On the scene for the last day of Germantown High School’s life (1914-2013)

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

by Aaron Moselle and Brian Hickey for NewsWorks

Jenia Jolley stood on the shoulder of East High Street and snapped a second photo of Germantown High School.

The first was taken earlier in the morning with her husband, Terrence Furtick, inside the gym of their soon-to-be-closed alma mater.

It’s where the couple first met.

"I was in 10th [grade], and he was graduating," said Jolley on Friday, the final day of classes at GHS.

The tender moment was as much about rekindling the past as it was about preserving it for the future.

Standing steps away from Jolley was her young daughter. She and Furtick brought her along for a brief family history lesson that they hope will stay with her for years to come.

"It’s sad that they’re closing, but at least she’s old enough to see where we started," said Jolley before heading off to work.

Germantown High is one of the 24 schools closing due to the Philadelphia School District’s budget crisis this year.

A number of GHS underclassmen trickled in and out of the 99-year-old building Friday morning for final goodbyes of their own.

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