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On
November 12, 1958, Versailles Township School Directors approved
architectural drawings for the new junior high school and adopted its
name - "Francis McClure Junior High." It was named for
Francis McClure, a soldier in the Revolutionary War and one of the first
judges in Allegheny County. The school was proposed in 1953,
completed in 1959, and dedicated in 1961.
Since development in the Baker Plan was also occurring during the same
time, the White Oak Planning Commission, requested that White Oak
Borough and the Versailles Township School District provide additional
access roads to the new school site. Another problem facing the
school board was that the large coal vein owned by the Greensburg Connellsville
Coal and Coke Company ran under the middle school. Finally
after much planning and finalizing the necessary construction contracts,
groundbreaking finally occurred March 21, 1959.
Mrs. James S. Smoke, Assistant Superintendent of Allegheny County School
was the principal speaker. Long time White Oak resident and 32
year secretary for the Versailles School District, Howard McClosky was
chosen to lead the ground breaking ceremony.
John H. Evans, Jr., of 2615 Poinsettia Drive, was
elected as the first Francis McClure principal. The Slippery Rock
graduate previously was the principal at the Lincoln and Greenwood
Schools. In April, 1959, Versailles School District began hiring
new instructors.
When the school was built it was designed for enough students from
"other units." At the same time, there was talk of some
type of union with McKeesport, which was interested in a joint school
district, but was troubled because the state didn't supplement union
school districts of the second class.
In January, 1964, Versailles Township School District studied a proposal
to retain the tenth grade at Francis McClure rather than send the
students to McKeesport High School. School officials stated that
Francis McClure facilities weren't being fully utilized and that the
McKeesport system was overcrowded.
On February 3, 1964, at a public meeting, some 100 parents voiced their
opposition to the tenth grade plan. Parents argued that any
overcrowding at McKeesport would be eliminated when Port Vue and Liberty
Borough students began attending their own high school. Parents
were also concerned about advanced placement, extra-curricular programs
and losing out on college scholarship opportunities. School
officials defended the plan stating that there would be extra state
subsidies as well as savings in tuition to McKeesport which would allow
additional labs, books, and counselors. One county school official
also pointed out that in 1966 when the White Oak area schools would
probably merge with McKeesport, the tenth grade plan could possibly
justify two high schools.
White Oak Councilman Joseph Janke suggested that the sixth grade be
moved to Francis McClure and that a kindergarten program be started in
lower schools. In past years it was explained that kindergarten
couldn't be implemented because the school district didn't have the
money; yet $20,000 was considered for the tenth grade program.
On February 25, 1965, Versailles Township School Board announced that it
had abandoned the tenth grade plan. Finally, kindergarten sessions
were budgeted and two sessions were scheduled for White Oak School in
1965.
In 1966 the state ordered school districts throughout the commonwealth
to merge, White Oak schools, along with South Versailles, and Dravosburg
were ordered to merge with McKeesport schools to form the McKeesport
Area School District and thus end the Versailles Township School
District.
Designed by Frank Highberger, the building had a pupil capacity of 879
and cost approximately $2,750,000. Built high on a hill, it is an
impressive sight as it overlooks White Oak Borough. It is jokingly
referred to as the "Hilton on the Hill."
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