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 In the early 1900’s children in New Bedford were attending classes in a small wooden schoolhouse (shown above) located on the eastern end of the village. On the morning of Tuesday, November 14, 1916, a fire, which started in the Fike residence next door, completely gutted the New Bedford schoolhouse. Afterwards, children attended classes in the town hall and other locations as plans for a new school were worked out. (1911) (Lawrence County Historical Society photo) Full Size |
 In July 1917 preliminary foundation work began on a new two-story brick schoolhouse (shown above) located on the New Bedford-Sharon Road just north of Main Street. Financial issues slowed the work but I believe the four room building, designed by the W. G. Eckles firm, was completed in the fall of 1918. This school was in use until a new building opened south of the village in 1958. (Apr 2012) Full Size |
 In July 1955 the Wilmington Area School District came into existence and a building program was soon initiated. A hotly-contested debate centered on whether to erect a new elementary school in either New Bedford or Pulaski. New Bedford won out and the New Bedford Elementary School (shown above) – as well as the Wilmington Area High School – was opened for classes in September 1958. (c2010) Full Size |
 The 1st grade class from the New Bedford Elementary School in 1975-76. (1975) (Courtesy of Diane Heaney Bell) Full Size |
 A class photo from the New Bedford Elementary School from the 1978-79 school year. Full Size |
 The New Bedford Elementary School was closed in June 1992 in conjunction with the opening of the New Wilmington Elementary School later that fall. (Mar 2012) |  The building was used for a time by a business college but currently sits vacant. (Mar 2012) |
 The New Castle campus of the Shenango Valley School of Business (soon known as the Business Institute of Pennsylvania) purchased and moved into this building in the fall of 1994. The campus was formerly based in the old Johnson Bronze office building in New Castle, but had outgrown that location and needed more space. The business school, whose main campus and offices are located in Sharon, occupied this building until it vacated the premises in about 2001. The building currently sits vacant. (Mar 2012) Full Size |
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Comments
Ashley Micco #
Hello:
would like to talk to the owner about cleaning up this property. would like to help no cash nessasary!!! would like to talk 724-856-6870 would like to discuss potential buyer. please get back to me asap!!thank you. -AshleyPete Evangelist #
Hate to see it this way. Went to school here in the 60’s and so did a cousin.
John Miller #
I went to school there in the 80’s. It makes me sad to see the condition of it now, I had some great memories playing and learning there as a kid. I would rather see it razed than like this.
Sheila Eppinger #
I just moved back to New Bedford after being gone for 40 years and am saddened to see the school like this. I went to kindergarten in 1975 at this school and walked to my grandparents house just on the other side of the field.
Dru Hanni #
I was just sitting on my computer and a meme on Facebook asked if you still remember your kindergarten teachers name. It was Mrs. McKay. So I looked up New Bedford Elementary and found this… So sad… Pretty sure they were the same curtains though…
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