History of MNSD

In January of 1917, the staff and students of the Marple-Newtown Joint High School assembled outside of the school building for a school picture. The school, located at the intersection Media Line Road and West Chester Pike, contained only eight classrooms. This space was more than enough for the four teachers and thirty students that made up the entire population of the new school.

The surviving picture demonstrates how much has changed since the founding of Marple Newtown High School in 1914. The small building that served a rural community has, 100 years later, transformed into a state of the art building serving over 1,500 students in a modern suburban community.

This remarkable transformation is the subject of a permanent exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of Marple Newtown High School.

During the 2014-15 school year, Marple Newtown High School history students, under the guidance of teachers Michael Karpyn and Brian Isselmann, researched and designed all of the exhibit panels. Consisting of twelve panels, each measuring six feet by four feet, the exhibit includes a multitude of photographs, memorabilia and treasures contributed by the Marple and Newtown Township Historical Societies, MNHS graduates and members of the community.

“The final product is a true community effort,” noted Karpyn and Isselmann. “The contributions, assistance and support of our local historical societies, the Tiger Foundation, the high school and district administration, the School Board, and members of the community were essential in its success.” Cetlin Design Group in Broomall assisted with the graphic design and printing of the exhibit panels.