History Spotlight
William Culbertson's School by Doug Humes
The newly renovated Culbertson School in 2021 Photo courtesy of the Marple Newtown School District
Welcoming back the students in tumultuous times Photo courtesy of the Marple Newtown School District
Too often, one generation commemorates its heroes and the next generation forgets them. We name roads and parks for people who were instrumental in their creation, and then while the name continues, the memory disappears. So it’s good for each generation to refresh its memory by remembering the people who created foundations upon which subsequent generations have built. Such is the case with Culbertson School, the only public elementary school in Newtown Township.
William Samuel Culbertson, Sr., moved to Newtown at age 4 and lived his life here. His occupation was bus driver and railwayman, but he was a jack of all trades, and volunteered in the community. He served on the School Board from 1919–1947, and was the Treasurer for most of that time. He successfully navigated the shoals of the Great Depression, preserving school funds intact, and securing Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects such as the expansion of the high school, which brought funds and jobs to the community. He was a Republican committeeman from 1928 until his death in 1947. He served as the Township Roadmaster from 1929–1947: He as “a one-man snow-plow operation.” He
The Baby Boom brought lots of families to Newtown in the 1950s. The Alice Grim School was bursting at its seams, and new facilities were needed. Twelve acres were acquired on Goshen Road, and a new school was built and dedicated on January 18, 1959. The sign outside proclaimed its name: Culbertson School. But who was Culbertson?
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