Northern Bedford Geographically In Bedford County

Situated in scenic Morrisons Cove, Northern Bedford County High School graduated its first class in 1963. Or so many think!

The first NBC class graduated in 1958 and the seniors that year and all ensuing years up to 1963 graduated from the Smith building, which is no more.

While I don’t know all of the history of education in the Cove, I do have personal knowledge of as far back as 1924. After my mother’s mother died in Chicago in 1921, my grandfather brought her back to Loysburg to live with her grandmother. She went to grade school in the present Lion’s Club building in Loysburg.

My father, Roy A. Clapper went to a one room school on Texas Corner. The two met at Replogle High School and graduated in the same class in 1936.

When their children, myself and my brother, Jay Clapper, began school at Replogle Elementary in 1946 and 1950, we had no realization whatsoever we would not graduate from the same school. We were growing up on a dairy farm and had no plans to go anywhere.

We were lucky to go to school at the sturdy and practically new Replogle building with a cafeteria, indoor toilets and plenty of playground. It was only a couple miles from our home. Previous to that, the Cove was dotted with numerous one-room schools.

The process of consolidation of one room schools began in 1924. With improved transportation, by the 1930s, it was thought to be more efficient to teach a couple of grades instead of in a one room setting.

There were originally 44 schools in the current NBC area. Bloomfield completed construction of an elementary school in 1928; South Woodbury Township which was Replogle was completed in 1929; Hopewell Township in 1929 and the Woodbury Joint Elementary School opened in January of 1930. This reduced the number considerably.

The need for a three-year high school education in the Cove area saw a high school in Hopewell in 1915; Woodbury in 1916; and Replogle in 1918. From that, a 12-year education for all students was brought about at the three root NBC Schools: Replogle, which until 1957 educated 714 students; Woodbury, 313; and Smith, 757.

Then the Depression hit followed by WWII and education took a backseat to all the doings in the world. By 1950, the state began to look at the situation and realized they were bankrolling far too many high schools throughout the state. Jointures were encouraged and the state offered funding for new schools and transportation.

City-born and bred politicians in Harrisburg thought the minimum for each school jointure should be 4,000 students. This was a ridiculous figure for rural areas.

It was inevitable that southern Morrisons Cove would have to consolidate. At this time, there were 2,599 school districts in the state. There are now 550. It is interesting that while the townships and boroughs of “the Cove” were geographically in Morrisons Cove, they were politically in Bedford County.

During this period of time, Dr. William Mowery was superintendent of schools of Bedford County. Prior to this, he had been a teacher and superintendent of Smith High School. It appears that his influence and authority played a role in having Hopewell Township and Borough leave the Saxton Liberty jointure and be a part of the NBC jointure. This helped to increase the size of the jointure and make it acceptable to the state.

Much to the chagrin of the first jointure class, on June 1, 1957, agreement by the three townships and two boroughs an agreement for the jointure was reached. In 1959, Bloomfield Township also joined.

The first class of NBC began school in the fall of 1957 at Robert P. Smith Vocational High School. The Smith school was chosen due to its size and because as a vocational school, it had a science lab, metal and wood shop FFA facilities at the school farm and a gym.

Members of the class of 1958 chose the colors, newspaper name, yearbook and mascot.

Consolidations continued throughout the state under Democrat leadership. In 1961, the people were tired of the movements and voted in all Republicans. Thus, an end to consolidations. No one has mentioned them since.

The 4,000-student requirement was kept as a recommendation but there was no minimum.

The site of the new high school was under the leadership of Dr. Ben VanHorn and the school was built for $1,250,000. Doors opened for the 1963 graduation.

Just as I am a day late and a dollar short for much in my life, school is included. Had it been built a decade earlier; I could have easily walked or rode my bike to school. But alas, it wasn’t to be.

In recent years, the second NBC class of 1959, has been leading an effort to form an alumni association for the NBC School. The group is a spin off from the Replogle Alumni group which becomes smaller each year. Woodbury never had an alumni group. Smith still has its own, which is funded by descendants of Robert P. Smith. The new group welcomes all NBC graduates as well as those from Smith, Replogle, and Woodbury. Eventually, they hope to offer scholarship money to NBC students.

Surprisingly, that first class did blend rather well back in 1957-58. Teachers kept all under control and for the first time, some Replogle boys played basketball; the bands mingled with three different colored uniforms; a chorus was formed; Jim Gochnour, a Replogle student won all kinds of prizes at the Farm Show with his sheep. I went to the gym for the first time ever, learned how to do somersaults and play soccer. The entire class went to Washington, D.C., on a senior trip.

Today, a few members of the class get together for breakfast at Kountry Kettle on the third Thursday of each month at 9:30. The group would welcome more of their classmates.

This year the new alumni organization will meet on Sept. 30 at the former Replogle building. The cost for a fried chicken dinner plus entertainment will be $22. Anyone wanting to come can contact Susan Barton at 113 Graham Lane, Bedford, Pa. 15522. Susan Barton is treasurer of the organization.

Historical information for this article was furnished by Ken Eichelberger, class of 1958.