The Worthington-West Franklin School will host the fifth all-school reunion this Saturday and Sunday. Worthington's All School Reunion Committee is welcoming all who attended Worthington-West Franklin School, even if they did not graduate from the high school.

Registration opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Food and beverages will be available for purchase in the gymnasium. Everyone is welcome to visit the memorabilia area in the Worthington-West Franklin Community Library, located in the former elementary school.

Visitors need not be a graduate of Worthington High School to be in the group photographs. Attendees who know what years they would have graduated from WWFHS are welcome to be included with the class photographs.

A photographer will take individual portraits, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and class photographs, 2-5 p.m. The schedule for the class group photographs are (1930s-1940s at 2 p.m.; 1950s at 2:30 p.m.; 1960s at 3:30 p.m; 1970s and 1980s at 4:30 p.m. Music by DJs Ernie and Jackie Zubik and dancing is in the gymnasium from 9 p.m. to midnight. King's Family Restaurant will cater breakfast at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

HISTORY

Worthington Borough had one school and there were eight schools in West Franklin Township for first through eighth grades. About 1930, Worthington Borough and West Franklin Township voted to consolidate their schools and the current high school building was constructed, which housed grades 6 through 12. When the jointure was formed the high school became known as Worthington-West Franklin High School. Before the high school opened, individuals who wanted a high school diploma went to Butler or Kittanning. The first graduating class from Worthington-West Franklin School consisted of 26 members for the school term of 1932-33.

Worthington Borough and about seven of the township elementary school students attended a five-room school building on Church Street that was destroyed by fire on Feb. 14, 1943. Classes continued in the high school building by converting the gymnasium into four make-shift, partitioned classrooms and the stage into two rooms. In 1948, an additional six-room building was erected adjoining the high school building. Basketball was canceled during the interim while building the new elementary school.

In 1964, seven separate Armstrong County School Districts consolidated into one. In 1973, the new West Hills Elementary School was completed and Worthington elementary students were sent there for grades kindergarten through six.

In 1984, Worthington High School graduated its last class. The school district became a part of the current Armstrong School District. With the graduation of the class of 1984 the Worthington-West Franklin High School completed 52 years as a community high school.

More than 2,500 students attended the Worthington-West Franklin School between 1933 and 1984. After the school closed, the Armstrong School District donated the buildings to the community. Currently, the buildings serve as the community's civic center and library and are maintained by the Worthington-West Franklin Joint Parks and Recreation Authority through grants, private donations, fundraisers and rentals.

In addition to the recreation authority's organized events, the facilities are used for senior citizen recreation, the Armstrong Community Theater, Christ Community Church services on Sundays, the Petal Pushers Garden Club, the Worthington Little League, the West Hills Elementary School fourth grade basketball program, Youth Indoor Soccer Program, Ms. Frances Dance School, and the Worthington Lionettes Marching Unit. The facilities are available for rent for family reunions, showers, wedding receptions, and graduation parties, etc. by contacting the recreation authority.

The goal of the recreation authority is to keep the doors open. For additional information, contact the recreation authority at 724-297-3220 or Albert Croyle at 724-297-3650.

After all expenses are paid for the reunion, the residual funds will be donated to the civic center and the Worthington-West Franklin Community Library for maintenance and operation of the facilities. The reunion committee thanks all of those who have pre-registered. It is our hope that you will come and be reunited with many friends from the past. To view contacts, classmates, yearbooks, reunions, photographs, memories, tributes, and obituaries, and additional information go online.