Smith Hall Dedicated and Opened with Two Excellent Programs
Capacity Crowds Witness Programs

"Smith Hall, Slatington School District’s new gymnasium and physical culture building, was fittingly dedicated and officially opened with a two-day program, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.”
....
"Last evening’s program at the new hall was divided into two parts. The first part included a gymnastic exhibition by students of the East Stroudsburg Teachers’s College."
....
"The second part of the program was an exhibition basketball contest, with Palmerton High as the opponent.”

Source: The Slatington News, 9 December 1937

[See my notes on Smith Hall.]

Smith Hall interior from a photograph initially published in The Morning Call.

Capacity Attendance See First Game in Smith Hall”

Palmerton the traditional foe of S.H.S. came out victorious with the score 36 to 22.

P[ercy] M. Smith, father of the late, Coach Norman Smith, for whom the new gymnasium is named, tossed out the ball to open the Slatington-Palmerton game. The first goal, a foul, to be made in the gymnasium was bucketed by Baer, of S.H.S., forward and "Sonny" Neff, of the local squad scored the first field goal.

[Note: Well, that account is not quite the same as appeared in The Morning Call, 9 December 1937. “The first goal, a foul, to be made in the gymnasium was bucketed by Bear, Slatington forward. Brestovansky, a Palmerton forward, netted the initial field goal.” Then Al Neff scored the first Slatington field goal. That would be Russell Bear, class of 1938, and Alfred Neff, class of 1940.]

Source: The Slatington News, 9 December 1937

Some dates in the timeline of Smith Hall construction (all dates from The Slatington News)

16 September 1937
At the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education on Monday evening, Sept 13th, "On motion the Board directed that the word 'palestra' on the Bronze Tablet for the new building should be changed to 'Smith Hall'."

14 January 1937, Work on New Gym to Start Tomorrow
The contract was awarded to "Harold A. Williams, of Allentown, at his bid of $67,426."

24 September 1936, New Building Approved
"telegram from G. Douglas Andrews, state director of the WPA at Harrisburg, stating of approval of a federal grant of $62,182 for the Slatington School District. This grant is to be applied to the erection of a gymnasium and auditorium in the rear of the Lincoln building on Kuntz St."

2 July 1936, Board OK's Building Plans

7 November 1935, Appreciation
"The Board of Education desire to express their appreciation to the citizens of the district for their approval of the school bond issue at this week's election."
yes - 1,175; no - 660

31 October 1935, Something for Nothing
[Note that There was continuing reader feedback questioning the need for the proposed new school building.

24 October 1935
Controversy over the need for the new school building and taxes!

17 October 1935, New School Building
"At the coming November election, our citizens will be asked to give their approval of a bond issue for financing the erection of a new building."

15 August 1935, New Building with PWA Aid
"the PWA [Public Works Administration] has acted favorably on the application of the Board of Education for aid in financing the proposed new building and has made a grant of approximately $62,000,000."

28 March 1935, School Board is Seeking PWA Aid
"the board finally instructed architects to draw up preliminary plans for a gymnasium to hold 2500 people and housing extra classrooms ... on the Lincoln school grounds." "At the time the old gymnasium was built in the high school building in 1916, it was the largest in the Lehigh Valley. At present it is the smallest."