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STATE HISTORICAL MARKERS
~ VENANGO COUNTY ~

JOHN DEWEY
Marker was dedicated July 20, 1980 and located at Central Ave. and W. 4th St. in Oil City.

After graduation from the University of Vermont in 1879, the noted philosopher, liberal, and advocate of progressive education (1859 - 1952) taught for the first two years of his distinguished career at Oil City's first high school, located on this site.

John Dewey was born October 20, 1859 in Burlington, VT, son of Archibald Sprague Dewey and Lucina Artemesia Rich. After graduation in 1879, Dewey taught two years at the Oil City Central Avenue High School, during which the idea of pursuing a career in philosophy took hold. He earned his graduate degree at Johns Hopkins University and received his doctorate in 1884, after which he taught at the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Chicago and at Columbia University. Two of his publications- How We Think (1910; revised ed. 1933), an application of his theory of knowledge to education, and Democracy and Education (1916) believed to be his most important work in the field. He was deeply involved in women's suffrage and the unionization of teachers. He died June 2, 1952 at the age of ninety-two.

The Central Avenue School was the first high school in Oil City and was erected about 1878. John Dewey is listed as assistant principal on the commencement programs of June 7, 1880 and of June 10, 1881. Miss E. A. Kent and Miss Affia J. Wilson are listed on each as part of the three-member staff. The graduating class for 1880 is listed as being Bessie I. Williams, Louisa C. Eichner, Seymour J. Dunn, Charles T. McClintock, Harry H. Culbertson and William S. Smith. The class of 1881 listed as its graduates: Stella F. Duncan, Carrie H. Wright, Effie P. Ross, Ida M. Irvin, Ella McConnell, Tirzah L. Hill, Ida R. Plotts, Jennie A. Berry, Sadie S. Boulton, Alice M. Green, G. B. Swisher, Charles E. Graham and William R. Duncan.

In 1898, the school was converted to a grade school. After the school board closed the building, the city of Oil City acquired this site in 1955 and removed the two upper floors and remodeled the first floor to house the fire station and headquarters.

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