POLITICS
Who was the mayor of Lancaster 1906-1910?
John Piersol McCaskey (1837-1935)
On average, about how many students attend McCaskey each year?
3,000
When McCaskey opened, it offered courses in what subjects? Name as many as you can!
Language, Social Studies, Science, Math, Music, PE, Home Economics, Industrial Arts, College Prep, Commercial and Vocational Education, Special Education, and Driver's Education with dual-control cars
JP was opened in 1938. When did construction start?
1934
How long has Ms. Pyfer been a teacher at McCaskey?
20 years!
Less than four years after McCaskey was opened, the US entered WWII. How did McCaskey students and staff contribute to the war effort?
Students collected books and supplies for the Red Cross
Shop instructors focused on preparing students to work in the defense industry (or armed services)
Air Raid drills began in January of 1942
The school raised $229.80 to buy an airplane propeller for the war
Students collected 88 tons of scrap metal by June of 1944
Local residents planted "Victory" gardens in the field across from JP to help with labor and food shortages (now we call it Victory Field)
How many languages are spoken by McCaskey students and staff?
38+
The Vidette was the original school publication. Then came the yearbook Citadel (renamed Echo). Before WMCC, there was WJPM, and before that the Vidette hosted a 15-minute weekly radio show that started on January 29, 1949 on which local radio station?
WLAN - FM97
How much did JP cost to build?
Who paid for it?
$1.4 million
The federal government paid for it through President Roosevelt's New Deal during the Great Depression.
Other than this English Language Arts class, what is one other course Ms. Pyfer has taught at McCaskey?
9th grade CA, 10th grade CA, 11th grade CA, Media I-IV, WMCC, Theatre I-II, IB Film
There used to be 2 graduations every year - one mid year and one in June. The first class to graduate from McCaskey did not actually attend at the school. The first full year graduates included 2 future celebrities. Who were they?
1938:
Barney Ewell (future gold medalist Olympian)
Franklin Schaffner, the first valedictorian (future Oscar winner from Best Director of the movie Patton in 1970)
How many nationalities are represented by McCaskey students and staff?
50+
Small Learning Communities organized the school in the mid-90s to mid-200s. What were those SLCs called? Name as many as you can!
Arts & Humanities
Public Leadership & Service
College Prep & Partnerships
Career Connections
Honors/IB
McCaskey Institute of Technology (MIT)
Health Sciences
Vocational, Tech, & Business
International School
JP was renovated in 1971-1972 to add the gymnasium lobby, ticket booths, add seating, and dividers to the gym, and the cafeteria. How much did these renovations cost?
$3.4 million
Ms. Pyfer was the very first teacher in SDoL to do this. What is it?
Teach on a part-time schedule!
McCaskey boys had to be concerned about the draft until it ended in 1973. What other wars after WWII did McCaskey boys get drafted to fight?
December 1941-December 1945 WWII
1950-1953 Korean War (Korea is still divided, it ended in a stalemate)
1965-1973 Vietnam War (Viet Nam is still communist, we lost)
McCaskey replaced the girls' and boys' high schools because it was co-educational. What were those previous high schools called?
Stevens High School (where the Residences at Stevens School are at W. Chestnut and Charlotte)
How many paths to graduation to current McCaskey students have?
FIVE
JP was renovated again during 1996-1997 to add 17,000 square feet. What was also added to every classroom?
Air conditioning (THANK GOODNESS!)
Ms. Pyfer has had classrooms all over. Where has she never had a classroom?
At JP (but has been on every floor at East)
The first principal of McCaskey said this at the first graduation ceremony in 1938:
"Someone has said that when you see the railroad station you know what the railroad company thinks of the community, when you see the post office, you know what the government thinks of the community, but when you see the school buildings you know what the people think of themselves. Lancaster is proud of its boys and girls."
Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
About how many students are enrolled in the School District of Lancaster?
~10,075
As a McCaskey graduate, when do you receive your actual diploma?
After the graduation ceremony, behind Clipper (Penn Medicine) Stadium (provided all obligations are paid).
McCaskey East was built 1994-1996. How much did it cost?
What major change to high school organization was made with this new addition?
$28 million
Now 9th graders are high schoolers instead of middle schoolers (or junior high). Before this, k-6 was elementary and 7-9 was middle.
Who was mayor of Lancaster 1871-1873?
Ms. Pyfer's great-grandfather, Fred S. Pyfer (her grandfather was born in 1894!).