Photo of the Month-February 2000

The Orangeville Male and Female Academy received a charter of incorporation from the Pennsylvania Legislature on March 11, 1858. Initially, it began in a public school building with thirty-two students on May 1, 1860. Soon the trustees authorized construction of the Academy building on the south side of Pine Street, as seen in the picture, which was completed in 1861 and opened for use that fall. From 1864 to 1868 the Academy ceased to exist since it served as a Civil War Soldiers' Orphan School with some 250 children attending, ranging in ages from five to fifteen, over the four year period. The Academy resumed operation in 1870 and continued until 1894. The Orange Township then purchased it for use as a public school. At one time the building housed all twelve grades. Its use was discontinued in the1960s and razed shortly thereafter.