Who Was William Rowen?

Our school is named after the Philadelphia entrepreneur, William Rowen. He organized the establishment of Penn Treaty Park. Below is additional information about his life.

• William Rowen’s great-great grandfather was a soldier in the American Revolution, a resident of Kensington, and lived to be 103 years of age.
• Largely through his influence, the Penn Treaty Park was established. He served as a delegate to several conventions to nominate governors of Pennsylvania.
• He was instrumental in the building of Kensington High School, Chandler School, William Penn Senior High School, and Mastbaum Vocational School.
• In 1907, the Board of Judges to the Central Board of Education appointed William Rowen as a member of the Philadelphia Board of Education.
• His Philadelphia home was at 305 East Girard Avenue where he maintained a funeral home.
• At his death in 1933, he was 81 years of age and had been connected with the Philadelphia Board of Education for 30 years, the last 12 of which he had been its president. Underprivileged and special needs children lost a staunch friend through William Rowen’s death.