School district looks to name building for late historian, a 'champion for Chambersburg'

Joan Bowen didn't set out to become the go-to person for the history of Chambersburg Area School District.

While downsizing for a move to a local retirement community in 1990, she rediscovered memorabilia she collected over more than three decades working as a teacher and librarian in CASD. It led to a new career in her golden years as the district's historian and archivist, and she ultimately spent 67 years working and volunteering for the district.

Now, the district is set to honor Bowen, who died Nov. 28, and her contributions by naming the District Annex for her. It will be up for approval at the school board's next meeting, on Feb. 28.

“Miss Bowen loved Chambersburg, the District, teaching, serving as a librarian, and sharing her love of our history with as many people as possible," said Angela Lynch, executive director of the CASD Foundation. "Those of us who had the privilege of knowing her learned so much. We miss her dearly and hope that she knew what her legacy means to us and to our community. She was simply an amazing person – brilliant, passionate about preserving the District’s history, and a champion for Chambersburg.”

Formerly known as the Reserve Center, the District Annex at 721 S. Sixth St. will be the second district entity named for Bowen. It was just in November that the district's historical collection, which Bowen created and maintained, was officially renamed the F. Joan Bowen Archives of Chambersburg Area School District. The Bowen Archives can be found in the annex, which also houses the CASD Foundation, CASD Police, Food Services and Buildings and Grounds.

"In typical selfless fashion, she didn’t like the attention," Acting Superintendent Kurt Widmann said at the Nov. 15 school board meeting. "She was a true servant leader to the District and never liked the spotlight for her service."

Bowen passed away less than two weeks later, at age 91.

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Joan Bowen's path from teacher to CASD historian

Born to Mose and Mabel (Houser) Bowen on Oct. 15, 1931, Bowen spent her whole life in Chambersburg. She went to local schools, including the old Benjamin Franklin School (which stood where Franklin Fire Company is today at the corner of North Franklin and West King streets) and the old three-story King Street School (which stood next to the Old Jail on East King Street).

She graduated in 1949 from Chambersburg High School. Located at the corner of Queen and Third streets, the old school is now the Rose Rent Lofts.

After graduating from Shippensburg State Teachers College (now Shippensburg University), she started her career as a third-grade teacher at the old Stevens Elementary on South Main Street. She eventually moved to the old Mary B. Sharpe Elementary.

Bowen became the librarian at Andrew Buchanan Elementary in 1968. She worked as an elementary librarian until she retired in 1990.

Preparing to move into Penn Hall, then a new independent-living facility for seniors, Bowen came across items she kept over the years, including:

• an old desk with cast iron legs, taken from Mary B. Sharpe when the district replaced bolted-to-the-floor desks with movable ones;

• a brass latch to a door from the old Buchanan Elementary, which burned down in 1980, because she had a key that fit it from her days as a student-teacher there;

• and a library chair from the old Chambersburg High School.

She asked then-Superintendent Ed Sponseller if the district wanted the items. That conversation evolved into her offering to catalog many historical items Sponseller had. They soon started collecting things together. The word got out, and more items, photos and records came in.

By 2003, Bowen was spending countless hours collecting, researching, organizing and archiving the school district's history. The archives were moved from the CASD Administration Building to the District Annex in 2017.

"Miss Bowen grew the CASD Archives from very humble beginnings of a few small boxes in a storage closet to a crown jewel which includes a two-room space housing exhibits and workspace as well as secure storage," Widmann said in November. "It is because individuals trusted Miss Bowen’s love and care for our district’s history that they have donated many fine items for the permanent collection."

Bowen helped people, such as alumni and property owners, find historical information about CASD to be used in events and projects.

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Bowen made significant contributions at Rose Rent Lofts, which features a plaque in the lobby to thank her. Developer Vern McKissick sought to incorporate original architecture and design features from Chambersburg High School into the apartment complex.

When district officials met in January to discuss updating the signs at the District Annex, Buildings and Grounds Director Ed Peters suggested the district take the opportunity to honor Bowen. She contributed so much not just to the archives but to the district, so why not request to name the building for her, Lynch recalled Peters saying.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The school board's Feb. 28 meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the CASD Administration Building on Stanley Avenue. Meetings are also streamed (and saved) on CASD's Youtube page.

Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: CASD looks to name District Annex for late historian Joan Bowen