Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: January 1985 Volume 23 Number 1, Pages 37–38

Notes and Comments

• Berwyn Methodist Church Marks Centennial
• Red Cross Building in Berwyn Closed
• Tredyffrin Town Watch Volunteers Receive Governors Award

Page 37

Berwyn Methodist Church Marks Centennial

In commemoration of "100 Years of Methodism in Berwyn", members of the Berwyn United Methodist Church recently completed a 92-inch square quilt which now hangs in the sanctuary of the church. Its twelve blocks relate the past and present day role of the church in Berwyn.

The research on the church's history was done by Kay Williams and Carol Williams, the church historian. Hank Rosenberg did the art work for the squares, with the calligraphy provided by Jane Gresham. Jacqueline Magann was the designer and chairman of the project, with Carol Williams and Narelle Grieve her co-chairmen. More than twenty members of the congregation, including the minister, the Rev. Charles Bartolett, took part in the quilting, embroidery and applique work necessary to complete the quilt.

Depicted in the twelve blocks are the original church; the Chi Rho that symbolizes the present church; a Crown; the Cross and Flame that are the symbol of the United Methodist Church; the Circuit Rider used as the symbol of Methodism's bicentennial; the original church bell, presented to the church in 1888; the present church building; and reproductions of various stained glass windows. On each block are also the initials of the persons who worked on that particular square.

Page 37

Red Cross Building in Berwyn Closed

With the reorganization of several branches of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Red Cross, the "old school building" in Berwyn will no longer serve as the local Red Cross branch office.

The building has been used by the Red Cross for more than fifty years. In 1932 the Paoli Branch relocated in the vacated school house, and the building has continued to serve as the office despite various reorganizations, (In 1959 the Paoli Branch became the Upper Main Line Branch, which later, in 1971, was merged into the Wayne-Paoli Branch, and then, two years ago, was again reorganized with the formation of the Eastern Chester County Branch,)

With the increased activities of the Red Cross during the second World War, the building was purchased with local contributions by the Paoli Branch from the Easttown School Board in April 1943. The deed was then transferred to the National Red Cross in Washington in formal dedication services the following month.

Under the current reorganization, the Main Line, Brandywine, and Eastern Chester County branches are being consolidated into two new branches, with their offices located in Villanova and West Chester. The change is primarily an administrative one, however, and will not affect the services that are offered at the present time by any of the three branches.

Tredyffrin Town Watch Volunteers Receive Governors Award

In October four members of the Tredyffrin Town Watch, along with fifteen other Town Watch members from throughout the state of Pennsylvania, were presented the Governor's Award for Volunteerism by Governor Dick Thornburgh. The awards were made to Patricia Grosholz, president of the Tredyffrin group, Robert J. Rainey, Jack Hamilton, and Karyl L. Morton for contributing more than 500 hours each of service to the program.

After ten years of operation, the Tredyffrin Town Watch is one of the largest and best managed groups in the state, according to Officer Nick Bereda, the township's crime prevention director. During this time an estimated 1900 residents of the township have been given training on what to look for and how to report suspicious activities to the police. The township has been divided into twenty-two neighborhood groups, each of which meets once a month.

The Tredyffrin program has also become a model for other communities, and Officer Bereda has now worked with more than forty other police departments throughout the state, helping them to organize a local Town Watch.