This history appeared in Morton Montgomery's 1908 edition of The History of Berks County, p. 776
Although it is located in Montgomery County, it served many people in Berks county over the years. It is still in operation in Pennsburg, PA
Surnames: WIEAND, KRIEBEL, GILBERT, GRUBB, HEEBNER, HERSH, KRAUSS, JOHNSON, MESCHTER, SCHULTZ, SHELLY
Perkiomen Seminary. At Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pa., two and one-fourth miles from the Berks County line, is located the famous Perkiomen Seminary, which was founded in 1887 by Rev. C. S. Wieand, of Pottstown, Pa., who was born and reared in the Schwenkenfelder Church. In 1892, the school opened its doors under the present management, with four teachers and nineteen scholars. The growth of the school has been remarkable. In fifteen years the teaching force was increased to thirty and the total enrollment to three hundred and sixty-one.
During the last seventeen years the school has enrolled 2,200 different students from practically all the counties of Pennsylvania, from fifteen different States of the Union, and from five foreign countries. Out of a total of 491 graduates, since its reorganization in 1892, two hundred and eighty-one have continued their studies in sixty-one higher institutions of learning, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Oberlin, Ann Arbor and practically all the best institutions in the East and middle West.
The institution is equipped with new modern buildings, chemical and physical laboratories, gymnasium, athletic field, etc. A Carnegie library is proposed, but not yet built. It is located in the upper part of the rich and beautiful Perkiomen valley. Pure fresh air and an abundance of excellent spring water supply the school which is heated by steam and lighted by electricity.
The Perkiomen Railroad, a branch of the Philadelphia and Reading system runs through Pennsburg, Pa. Since 1892, Rev. Oscar S. Kriebel has been principal of the school. The institution is conducted under the auspices of the Schwenkfelder church. It is managed by a board of trustees consisting of thirteen members, elected by the Church. In 1908 the trustees were: M. K. Gilbert, president; Rev. N. B. Grubb; Jacob D. Heebner; Hon. John G. Hersh, M. D., vice-president; Adam Krauss, secretary; Hiram K. Kriebel; Jesse S. Kriebel; Rev. E. E. S. Johnson; Rev. O. S. Kriebel; Rev. G. K. Meschter, M. D.; B. S. Schultz; E. K. Schultz, treasurer; and Rev. A. S. Shelly.
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