Before the former Albany Township Elementary School was sold at auction July 10 for $400,000 to developer Abe Atiyeh of Allentown, (See July 16 Northwestern Press) members of the community had a chance to bid farewell to the school thanks to the Albany Township Historical Society.

The school was open for tours, oral histories were taken by the historical society and photos were copied for future generations to hear and see.

The Kempton Lions Club sold hot dogs, and former students and teachers gathered on the front lawn awaiting the highlight of the evening – the opening of the 1958 cornerstone.

Andrew Brett of the Albany Township Historical Society addessed those gathered to say goodbye to the Albany Township Elementary School.

"We are here to celebrate the life of something important to us and the community," Brett said, adding the cornerstone was laid on Oct. 12, 1958.

Brett told the audience everyone who attended Albany Elementary "experienced an incredible place."

"You don't forget the names of your first-, second- and third-grade teachers," Brett said.

He also recalled going to Kutztown Middle School.

"The people there spoke a different language," Brett said, adding the Albany Elementary kids going to the middle school were always polite and respectful.

Kutztown Area School District Superintendent Katherine D. Metrick told those gathered she first came to the area in 1975 to hike the Appalachian Trail.

"I was struck by the beauty and peace that covers the valley," Metrick said.

She said many people described the school to her.

The words they used included: familiar, friendly, fun, inspiring, safe and reassuring.

"But, 'home' was the best word used to describe the school," Metrick said.

Albany Township Historical Society President Lucy Muth addressed the audience saying at the time of the cornerstone laying, Dwight D. "Ike" Eisenhower was president, Elvis was in the Army and Alaska became a state.

Muth said the philosophy of the one-room school was not abandoned when Albany Elementary opened.

"The community feeling remained," Muth said. "It was never the building but the people who made it the special place it was.

"We hope we are appropriately honoring all those people who spent their years at the little school along the Ontelaunee."

Janice Bond Stanislaw, now of Exeter Township, attended Albany Elementary in 1958, and remembered putting something in the cornerstone but not what is was.

"My dad took movies of the event," Stanislaw told The Press.

Stanislaw also had the honor of assisting Albany Township Historical Society founder Jon Bond opening the cornerstone and pulling out the first item – a 48-star U.S flag.

Before prying opening the metal box inside the cornerstone, Bond joked with the crowd on the front lawn.

"I was actually given the job (opening the cornerstone) in case it turns out to be embarassing," Bond said. "I feel like Geraldo Rivera."

Cecily Ryan, who attended Greenwich Elementary School, was on-hand taking oral histories from former students, on Apple's GarageBand, to be kept by the Albany Township Historical Society. Her mom and two uncles attended Albany Elementary.

Brian Fusselman of Kempton attended Albany Elementary from 1963-65.

He told The Press many of the teachers had transferred to Albany Elementary from the one-room schoolhouses.

Fusselman recalled having fun at recess and playing baseball with fourth- and fifth-grade teachers Homer Kunkle and Ralph Dietrich.

His daughter, Kayla, attended Albany Elementary from 2001-06. She is now studying art at Kutztown University.

"The teachers were so nice," Kayla Fusselman said. "My elementary art teacher, Donna Hill-Chaney, is one of the reasons I am majoring in art."