1918 SOS School - William A. Vanderslice

 Chester Springs History: According to records, the Yellow Springs (later known as Chester Springs) was well-known, long before the American Revolution, for its medicinal waters, reportedly first discovered in 1722. Before becoming a home for the Soldiers' Orphans, it was used as a resort/bath, and a hospital was built here for the wounded and injured soldiers of the Revolutionary War.

In 1868, the property was purchased by Professor Charles W. Deans and his associates to be used as the Chester Springs Soldiers' Orphan School. It was here that the orphans of the soldiers were given an education, learned a trade, and were cared for.

The school operated from March 1868 until August 12, 1912.
----------------------------------------------------------
CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
A PA-ALHN Website
SOLDIERS' ORPHANS' SCHOOL
AT CHESTER SPRINGS

1918 NEWSPAPER ARTICLES


Daily Local; 8/03/1918
That patriotic devotion which prompted the fathers half a century ago, was much in evidence Saturday when the former pupils of Chester Springs Soldiers' Orphans' School held their annual reunion. About fifty persons were present, mainly from Philadelphia and up the Lehigh and Schuylkill Valleys. On parting they declared it was the finest reunion they had ever attended.
As has been said, it was not official, for the official meeting was declared off some weeks ago, but most of the loyal members attended and all had the time of their lives.
Two brief meetings were held, one of these being in P. O. S. of A. Hall, where nearly everybody registered, and one in the "girls" grove, where the company sat on the grass and sang patriotic hymns and heard short speeches. Mention was made of former teachers and leaders and a number of those present made an automobile trip to the home of Mrs. Thomas O. K. Robarts, who expressed much pleasure at seeing them. Calls were made also upon Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Broome, J. Howard Holman and other residents of the neighborhood.
Lunch was eaten in P.O.S. of A. basement, where boxes the visitors had brought with them were supplemented by apple pie and ice cream supplied by Mr. and Mrs. Harry McBride and their daughter-in-law, Mrs. Raymond McBride, of Byers.

BLOOMER GIRLS THERE.
It was generally agreed that the appearance and atmosphere of the place had changed greatly in the past couple of decades, for every building had been more or less remodeled. Instead of the boys in kersey trousers and brass buttoned navy blue jackets, and girls, in gingham frocks with their hair plaited down their backs, there were well toward two scores of feminine art students in khaki farmerette costumes who flitted or almost floated about the many rooms and alcoves where framed treasures in oil and water color look smile down upon them and encourage their maiden efforts. Portraits of dignified men in ancient wigs and powder or more modern styles adorn the tile-floored sitting room where the boys used to play and talk and listen for the ringing of the "grub bell." All the old springs, sulphur, chalybeate and magnesia, are housed in neat structures which make them most alluring. Several canvasses with partially sketched landscapes were seen, but most of these disappeared at noonday, for the Saturday half holiday is observed in the art school.
"What a splendid thing it is that the property has fallen into the hands of its present owners!" commented ex-Burgess C. Wesley Talbot, of West Chester, as he looked over the grounds and the company. "Some years ago it looked as though there were no hopes for the old school, but now the indications are that it will always be maintained as a most attractive place."
"I was one of the first pupils here after the school was opened," observes William A. Vanderslice, of Collegeville, I came down here with a lot of other boys in the dead of winter, from Paradise about the year 1867, when I was a little fellow. I stayed here about six years."
"And I also was one of the early ones," added Joseph Seldzer, of Philadelphia. "Well do I remember my first day on the road and how John L. Smith came down to Phoenixville to meet me."
SUCCESS ATTENDS THEM.
Nearly everybody on the ground showed evidence of prosperity. All the men said they had good jobs or were in business for themselves. One man, whose name must not be mentioned, admitted that he drew a tidy little $3600 per annum, a greater sum then he ever dreamed of when he used to play marbles at the school. The girls look well and have married well. Diamonds were flashing here and there, and everybody looked well. A popular Philadelphia dentist, valued outside superintendent at one of the great anthracite collieries, a couple of men who are doing well in business for themselves, and numerous others who are well satisfied with what comes in the weekly pay envelope, were not__ed. The automobiles in which they rode were not all flivvers.
The girls were of that eminently practical type which is determined to noble things, not dream them all day long and so, as they told their boys in France they also mentioned war kniting, Red Cross, War Chest and the other public spirited efforts now being put forth to help down the Kaiser.
SWEET SINGING.
One of the day's favorites was Mrs. Frank Gibbons, of Philadelphia, whose husband, a former pupil, is a popular dental practitioner in Philadelphia. She has done much church solo and chorus work, and she consented to sing, being encored again and again: "Then You Remember Me," and "Marguerite" were among the selections with which she favored the company.
SUCCESSFUL "DRY" WORK.
One of the men of South Bethlehem who superintends a department in the big steel works, mentioned his efforts helping claim "dry" territory in the United States. He had voted in North Carolina when that State shut out John Barleycorn, and was a citizen of Hackensack, N.J. when that town elected "dry" council and closed the saloon _____________________ liquor Judge three years ago and that county has been without saloons ever since.
These were only a few of the topics considered as the company met in groups to talk about old issues and present ones. On the tongue of every person was a good word for the former teachers.
Just before six o'clock everybody went to the railroad station to say good-bye to the ones who were leaving by rail and after that the automobiles were soon loaded and departing in many directions, ending a perfect day.
REGISTRY LIST.
Among those who were noticed were:
George H. Benhardt, New York City
Harry Lingerman, Allentown
Miss Blanche Buckwalter, Philadelphia
Thomas Jardine, Pottstown
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Williams, Camden
Benjamin Smith, Allentown
William A. Vanderslice, Collegeville
David Myers, Chester Springs
Thomas Hil, Coatesville
Mr. and Mrs. Harry V. Baxter, Chester
Lewis L. Corcoran, Bethlehem
Mrs. Margaret J. McCarter, West Philadelphia
Mrs. E. P. Parker, Minersville
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Hughes, Mocanaqua
Mrs. Annie E. Zollers Millgan, Oaks, Montgomery county
Mrs. Mary Zollers Fields, Phoenixville
Mrs. May Sloan Flanegan, West Philadelphia
Mrs. Nellie Sloan Rudolph, Guy's paper mill, Downingtown
Mrs. Annie Unganst, Easton
Howard Shick, Remington Barracks, Bridgeport, Conn.
M. Corcoran, Hackettstown, N.J.
William S. Peifer, Bethlehem
Mrs. A. K. Snyder, Cheltenham
William A. Vanderslice, Collegeville
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Deihl, Hellertown
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Righter, Conshohocken
Mrs. Charles Chattin, Berwyn
Miss Blanche Buckwalter
Dr. Philip S. Daily, Philadelphia
Lewis J. Heilman, Reading
David A. Myers, Chester Springs
Roland C. Wallower, New York City
James P. Griffiths, Lansford
George Sassaman
Ed. Jones
Mrs. Annie Eisenhart, Hellertown
Thomas M. Hill, Coatesville
J. T. Jardine, Pottstown
Morris McAfee, Al. McAfee, Pottstown
Clinton Creator, South Bethlehem
William Peoples, Pottstown
Charles Kulp, Pottstown
Emma McFee, Woodward
Joseph H. Seltzer, Philadelphia
Margaret Slawter Hafley, Hellertown
Alfred H. Hafley, Hellertown
Mrs. Joseph Fitzpatrick, Pittston
John Gibbons, West Philadelphia
Harry Lingeman, Allentown
Mrs. Mary Criswell (McCardless), West Philadelphia
William Carven, Roxborough
Mrs. Annie Kratz (McCandless), West Philadelphia
H. J. Kilpatrick, Helen M. Kilpatrick, Bethlehem
C. H. Robison, Philadelphia
Nat. Craven, Brooklyn, NY
Junior Fitzpatrick, Pittston
Tom. Barrett, Phoenixville
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Coulter (Jennie Wonderly), Cochranville
Mr. and Mrs. William E. Gibbons (Mary E. McEwen), Philadelphia
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Eadie, Berwyn
Clayton Robison, Philadelphia
Mrs. J. Wesley Snyder, whose late husband was role attendant at the school.