Genealogical Gems

  I graduated Octorara Area High School on 7 June 1987. Octorara is located on the Lancaster/Chester County Line, along Route 41.     The lamp symbolizes the lamp of knowledge. The shaft of wheat symbolizes the agricultural background of the community. The chains represent the municipalities that make up the school district. The arrows represent the Native Americans who once lived throughout the area. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Pennsylvania State University (PSU) was founded On This Day in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania . It was known as Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania from 1855 to 1862 when it became the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania. The name changed to Pennsylvania State College in 1874 and became PSU in 1953. The school is located in State College , Pennsylvania .   On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Yesterday I featured John and Catharine Eckman in my Tombstone Tuesday post . Since several of the children are buried with them and listed on the same stone, I included mention of all 11 children in the post. One of my girls read it and asked why so many never got married. Three of the four unmarried sisters were all teachers.   Teaching was one job at that time that was acceptable for ladies to do but it involved more than just teaching. Teachers then were expected to be role models. To my 16 year old girls this concept of them not marrying because they were teachers is foreign. I have been at this long enough that I never gave it a second thought. So today, on Workday Wednesday, I thought I would focus on the Eckman sisters.   The sisters are: Clara (1858-1927) never married Dora H. (1861-1882) never married. Died at age 21. Margaret Estella (1863-1939) married Lewis Eckman on 25 October 1894. Martha Ann (1865-1924) never married Winona Sue (1873-1950) ne...

  Second grade with Sr. Mary Devota. Coatesville Area Catholic Elementary School. Coatesville, Chester County. 1976-77

First grade at St. Cecilia's in the Coatesville Area Catholic Elementary School. The school has moved outside of Coatesville now.

  Kindergarten 1974-75 Craig Ridgway School (used to be located at 356 Charles Street, Coatesville, PA)   First row: Cindy Mickel, Tim Glauner, John Long, Robert Cummings, Patricia Anderson, Antoinette Carter, Jeffrey Crisswell, Ross Bickering. Middle row: Wendy Russell,  Brenda O'Neill, Romont Jones, Eric Myers, Carol Prekup, Jonathan Barnes. Back row: Eric Taylor, John MacDougal, Marquette Trice, ME, Stacey Osborne, Joseph Bowman and Mrs. Hadley.