Hood Octagonal School

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission launched its annual preservation initiative on Monday, May 8, at the Hood Octagonal School, 3500 West Chester Pike, Newtown Township, Delaware County. This year’s preservation theme, “Educate Yourself about Preservation: Preserving Pennsylvania’s Historic Schools,” recognizes the significance of Pennsylvania’s historic schools. These buildings are often community anchors which have influenced development. Many of them have been, or can be, rehabilitated as schools, housing, and office space. This initiative encourages the maintenance and improvement of these historic structures. A commemorative poster featuring schools in Fayette, Carbon, Crawford and other counties, is available by telephoning (717) 783-8946.

The May 8 event featured speakers Jeffrey Zeiders of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Tom Hylton, acclaimed author of Save Our Land: Save Our Towns, and was hosted by PHMC Executive Director Barbara Franco. According to Franco, “This important initiative will facilitate future nominations of historic school buildings to the National Register of Historic Places; advocate the safeguarding of historic schools; and promote such buildings as important and vibrant parts of Pennsylvania’s environment.”

Franco presented Sherry L. Smyth, president and CEO of Dunwoody Vil­lage, with a plaque recognizing the school’s placement in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Hood Octagonal School, built in 1841, is a historic nineteenth­-century structure recognized for its unique architecture and contributions to educating generations of area residents. The building was used continually as a school from 1841 to 1865. In 1865 the school was sold to James Dunwoody, who incorporated the lot and the vacant school into his neighboring farm. After World War I, his sons established a convalescent facility, the Dunwoody Home, on the farm. Through a 1963 bequest of a resident of the home, the building was restored under the direction of Philadelphia architect Richard A. Yarnall. The building is fully outfitted as a nineteenth­-century school and hosts frequent programs for area school children hosted by volunteer schoolmasters from Dunwoody Village.

Recent Additions to the National Register of Historic Places

William and Mordecai Evans House
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April 20, 2005

Armstrong Cork Company
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May 10, 2005

Elmridge
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May 10, 2005

New Colonial Hotel
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May 10, 2005

Yardley Historic District
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First National Bank in Fleetwood
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May 20, 2005

Furnace Hills Tenant House
West Cocalico Township, Lancaster County
May 20, 2005

Illick’s Mill
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May 20, 2005

Long Vue Club and Golf Course
Penn Hills Township, Allegheny County
May 10, 2005

Roberts and Mander Stove Company
Hatboro, Montgomery County
May 10, 2005

Sperling Building
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May 10, 2005

McCollum and Post Silk Mill
Nazareth, Northampton County
July 27, 2005

Skinner Tavern
Letterkenny Township, Franklin County
July 27, 2005

Smaltz Building
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July 27, 2005

Tunkhannock Historic District
Tunkhannock, Wyoming County
July 27, 2005

Sunnybrook
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Walnut Park Plaza Hotel
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Chickies Historic District
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Allentown National Bank
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Seville Theatre
Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County
December 28, 2005

Jacob Arndt House and Barn
Williams Township, Northampton County
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South Bethlehem Downtown Historic District
Bethlehem, Northampton County
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Hood Octagonal School
Newtown Township, Delaware County
February 14, 2006

Hamilton-Ely Farmstead
Whitely Township, Greene County
March 2, 2006