•  History of our Schools
     

    [ 1920s] [1930s ] [1940s] [1950s] [1960s] [1970s] [1980s] [1990s] [2000s][2010s]

     
    1910s
     
    1911
    The Ashland Fire Company was established as the first Volunteer Fire Company. Community events such as dances and breakfasts were offered to the residents.
     
    1920s


    1923
    Gas for cars was purchased at grocery stores, where pumps outside were operated by hand at $1.00 a fill-up.1924
    The Kirkwood School is established as a two-room schoolhouse on White Horse Road, just beyond Burnt Mill Road. It was used until 1957 as a school, and is presently the VFW Hall.

    The present Mt. Zion A.M.E. church was dedicated on November 2nd. The cemetery behind he church dates to the first structure, and several Civil War veterans are buried there.

    1927
    Electricity came to the Osage area, bringing electric lights and appliances.

    1930s

    People were paid in script due to the Depression. WPA projects included construction of Lafayette Avenue to help create jobs during the Depression.

    1939
    Echelon Airport was established where Echelon Mall stands today by Rogers and Jeanette Smith. As a young couple in the 1930's, the Smith's and a group of flying friends formed the Upper Echelon Flying Club.

    1940s

    Telephones came to the Kresson area.

    1949
    Kresson Volunteer Fire Company was established. The fire house was the center of community entertainment. They had a dance floor and showed a weekly movie.

    Lion's Lake on Route 73 was enlarged from a pond to a lake and provided amusement for residents throughout the area.

    1950s

    1950
    Rodgers Smith, who established Echelon Airport, was killed in a plane crash.

    1951
    Last date for outside plumbing in all the schools in the Township.

    1957
    Osage School, a brick building, was established, which brought the closing of Ashland, Kirkwood, and Glendale frame school houses.

    Kresson II school was built just south of the two room school, and was in use until the end of the school year in 1983.

    1960s

    1965
    Eastern High School, a regional school taking in Gibbsboro, West Berlin, and Voorhees was built.

    1969
    The first trip of the PATCO High Speed Line was taken from Ashland to Philadelphia, which was an encouragement to population growth throughout the area.

    1970s

    1973
    The Middle School was built. From 1973 to 1980, it was known as the Upper Elementary School.

    1977
    Camden County Library moved to its current location near the Echelon Mall.

    1980s

    1981
    Eagle Plaza Shopping Center was built.

    1983
    Kresson III school was erected, replacing Kresson II, the present Administration building.

    1989
    Signal Hill School was dedicated.

    1990s

    1995
    Classroom additions made on all school buildings, including a cafetorium and mini-gymnasium at the middle school.

    Today building continues. Carriagebrooke Farms, Sturbridge Estates, the Estates at Main Street, Beagle Club, and Quail Run.

    2000s

    2000
    Enrollment remains steady, but demands of regulations arising from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires additional rooms at Voorhees Middle School and Osage School. A building and renovation referendum, passed in 2000 provides funds for this needed expansion.

    2001-2002
    National and world events cause security to take top priority in the schools. All schools have secured entries. Cameras monitor all public places. Schools add "sheltering in place" drills to their routines. Based on its Elementary School Proficiency Assessment scores of  2001, E.T.Hamilton School becomes one of only 9 schools in New Jersey to earn Blue Ribbon School nomination. All Voorhees schools fall with a few percentage points of ETH.

    2003
    New additions at Voorhees Middle and Osage schools open.
     
    2007
    Osage School celebrates its 50th year.

    The new century is underway. We've come a long way - and it looks like we've all done a fine job. What will the pages say when we write the history of Voorhees Township for the twenty-first century?

    2010s
    2014
    Every student at the Voorhees Middle School receives an iPad for individual use at school and at home.
     
    2020s
    2020
    COVID-19 Pandemic:  Schools went to remote learning in March of 2020 - All students received iPads for individual use, teachers and staff overcame many challenges of remote education.
     
    Township Demographics 
     
    Twenty-nine thousand people reside in Voorhees. About 21% of this population is 18 years of age or younger. Twenty-eight percent of the population over 25 years of age hold bachelor's degrees. Twenty-two percent hold graduate degrees. (Source: U.S. Census 2010)

    When rating school districts according to socio-economic grouping, the New Jersey State Department of Education rates Voorhees as an I on a scale of A to J. This is based upon the communitys characteristics, such as ratable base, educational level of residents, income, unemployment rate and density of housing. This I rating is the same as neighboring districts of Moorestown and Medford.