street, was dedicated.

New Field House was dedicated.

Earth Science Center was rededicated following an extensive renovation.

"Diamond 10" celebration marked 10 years as a Penn State affiliate and 85 years of education on the Williamsport campus. The family of Dr. George H. Parks, founding director of W.T.I., joined Dr. Kenneth E. Carl, founding president of W.A.C.C., for a Diamond 10 Anniversary Open House.<br/> <a href="diamond.htm#ajax" rel="box" title="Diamond 10 Year Penn College Anniversary">Read more.</a>

Student & Administrative Services, dedicated this year, became the first point of contact and a single point of reference for prospective students and their families.

Rose Street Apartments, dedicated in the fall, joined The Village at Penn College, College West and Campus View Apartments, providing on-campus student residences.

College Avenue Laboratories – with facilities for collision repair, automated manufacturing, civil engineering, and surveying – opened in the former HON manufacturing building at the west side of campus.

According to a Penn State commissioned study, Penn College contributed more than $455 million to the state economy.

Klump Academic Center was re-dedicated following a $9 million renovation. A time capsule was sealed in the northeast corner of the first floor of the building.

Roger and Peggy Madigan Library, valued at $17 million, was opened; the library provides seating for 1,000 students and patrons.

The highest form of recognition for Penn College faculty was renamed the Veronica M. Muzic Master Teacher Award in honor of the retiring vice president for academic affairs/provost, who served more than 30 years as a member of the faculty and administration.

Center for Business & Workforce Development opened; the center includes facilities for Workforce Development & Continuing Education and other agencies supporting industry and innovation, as well as laboratories for electronics and computer engineering technology.

James Everett Logue Popular Reading Room was dedicated in Madigan Library.

Richard J. Weilminster Arboretum was dedicated at the Schneebeli Earth Science Center.

North Campus celebrated its 25th anniversary.

According to a Penn State commissioned study, Penn College contributed more than $543 million to the state economy.