Preserving history and traditions is the goal of the Towamensing Historical Commission.

To help them do that, members are planning to write a story/recipe book as a fundraiser. The money earned will go toward renovation and preservation of the one-room Greenzweig School.The Greenzweig School was donated to the Towamensing Historical Commission in 2013 by Lana and Susan Kuehner Zazangansky. The Kuehner farm belonged to their parents. The commission will lease the land for $1 a year for the next 99 years."We are looking for recipes, any kind of stories, and photographs that people would like to share about the Towamensing area. They can be historical and anecdotal," says Lora Nothstein, commission secretary/treasurer and Towamensing Township secretary.If there are duplicates of any recipes, only one will be printed but all names who submitted it will be given credit.Perhaps you have some memories to share about your one-room schoolhouse days or your parents and grandparents. The commission would like to include your stories about what it was like growing up in the Towamensing area. Submit photographs of people, landmarks and buildings in your recollections when you can.The commission hopes to restore the Greenzweig School back to its former glory. Among its new uses, the commission would like to see it become a meeting place for Scout troops."A lot of crafts are being lost today. We'd love to have crafting classes held at the school to continue our heritage," says Nothstein.The Greenzweig School was built in 1881 and classes were held there until 1953. The inside of the building is in remarkably good condition.The original slate board is still there, as are the electric light fixtures, all of which will be kept. The wiring will have to be replaced, as it is the old tube and knob type.An old stove, similar to the one used to heat the building years ago, has already been donated to the commission by the Palmerton Area Historical Society/The Kibler School Committee. When the Kibler School on Pohopoco Drive was being renovated, it obtained two stoves. One was installed and the other has been kept in storage and will now be put to use at the Greenzweig School."We are hoping to receive donations of presidential pictures, a student's desk and a teacher's desk. We do have a teacher's chair that was an original to the Strohls Valley School. It was donated to us by Elaine Zacharias," says Nothstein.One-room schools are near and dear to Nothstein's heart. She has lived in one most of her life.The Strohls Valley School was converted into a home in 1953. It was purchased by a Mr. Griffin who rented it out. In 1962, Nothstein's parents, Paul and Sylvia Rex purchased it and lived there for many years.Then Nothstein and her husband, Carl, purchased it from them in 1992. She has tried to incorporate as much of the original schoolhouse attributes into the home's decor."We see the potential of the Greenzweig School. Some people see the work involved to its restoration. I see the beauty," says Nothstein.Send recipes, stories and photos for the upcoming recipe/story book to Nothstein, at 120 Stable Road, Lehighton, PA 18235, or email her at

info@towamensingtownship.com or

towamensinghistory@yahoo.com. You can call her at 610-681-4202. The deadline is June 2.