Trade school gets $45 million donation
By Jane M. Von Bergen and Mari Schaefer

Inquirer Staff Writers

In jubilation yesterday, they celebrated with glasses of sparkling cider at the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades.
No wonder. Its president had just announced that the tiny private trade school outside Media – enrollment 250 – would receive a whopping $45 million donation from two of the region’s most generous philanthropic couples.

Sparkling cider? Williamson has a strict no-drinking policy, enforced with random Breathalyzer tests – part of a policy to build character while building skills in carpentry, power-plant operation, turf maintenance, and machining.

Williamson’s discipline and education, in fact, are what attracted the donors to the school, where tuition and room and board are free for the college-age students. They generally graduate after three years with an associate’s degree.

The donations come from metals entrepreneur Henry Rowan and his wife, Lee, of Langhorne, Bucks County, and former cable television magnate H. FitzGerald “Gerry” Lenfest and his wife, Marguerite, of Philadelphia.

“I think they are educating a unique group of people in a unique way,” Henry Rowan said in an interview. “They take kids from limited finances and teach them a trade. They run a very highly disciplined environment, and they turn out some great people.”

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“When I heard [about the gift], chills went up and down my spine,” said Kevin Hatch, 21, who will graduate in May from the school’s power-plant-technology program and will start immediately at a job paying him $75,000 a year plus full tuition reimbursement.

“I’m so happy for the school because of the future that it’ll be able to have. More kids like myself will be able to benefit,” said Hatch, whose father died when he was a teenager.

In December, Rowan had set up a $5 million challenge grant. Williamson approached the Lenfests, who had been previous donors, to help match Rowan’s donation.

Instead, Gerry Lenfest issued a challenge to Rowan through Reid: Lenfest would put up $20 million if Rowan would match it.

The school already had a $50 million endowment. The $40 million from the couples, plus Rowan’s initial $5 million grant, puts the school close to its goal of doubling its endowment.

Russell Harvey, Class of 1951 and faculty member, was overcome with emotion when he was asked to lead the school in the singing of the school’s alma mater.

Harvey said the Class of 1951 had only 25 students. Times were tight, and the board had considered not having a class that year, but one benefactor was able to give enough money, at the time, for 25 students.

“I won’t be here in 40 years,” said Harvey, 77. “But this will be here.”

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Dick Clemens