September 7 Today in OPC History

On this day in 1943, the Willow Grove Christian School, now Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy, held its first day of classes for 17 students in grades 1–3 at Calvary OPC, Willow Grove. Miss Betty Blakemore, a member of Grace OPC, Westfield, served as teacher for the classes. A donated car served as the “school bus” with E.J. Young and Ned B. Stonehouse alternating as the bus drivers. Young delighted in hearing the students singing “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” on their way to and from school, while Stonehouse sang “MacNamara’s Band” as he drove.

Writing in the Presbyterian Guardian, Cornelius Van Til promoted the new school. He declared, “First of all, the instruction will be based entirely upon the assumption that the Christian religion is true.” Van Til continued, “There will be prayer in this school, and Bible reading and catechism study.”

The student body for 1943–44—First Grade: Donald Duff, Evelyn Rush, Patricia Strong, June Dodds, Mary Knight, Joan Birch, Bernard Stonehouse, Barbara Posey, Ella May George; Second Grade: Ada Mary Potter, Karin Dunn, June Harris, Theodore Scandlan; Third Grade: Patricia Rush, Herbert Harris, Grace George, Jean Young.