The New Lower Moreland High School Documentary

Lower Moreland Township School District (LMTSD) has been serving the community and students of Lower Moreland Township officially since 1916. The roots of the LMTSD however, extend back to at least the early 1700s and should extend a courtesy bow of acknowledgement to the school masters who oversaw the very first school houses built within the boundaries of both, the original Manor of Moreland and of present-day Lower Moreland Township. 

 

According to Sylvia M. Fesmire, author of ‘Window On The Past,’ a school for the children of Moreland existed as early as 1711. It was located, however, further east in present-day Philadelphia, at the Byberry Friends Meeting. Local historians uncovered records indicating the existence of several schools scattered throughout the Manor of Moreland. School houses served the community at locations including: Hatborough (1730); at the Southwestern edge where Welsh Road meets Terwod at Pennypack park; on Newtown Road near Parry’s mill (about a mile northeast of Willow Grove); the Middle Road Schoolhouse near the Sorrel Horse Hotel (1745); and one “near the Byberry line at the lower end of the township.”(Fesmire). Records indicate that a two-story public school was built in 1857, however a location was never provided. 

 

Red Lion School was built within the boundaries of present-day Lower Moreland in 1892. It served as the primary school in the central and southern parts of the township. Prior to its construction, classes were held in a farmhouse adjacent to the Red Lion School’s property. The original construction included 3 classrooms that allowed it to function as a three year high school. As the population grew, it became necessary to make additions to the existing building and to further expand the Lower Moreland Township School District’s educational facilities. In 1926, the Huntingdon Valley School opened on Murray Avenue and at this time, the district added a 4th (senior) year to the curriculum. Huntingdon Valley School later became known as the Lower Moreland Junior-Senior High School. It was then renamed the Lower Moreland Middle School, and in 1995, it became known as the Murray Avenue School.  Pupils from the various surrounding areas (Upper Southampton, Lower Southampton and Rockledge) attended Lower Moreland Schools for several decades. This came to a stop however, in 1963.  As the surrounding districts built schools to accommodate their respective student populations, they no longer needed to commute to Lower Moreland for an education. This released a lot of pressure throughout the LMTSD, especially within its nearly fully packed school buildings. Still the population in Lower Moreland continued to sky-rocket. In 1960, the district built Pine Road Elementary School on what was previously known as Greenridge farms. In less than four years, the district had to add another wing onto the original Pine Road School for additional classrooms and guidance offices.  

 

In 1967, LMTSD opened the New Lower Moreland High School on Red Lion Road for grades nine to twelve. Originally designed to accommodate 600 students, the district had to expand the high school just four years later. The student population had quickly risen to over one thousand.  Unfortunately, the district suffered an enormous setback in 1967. In October of that year, a large portion of Huntingdon Valley School (Murray Avenue School) was destroyed in a fire. This tragic event shook and impacted the entire community.  Students attended classes in various locations until the school was repaired and rebuilt.

 

In 2020, the Lower Moreland Township School District was faced with near full capacity at all three buildings: Pine Road Elementary, Murray Avenue School and Lower Moreland High School. After exploring various options, the LMTSD under the leadership of Dr. Scott Davidheiser moved to provide the community with a brand new, state of the arts high school. The new high school is being built just down the hill from the original Lower Moreland High School. Plans are to convert the original high school into the New Lower Moreland Middle School and to create a campus-like complex for the district’s middle and high school students. Moreover, the LMTSD decided to realign the grade structure at both the elementary and middle schools. In 2023, Pine Road Elementary School will begin operating as a Kindergarten to 4th grade educational institution. In the meantime, the New Lower Moreland Middle School will open as a 5th to 8th grade education center. This will coincide with the opening of the New Lower Moreland High School scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2023. 

 

 The Lower Moreland Township School District is ranked 39th in the state. It is considered to be a relatively small school district with only one public elementary, middle, and high school. As the district evolves, Lower Moreland continues to emphasize the importance of community among all of its students. 

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Written by Sophia Zalipsky