The Coal Township School District was incorporated in 1837, and built its first school about 1860, in Boydtown, near the present Berry’s Hotel along the state highway east of Luke Fidler. It was a typical one-room, one-teacher school. As the population increased, the Washington School was built in 1880 and the Garfield School was erected in 1888 to meet the needs of the community.
The Coal Township High School had its inception in the western section of the Township in the year 1898 having been situated at that time in what was then known as the Silver Hill Grade School Building which was located on a plot of ground north of Independence Street between what is now Oak and Maple Streets. In a short time, the Silver Hill Grade School Building was in need of greater space for the successful functioning and operation of the various grades contained therein and it was deemed advisable by those of authority to seek other quarters where the work of the High School could be successfully executed without being handicapped for space, and where the desired aims could be attained without interruption.
Accordingly, the High School was thereafter established in the Crone property located at the corner of First and Water Streets where work was very efficiently carried on until the completion of a new High School Building, located in the eastern end of the Township of Coal in that section of Coal Township known on the map as Springfield. Immediately after the completion of building, specifically set aside for high school work, the pupils were transferred to the new building in March of 1899.
Directors in 1898 were: Laf Derrick, President, John N. Lauer, Secretary; Peter M Weaver, Treasurer; John Strausser, William E. Fisher and Patrick E. Brennan. A two year course was adopted. Prof. M.F. Kane, through whose untiring efforts the great advancement of the High School was made possible, was elected the first Principal of the school at which time the enrollment numbered fifteen pupils, twelve of whom were graduated in the year of 1900.
Due to the increased demands for higher education throughout the District, the Board of Education deem it advisable in the year 1906 to establish a three year course, (Latin, Commercial and Scientific) which course was pursued until the year 1921 when a four year course was adopted in order to meet the requirements of the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as contained in the curricula of the State Educational Program. Directors in 1925 were F. B. Domaleski, President; William Schultz, Vice President; Walter E. Bielski, Secretary; Thomas J. Golden, Treasurer; John Bower, Anthony Blusius and Job Swift. The number of students enrolled was 297.
The last Coal Township High School Building was erected in 1926. By 1964, due to the decline in the area economy, Coal Township concentrated on centralization. This district was still utilizing the Ferndale, the Garfield, and Uniontown buildings for elementary schools, the Washington, the Pulaski, and the Old High as their Junior High School, and the West End High as their Senior High School. Finally, Coal Township merged with the Shamokin Area School District and the Senior High School was demolished.