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Our People of the Century
Frank Bortle:
H
ands-on Administrator Led School for 35 Years     

Frank Bortle's teaching career began in 1953 in the Heislerville Schoolhouse. The outhouse was out back, and oil-heated stove heated the building and pre-first through eighth graders learned their three R's in the four classrooms.

Bortle was a teaching principal; he taught sixth, seventh and eighth grades, along with handling the administrative duties.

Four years later, he became principal and superintendent of the Stow Creek Township School District. Bortle remained in the position of chief administrator for 31 years.

"It's a good school – I never had a discipline problem and I always had a lot of cooperation from parents and the school board," Bortle said recently from his Vineland home.

Donna Levick, Stow Creek Township’s current chief administrator, says Bortle set the standard for the operation of the community school.

"We will find ourselves asking 'What would Mr. Bortle do?'" Levick said.

"He loves wildlife and he often shared his appreciation for the environment with his students."

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