1940s
In 1941, Albert Esterline and Anna Lucille Bash became the first Dean of Boys and Dean of Girls, respectively. A few years later, they married,
During the Second World War, girls joined teachers and staff to learn knitting. Inspired by their efforts, 49 boys also expressed a desire to learn knitting. Additionally, both Boy and Girl Scouts studied First Aid to contribute to the war effort.
The older boys often shoveled snow before attending school. On one occasion, after 17 inches of snow fell, the boys shoveled from 7:45 to 10:20 AM as the snowfall continued. Finally, Albert Esterline, the Dean of Boys, instructed them to stop.
In 1943, the boys’ basketball team achieved a significant victory by defeating Scott High School, the WPIAL Class 3 champions, with a score of 36-25. Due to World War II, there was no ESDAA basketball tournament that year.
A Student Council was formed in February 1944, with representatives elected from the upper five classes. The Council’s goals were to assist in organizing student activities, serve as a liaison between students and staff, and propose improvements related to student life. Students suggested changes such as adjusting afternoon scheduling for meals, holding occasional dances, allowing boys to wear polo shirts or shirts without ties, moving the reading hour to the afternoon, and dismissing industrial classes at 4 PM.
For the first time in school history, all pupils went home for Christmas. Students without homes were invited to spend the holiday with the families of their peers.
Some students received the Daughters of the American Revolution Award (DAR), presented annually to those who exemplified American ideals of honor, character, leadership, service, and scholarship.
A storage area beneath the stairs at the Main Building entrance was constructed to store potatoes during the winter months. For many years, older students worked in the communities of Edgewood and Wilkinsburg during their spare time. However, the Board of Trustees later decided to confine student employment to within the school.
Samuel Craig was selected as the seventh superintendent by the Board of Trustees. Initially, he served as Assistant Superintendent while continuing as Principal at Kendall School for the Deaf. He assumed the role of Superintendent on November 1, 1946.
In an ESDAA Basketball Tournament held at the New Jersey School for the Deaf, WPSD, under the leadership of Coach James Mackin, claimed its third championship by defeating St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf, 68-37.
The Girls’ Vocational program traditionally included crafts, sewing, weaving, and food preparation. In April 1948, typing was introduced as a new course offering.
Individual senior pictures were first included in the senior issues of the Western Pennsylvanian (WPAN) at the suggestion of the Alumni Association.
William Empfield, Class of 1946, demonstrated a remarkable commitment to education by attending Ebensburg-Cambria High School in pursuit of the best possible education. He achieved the unique distinction of graduating twice.
The WPSD soccer team faced a significant challenge when they played against Indiana College (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and lost 3-0.
During the summer of 1948, the swimming pool in the gymnasium was drained and permanently covered with concrete.
In 1949, the large, heavy oak entrance door to the Main Building was replaced by a new “double door” entrance.
The Girls’ Industrial Building was repurposed into the Superintendent’s Residence. The Girls’ Homemaking Department was subsequently relocated to the former Superintendent’s Residence on the second floor of the Main Building.
In March 1949, the school experienced an epidemic of measles, chickenpox, and mumps. The outbreak resulted in 20 cases of chickenpox, 17 cases of measles, and 11 cases of mumps, collectively requiring 355 days of hospitalization and the addition of three nurses to manage the situation.
The service drive that previously crossed the playground between the infirmary and Swissvale Avenue boundary line was removed. A new service drive was constructed along the edge of the property, parallel to Maple Avenue, connecting to the old drive at the Boiler House.
The Alumni Association generously gifted the school an electric scoreboard to enhance the basketball game experience.
In 1949, the slope vegetable garden was transformed into two new athletic fields: one designated as a softball field for the older girls and the other as a soccer field for the boys. To enhance the aesthetics of the area, 6,020 honeysuckle vines were planted in place of the former slope.