IN Peters Township August/September 2018 | Page 46

New PTHS
Rendering of the Overall
Exterior of the new PTHS building
BREAKS GROUND
The current Peters Township High School building
turns 50 this year as the district moves forward with
construction of a new high school building.
BY NICOLE TAFE
A
need of a new high school to meet the expanding enrollment.
s the current Peters Township High School building
A site was acquired on East McMurray Road and was to be the
celebrates turning 50, a new high school building is
location of Pleasant Valley School—built in 1963—and the
underway, with construction groups breaking ground
new secondary facility. Before the groundbreaking ceremony in
July 19 on the former Rolling Hills Country Club site.
December 1966, a barn and farmhouse on the property had to be
The original Peters Township High School was opened in
taken down and removed.
1902 with an enrollment of 29 and a graduating class of two.
By 1968, there were more than 3,000 students enrolled in the
The school was initially housed in a home owned by a member
Peters Township School
of the McMurray family,
District—more students
and was then moved to a
than the total population
new two-room structure in
of the township in 1950.
1904 that would be used
The new high school
for the next 25 years. As
building officially opened
the township continued to
to students on Sept. 16,
grow, so did that building
1968, and the total cost of
until mine subsidence later
the project was $4,169,000.
caused it to be demolished
The school featured a
and rebuilt in the late
courtyard, large library
1980s. The building in
and a new gymnasium. A
that location now serves as
pool was later added to the
Peters Township Middle
building as well.
School for students in
A formal dedication
grades 7 and 8.
ceremony of the current
Plans for the high school
high school building took
that students attend today
place on September 21,
began in the early 1960s,
when the district was in
Current Peters Township High School Building
44
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
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