During our program on the history of Upper Merion Area Schools, we saw some examples of how the Bridgeport and Upper Merion high schools responded to World War II in their respective year books.
In the 1943 Pioneer, the patriotism of the entire school community was evident in the reflections plus the numerous war related graphics, eagles and flags. Perhaps most surprising was how quickly the school acted by adding several new courses to the high school curriculum:
“The purpose of introducing aeronautic classes at Upper Merion is a result of our attempt to do our bit in helping to win the war….”
“…the importance of this course (Fundamental of Machines), as well as other pre-induction courses, is seen by the statement from the War Department that knowledge gained in a study of this kind is useful in more than two hundred different jobs required by the Army and Navy….”
“The Radio Course…students wound their own coils and in some cases supplied mineral crystals from the hills of Port Kennedy…is designed, principally, to help the boys who are to enter the armed services…”
“The Art Department…worked directly with the Junior Red Cross and managed throughout the township to make things usable for the boys in our Army and Navy Hospitals…”
We should never stop learning from our history, worts and all. Visit www.kophistory.org for more history about our community.
