We are the Richland Historical Society.
Our mission is to foster and perpetuate interest in the historical background of the one-room school system and to hold as a shrine the Shelly one-room school in Richland Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
About Us
Sixty-five years ago, six like-minded and concerned citizens worked tirelessly to preserve a very important part of the history of education in the one-room school. They were Pearl Frederick, Melva Endean, Emma Kemmerer, Ellamanda Lewis, and Alma and Charles Dietrich. They formed the Richland Historical Society to save the school. After successful negotiations with the school board, they were able to purchase the Shelly School in July, 1959.
In the 1950’s the Quakertown Board of Education consolidated the one-room schoolhouses into larger, more modern school buildings. All of the old buildings were sold to private individuals, EXCEPT ONE – the Shelly One-Room School at 130 Richlandtown Pike in Richland Township. The school has been maintained and preserved by volunteers since 1959.
In 2005, a two-story museum was built next to the school and contains many historical records, books, and artifacts.
When you walk into the schoolhouse, built in 1885, on one-half acre of land donated by Lewis Shelly, you step back in time. Nothing has changed inside since the door was closed after the last class was dismissed in June, 1957. In 2011, the school was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also on the Bucks County Register. The school is the ONLY site in Richland Township with these distinctions.
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In addition to monthly meetings, (presently we meet the 3rd Sunday of every month at 2 PM) programs in the past included annual homecomings and school tours for students of all ages and educators. Tours are also available for individuals, interested groups, scout troops, and civic or service organizations. Every 4th of July a special bell-ringing ceremony is held at the school – the school’s bell is rung 13 times, one for each of the original colonies.
We are reaching out to the community for help to save our school. Any contribution, large or small, will be appreciated and acknowledged. We are a 501(c)3 (non-profit) and all donations are tax-deductible. We invite your membership as an individual or family, as a corporate sponsor, or as a donor. Everyone is welcome. The school and museum are handicapped accessible.
We hope to hear from you soon. For additional information, please contact Kathy Fedorocsko at 215-538-7059 or Sandy Shelly at 215-536-3711.
Meet Our Board Members
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Arvil Ray Erwin
PRESIDENT
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Bob Beck
VICE PRESIDENT
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Sandy Shelly
SECRETARY
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Evelyn Gerhart
CURATOR
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Nancy Ackerman
TREASURER
Preamble Excerpt from The Richland Historical Society Constitution
The purpose of this society shall be to foster and perpetuate interest in the historical background of the one-room school system and to hold as a shrine the Shelly one-room school in Richland Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The Society shall strive to secure desks, furniture and other artifacts related to the operation of a one-room school to the end that the Shelly one-room school, owned by the Society, will reflect as accurately as possible the school when it was used in the past. The Society shall endeavor to establish a library of materials relating to the one-room school and this library shall be available to the public. The Society shall strive to interest the youth in the schools of the past as they relate to the present and future and encourage them to enter into membership of the Society. Teachers and pupils of the one-room schools shall be encouraged to present papers before the Society regarding the experiences they had so a volume of material may be accumulated for the benefit of future generations. The Society shall be nonprofit and nonpartisan as an organization.