Previous to 1886 there was no school in Wissinoming, the children of the small community were forced to attend the Disston School in Tacony or the Bridesburg School.  But in that same year Miss E. A. Salter, at the request of her neighbors, opened her home as a school for these children.  However, the town grew rapidly and the demand grew for larger quarters for the school children.  This demand resulted in the acquisition of a two-roomed school in what was later the Wissinoming Fire House.   This building had been built by the Wissinoming Improvement Association, and in the year of its completion, it was rented by the School Board.

The Faculty of this first two-roomed school in Wissinoming consisted of the principal, William Hollis, who was assisted by Miss Salter.  Mr. Hollis was succeeded the following September by a fellow townsman, Mr. William Moran.  Mr. Moran retained this position until he was appointed to the principalship of the Disston School.   He was followed by E. E. Michener and later by J. Abel Evans.

At first the school grew slowly, but gradually the numbers increased, until the arrival of Mr. Miles L. Emery as principal of the school, it had grown to such an extent that a third story was added to accommodate two more classrooms.   Even with this addition the school soon became very crowded, one room containing over 100 children.

Through the earnest efforts of Mr. Emery, and seconded by the Wissinoming Improvement Association, a tract of land was purchased from the Higbee Estate, and a new school was built at its present location on the lot bounded by Benner, Jackson, and Ditman Streets.  There was some protest at the location of the planned school building because of the fact that so few houses were located beyond Comly Street and Torresdale Avenue.  But the Building Committee and the Board of Education pointed out that the lot was situated on "high ground"; therefore, there would be good drainage and little chance of flooding.  Most of the section being undeveloped, therefore unpaved.

The Grammar School League for this section of the city was organized in 1907, and an annual game of baseball and soccer-football was played by the Lawton School with the five nearest public schools.  While not always successful, the boys of the school during this time won three baseball championships and twice lost the soccer award by one point.

In the year 1909 a four-roomed wing was added to the school building.  The opening of this addition was the occasion of a great town celebration.   A flag was presented at this time to the school by District No. 7 P. O. S. of A. (Patriotic Order Sons of America), and the Improvement Association arranged a gala demonstration.  One of the portable school-rooms was removed, but the other was retained, and a kindergarten was organized and placed under the direction of Miss Laura Longacre.

The Wissinoming Improvement Association became interested in the School Playground and set about to provide play apparatus for the children.  Two entertainments wre held at the school which netted over $200, and in order to make this sum cover the cost of the equipment, members of the Association provided much of the material at cost, and built most of the apparatus themselves.  The equipment was valued at $700; thus showing what can be accomplished by a community interested in the affairs of their school.

On October 10, 1911, the first issue of the "Lawton Record" appeared.  This little paper did a great good in binding still closer the community and the school.  Every month the "Record" found its way into practically every home in Wissinoming, carrying information to the parents of the children which would never have reached them otherwise.

In February 1913 another four-roomed wing was completed and opened to the fast growing population of children.

In the year 1915, on the 13th of November a Memorial Tablet, made from the metal recovered from the U.S.S. Maine was presented to Lawton School by the ever interested Wissinoming Improvement Association.  This tablet still hangs in the first floor hall opposite room four.

Miss Louise F. Perring, the principal in 1915, in a desire to still further gain the support of the community for the school, organized a Home and School League (later known as the Home and School Association).  The school at this time possessed one of the finest playgrounds in the city, but no effort was made to beautify it.

In 1916 there were 16 rooms, and in February of that year Mr. Harvey E. Freed was appointed principal of the school.

The Year 1917 saw the country plunged into World War I, and Lawton School and Wissinoming responded to the "Call to Arms."  In that same year the garden was begun.  The willow tree, which was blown down by a storm in the late 1940's, was but a sapling.

The trees along Ditman and Benner Streets were provided by school classes, and were planted in 1917 and 1918 on Arbor Day.  The memorial trees in both yards were provided through school funds as memorials to soldiers of the First World War.  The trees on Jackson Street and Lardner Street were furnished by the Board of Education.   The railings and name plates were provided by the Army and Navy Union.

In 1918 community dances were held in the school building.  These dances gained the name of the "Screw Driver Dances" - because the gallants of the day came armed with screw-drivers with which to remove the desks for dancing, and at the end of the evening they again replaced the desks for the use of the children.

In 1919 the Wissinoming Improvement Association placed pictures of the Veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American and World War I in the first floor hall.  To further the memory of our War Heroes, a Memorial Cannon was placed in the Lawton School Garden on November 11th, 1922.  This cannon was provided by the Wissinoming Improvement Association also.  It was obtained through the Frankford Arsenal, and had never been fired.

In 1924 the enrollment of Lawton School reached the all time high of 1442 pupils.  In that same year eight additional rooms and the auditorium were added; but the over-crowding still existed.

The Lawton School Father's Association was organized in 1926 for the purpose of trying to find the answer to part-time studies and overcrowding.

Carl L. Fromuth on the right, principal from 1940-1944.

In 1945 an operetta written by Mr. Theile called "Norwegian Gold Rush" was presented by the pupils of the school.  On May 27 of the same year the Memorial Pictures of World War II were dedicated and hung in the first floor hall.

Mr. Theile again in 1946 wrote another play called "Forbidden Music," and once more the pupils of the school have a very gratifying performance.

On June 7, 1947 the Advisory Council of Wissinoming unveiled the Memorial Stone in the Garden to the World War II dead.

Though school was far from the minds of children, it was a prime concern with parents.  Prior to 1886 Wissinoming had no school.  Children of that era attended Disston School in Tacony or a school in Bridesburg.  However, in 1886, Miss E. A. Salter opened her home as a school for Wissinoming children.  As the town grew, so did the demand for larger school facilities. 

The Wissinoming Improvement Association erected a building at Jackson and Vankirk Streets in 1888.   It was rented by the School Board  as a two-room schoolhouse.  Land from the Higbee Estate was purchased at Benner and Jackson Streets extending to Ditman Street.  A large school was built to accommodate the expanding enrollment.  In February 1902, the students entered the new school.  Through the years additional wings were added.  In April 1952 Lawton celebrated its golden anniversary. 

After school hours and on specific days during the summer vacation, the schoolyard was a beehive of activity.  Long before the days of little league and bona fide playgrounds, this was the place to play on the giant maypoles with their thick knotted ropes that flung you high into the air as you grasped tightly till your feet rebounded to the ground--to zip down the sliding board--ride the see-saw--to climb on the "monkey bars," the jungle gym of those days--to see what new records of height you could establish on the swings--or to prance around on stilts graduating from shaky bobbing and weaving manipulators to full fledged stilt strutters. 

On the Benner Street side of the school, in the Garden, stood a large cannon surrounded by a fence of heavy chain set in concrete posts.  This Memorial Cannon was provided by the Wissinoming Improvement Association and obtained through Frankford Arsenal.  It had never been fired and was presented on November 11, 1922.  This Memorial Cannon was given to the scrap metal drive in 1942 for the war effort.  In 1943, the Home and School Association erected the Honor Roll for World War II veterans to replace the Memorial Cannon.  This spot was the scene of many Memorial Day (once called Decoration Day) ceremonies.  Also, trees were planted in the schoolyard to honor the town's war heroes.  The flag flying from the giant pole in the yard was the focal point where the American Legion members fired salutes to their fallen comrades during these patriotic ceremonies..

In 1970 it was the consensus of opinion that the school building was neither fireproof nor safe.  The parents, the Wissinoming Civic Association, Mayor Rizzo, along with the School Board and the Buildings Department felt that the building should be replaced.  On March 16, 1972 the decision was made to build a new modular school.   Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on January 18, 1973.  On May 15th of that year, the columns were erected.  On December 3, 1973 classes began in the new half of the building.  The former school building was demolished and work continued on the second half of the school.  The entire school was completed in October 1974. 

Now the cannon is gone, the playground amusements have disappeared; yes, even the old school itself.  Today a modern school replaces the former gray stone fortress of knowledge.  Perhaps the memories too will be replaced someday with fond remembrances of other generations who will realize their days spent here were the best ever. 

The beautiful stained glass windows from the original school are on display in the lobby of the new school.  Also the pictures of the men and women veterans from the Wissinoming area who served in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II are mounted on the walls in the corridors of the new school.  The photos of these courageous Wissinomingites once graced the halls of the original school. 

One of Lawton School's claims to fame is the Bell Choir.  This choir, under the direction of Mr. David Symons, has performed at the White House Conference on Music Education, for the Fellowship Foundation honoring Leonard Bernstein, at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at City Hall, at District 7 festivals, at Schools on Parade at the Academy of Music, at hospitals, and other institutions throughout the years, and especially at Shriner's Hospital at Christmas time. 

Mr. Symons also directs Lawton's fine Glee Club that is featured in various musicals throughout the area as well as in­-school celebrations. 

During the years immediately following the Spanish-American War, it was customary in Philadelphia to name schools after war heroes.  Lest we forget for whom the school was named:  Henry Ware Lawton.  He was born near Toledo, Ohio on March 17, 1843.  Orphaned at nine years old, he was raised by an uncle.  Lawton was a striking and soldierly man.  He was six feet, four inches tall, a fine organizer, a thoroughly practical field soldier, and a highly competent commander who was respected by superiors and subordinates alike. 

He served in the Civil War, rising to the rank of Colonel.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry at Atlanta.  He served in the Indian Wars as a Captain and in the Spanish-American War in Cuba as a Brigadier General.   He was placed in command of the First Division, VIII Army Corps, in Manila in March 1899 and was killed in action on December 19th that same year.