History of Browndale, PA
Prior to 1905 on the Eaton Tract purchased and laid out by H. W. Brown, one lone house, Yonchers, later owned by Louis Orehek, stood like a sentinel scanning the opposite hillside which was occupied by the fast-growing community of Forest City. It was soon followed by the O’Neill Hotel which formaly stood on the site of Al’s Service Station (now gone). The hotel added to the convenience of the picnickers who were attracted to the beauty of the ideal area first known as Browntown.
The following year (1906) was decidedly a “boom” for constructors. It was then that many additional homes were built for the following families (listed alphabetically). BABER, later occupied by Mrs. Cimochowski; A. DRASLER — Mrs. Johanna Drasler; J. DRASLER — R. Ravnikar; FINCE — Mrs. Mary Ostanek; GRAZEL — P. Derk; GRUDEN—Zaitz; A. HARVATINE—J. Nagoda; J. HARVATINE—Barber Shop; KASTELLIC — R. Fitzsimmons; KRAUSS — Miskavage; NOGRASEK — Gersic; OPEKA — “Noger”; RUDOLPH — Mrs. Mary Nagoda; SHAMRO — Poha: SHEROSICK — A. Rokavic; SUPONSHEK — J. Blodnikar; and YORKE -- Yorke. Subsequently, other homes were built and occupied by large families, chiefly of Yugoslav descent, whose children trudged to school at Forest City by way of a foot bridge across the Lackawanna River. This bridge terminated at the former site of the Erie Freight Station at the foot of Grand Avenue.
For more photos of Browndale see Eileen Backofen photo index page.
The following year (1906) was decidedly a “boom” for constructors. It was then that many additional homes were built for the following families (listed alphabetically). BABER, later occupied by Mrs. Cimochowski; A. DRASLER — Mrs. Johanna Drasler; J. DRASLER — R. Ravnikar; FINCE — Mrs. Mary Ostanek; GRAZEL — P. Derk; GRUDEN—Zaitz; A. HARVATINE—J. Nagoda; J. HARVATINE—Barber Shop; KASTELLIC — R. Fitzsimmons; KRAUSS — Miskavage; NOGRASEK — Gersic; OPEKA — “Noger”; RUDOLPH — Mrs. Mary Nagoda; SHAMRO — Poha: SHEROSICK — A. Rokavic; SUPONSHEK — J. Blodnikar; and YORKE -- Yorke. Subsequently, other homes were built and occupied by large families, chiefly of Yugoslav descent, whose children trudged to school at Forest City by way of a foot bridge across the Lackawanna River. This bridge terminated at the former site of the Erie Freight Station at the foot of Grand Avenue.
For more photos of Browndale see Eileen Backofen photo index page.
HISTORY OF THE BROWNDALE SCHOOL
HISTORY OF THE BROWNDALE SCHOOL
As the new village of Browndale continued to expand, the Clinton Township School Directors, namely F.C. Griswold, F.W. Bennett, S.A. Snedeker, W.M. Norton, R.H. Clift, and Charles Buckland were confronted with the urgent need for a schoolhouse. At a special meeting on June 15, 1907, and at subsequent meetings, plans were made to erect a two-story building, 44’ by 36’ whose upper story was to remain unfinished. On August 3, 1907, G.H. Knapp and G.G. Gaylord signed a contract to construct a school on lots 1,2,3, and 4 which had been purchased from H.W. Brown for $350.00 The lower story of this building was to be completed within 60 days providing the proper lengths of lumber cold be obtained. The cost of the building was to be $2527.
One of the laborers in the construction of the new school, seventeen year old Claude Arnold, a graduate of the Clinton High School, Class of 1907, without training or experience, was hired to organize and to teach the community’s 30 school age children ranging from first to sixth grade. There was little need for instruction past the sixth grade since most pupils discontinued their schooling at that age to seek employment in the nearby coal mines, coal breaker, or the silk mill. Mr. Arnold received a salary of $40 a month.
Those first days, following the opening of school on October 14, 1907, one week later than scheduled, were trying, indeed, to both the teacher and the majority of the new entrants to whom English was a “foreign” language. Those who had previously attended school in Forest City experienced difficulty adjusting to a somewhat rural environment. Certainly, the improvised long, plank desks with their accompanying crude benches upon which the children sat to study were no match for the ones recently surrendered at Forest City. These temporary circumstances were remedied upon the late arrival of the new furnishings, and the acclimation of the somewhat frustrated scholars of the time. The second room of the school was put into use in 1911.
When school closed on May 11, 1914, the enrollment in the lower grades was 65, and that of the upper grades was 63. The Board was again faced with the problem of expansion. Failing to find a location for another school, the Directors decided to build an addition to the original structure. The contract was awarded to the E.A. Bloxham firm. The new third room, according to the State’s demands, was to accommodate not more than 40 pupil enrollment during any one term. The room was made ready for occupancy on November 16, 1914. A fourth room was added the following year.
A bell was installed in the cupola in 1916 as an added improvement, and in 1918, electric lights were installed in the downstairs rooms. During the same year, the upstairs hallway was converted into a fifth classroom in order to meet the overflow in the enrollment until new quarters could be made available. Upon recommendation of County Superintendent J.J. Koehler to expand the present structure, the Holt Lumber Company was awarded the contract on June 5, 1920, to annex another two-story extension with only the first floor to be completed. The second floor, or sixth classroom, was not completed, however, until September 13, 1922. The health and sanitation conditions were greatly improved in 1925 with the installation of an indoor lavatory system by E.A. Bloxham.
Although a seventh teacher was added to the staff in 1925, classrooms were still overcrowded. Enrollment in the majority of rooms was over 60 pupils; moreover, in one room there was 71 pupils enroll during the term. These conditions continued until 1928 when two additional teachers were finally hired to alleviate the burden endured by the other instructors. Since there were insufficient classrooms to accommodate the increase in both pupils and staff members, four groups were forced to operate with half-day sessions until new quarters could be acquired. An entirely separate, two-room building was erected on an area, obtained from the D & H Company, eastward from the village along Route 247. Dominic Franceski firm, having been awarded the contract on August 29, 1928, completed the structure in time for the opening of a school in September, 1929.
It may be of interest to note at this time that, after attaining the its peak in 1927 with 362 pupils, the enrollment began a gradual decline. Despite this fact, and for reasons of economy, the Ninth Grade, or first year of High School, was established in 1933. Incidentally, most of the Second Grade and some of the First Grade children included in the 1927 group picture in this quadrennial, were the first graduates of Browndale High School, Class of 1934. Their additional three years were completed at Forest City High School. Accommodations for this higher group was were made in the “new” building as a result of a vacancy caused by an elementary class. The High School continued to occupy these quarters until further economy forced the close of the “new” school. The Ninth Grade was transferred then to the old building, only to be discontinued entirely in 1943.
Since there was no further use for the second school, the Board advertised for its sale in December, 1940. Upon petition of the village taxpayer, the building was retained until it sold to the Browndale Hose Company in September, 1944. Later it was leased to the G. I. School of Carpentry. On April 17, 1951, a fire of undetermined origin, completely destroyed the structure.
As the school enrollment continue this decline, partly due to the lack of industry in the vicinity, and partly, to the smaller family units, the teaching staff dropped from eight in 1939 to two in 1947.The two-room organization was continued to date.
By 1948 extensive repairs were needed on the “now – too – large” building. The Board accepted Floyd Chapman’s plan for alterations was included the dismantlement of the 1907 section of the school. As a result, the quite inadequate playground area was enlarged considerably.
In 1949 a music instructor was engaged to serve in that capacity, for half a day each week. To improve the lighting, fluorescent fixtures were furnished in 1952. The climax in improvements occurred in 1955 in the form of the installation of a steam heating system for the downstairs section of the building.
With funds raised by the pupils from the sale of magazines, seeds, gelatin dessert, and from the proceeds from the production of an operetta in 1952 and two special repeat performances in 1953, and the production of a minstrel in 1957, the school purchased various pieces of more modern equipment, namely, a small radio, a 1952 transcription player with the quantity of recordings included classics, a 1952 filmstrip projector and a special daylight screen with a tripod stand toward which the school Board made it grant of $60, a library of 52 filmstrips which cover a wide variety of subjects, a variety of rhythm band instruments, and a 1955 spirit-type duplicator - not mentioning a large library of books both fact and fiction, on the various subjects in the curriculum.
The school continued in use educating students in grades 1 through 8, four grades to a room, with two teachers, until the early 1960’s when the school was closed and the Browndale children once again joined the Forest City school system.
Subsequent to closing, the school was purchased by the Browndale Sportsmen's Club. For a time a garment factory and a sign factory operated in the building. It has since been razed, and a new structure, built on the original foundation, was erected by the Sportsmen, and later sold.
Browndale School 1916 picture above, was taken from the website of Eileen Backofen in Honor of her father Frank Paukstis. To visit her website click on the above photo. The site has many photos of the Browndale area and its people.