One suburban Philadelphia community is pausing this week to mark the 60th anniversary of an elementary school and the special guest who helped dedicate the building. This was no ordinary elementary school in Tullytown, Bucks County and the guest who agreed to help with the dedication was no ordinary individual. He was perhaps one of the most popular people of his time and he was known as Uncle Walt.
To help mark the milestone, the Walt Disney School has dusted off some prized collectibles and placed them on display throughout the building. But before we focus on the 60th anniversary, let’s take a trip down Disney memory lane.
It seemed only fitting that Walt Disney who had a tremendous interest in trains would arrive on Saturday afternoon, September 24th, 1955 by train en route from New York’s Penn Station to help dedicate the school that had been named in his honor by the school children of Levittown, Pennsylvania, located about 34 miles north of Philadelphia. The quiet hamlet was beginning to grow as people moved away from the city looking for that peace and quiet that the suburbs could provide.
When the Pennsylvania Railroad engine approached the station, leaning out of the window, appropriately attired in an engineer’s cap was Walt. He was smiling and waving to some seven thousand residents who turned out to witness history in the making or at least to catch a glimpse of the entertainment icon.
In the spring of 1954, more than a year before the curtain went up on Disneyland, the local school board asked students to choose the name for the new school. Usually an honor for presidents, historical figures, patriots and founding fathers, the students surprised the school board with the name of Walt Disney.
Mr. Disney was contacted and reportedly was surprised that his name had been selected. At that time no other school thought of bestowing such an honor on Disney so the Tullytown school would become the first in the country and perhaps even the world to honor Disney. Not only did he accept the recognition, he promised to attend the dedication. And always eager to exceed expectations, Disney sent studio artists to decorate the school’s interior.
September 24th, 1955 was declared “Walt Disney Day” throughout the state of Pennsylvania by Governor George Leader. Disney’s visit found national, state and local leaders on hand to welcome the Hollywood executive to their part of the world. After leaving the throngs behind at the train station, Disney participated in an official cornerstone ceremony at the school building and then toured his namesake building accompanied by a group of students who took turns holding his hand on a grand tour of the school.
One of the lucky students who served as the school’s official greeter was sixth grade class president Colin Cho who rode in the lead car of the motorcade with Walt as it left the train station to the school and who also assisted Walt with the cornerstone ceremony.
Located at 200 Lakeside Drive, the Walt Disney School today has been upgraded with the latest 21st Century gizmos and gadgets but still looks similar to that special day in 1955 with many of the murals and artwork provided by the Disney artists still in place. Instead of room numbers, each classroom had a different Disney character name. There is the “Mickey” room, the “Donald” room and the “Snow White” room, The cafeteria is known as “The Castle of Dreams” and the principal’s office door reads “Captain Hook.” The door to the boiler room, which is always off limits to students reads “Never-never Land.”
Just like it did six decades ago there is a larger than life mural in the lobby of the school featuring many of the well-known Disney characters like Mickey, Donald, Pluto, Goofy and Pinocchio. And a larger than life portrait of Walt sits in lobby smiling at passing students who may or may not who he was or just how he contributed to the school or society in general.
While this year’s milestone pales in comparison to the festivities six-decades ago, the school has decorated its halls with snapshots and artwork that will likely transport alumni and former school administrators on a trip to “remember when.” An original cell from Pinocchio adorns one hallway at the school. Original photos also outline the corridors of the building offering the current student body a glimpse into that special September day in 1955 when one of the world’s most famous people paid a visit to their bit of oasis in the suburbs.