Lower Allen township has always taken pride in her schools and Lisburn has shared in the educational advantages thus afforded.
For many years the town had a graded school and about 1867 the late Col. Wm. Penn Lloyd taught the grammar school, and his sister Rebecca Lloyd was teacher of the primary. Mr. Lloyd was succeeded by Frederick K. Ployer, later the well-known Mechanicsburg banker. Miss Lloyd continued as primary teacher for several years and then became Mrs. F. K. Ployer. The next grammar schoolteacher was S. Taylor Sheaffer, who abandoned teaching to accept a responsible position in an iron industry in Western Pennsylvania. He was succeeded by J. H. Deardorff, who later studied medicine and became a leading Mechanicsburg physician. Then Prof. J. C. Nesbit took charge and began a career as teacher which has few equals in the history of Cumberland County. He taught at Lisburn and in the immediate vicinity for many years, then removed to Shepherdstown and continued teaching in the schools of Upper Allen. After making a record of 50 years teaching, he retired to his little farm at Shepherdstown and later removed to Mechanicsburg. J. H. Boyer, a former Lisburn pupil, was the next in succession. He began teaching while taking a course in the Shippensburg Normal School. Several years later he studied medicine in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and became a leading Mechanicsburg physician and druggist and served several terms as burgess of the town. His health failed and he died before reaching his prime. While he was teaching the grammar school his cousin, A. M. Gher, taught the primary. A few years later the two schools were consolidated.
Among the primary teachers during that period were Miss Agnes Costello and Miss Sallie Heck (now Mrs. James Kline). Among those who taught the school after the consolidation were Miss Estelle Conard, J. C. Nesbit, A . M. Gher, James A. Bell.
Among the pupils who have gone out from this school during this period may be mentioned John Calvin Bell, the Wilkes-Barre banker; the late Adam G. Bell, Dr. H. M. Boyer, of Carlisle; Mrs. E. I. Meck, Carlisle; Frank P. Boyer, Monroe; Frank P. Hamilton, Steelton; Mrs. George S. Comfort, Philadelphia; Mrs. A. M. Gher, Carlisle; A. L. Kunkle, Lisburn; Mrs. J. H. Drawbaugh, Shiremanstown; Mrs. Landis Eckels, Shepherdstown; S. A. Floyd, Harrisburg; Justus Hull, New York; Miss Grace Hull, Lisburn; Miss Annie M. Gher, Carlisle; Frank M. Gher, Lisburn; Jacob Heck, Lisburn; Miss Lillian Heck, Lisburn; Charles S. Boyer, Lisburn; Herbert Boyer, Camp Hill; Mrs. G. B. Atticks, Lisburn; J. A. Kunkle, Lemoyne; D. L. Kunkle, Goldsboro; John E. Kunkle, Paxtang; John H. Bowman, Abram Bowman, Misses Mattie and Alice Bowman, all of Mechanicsburg; Prof. Chrales H. Smith, New Cumberland; Thomas Wilson, Lisburn; William P. Boyer, York.
Among the school directors in charge during those years were Hon. George W. Mumper, S. M. Hertzler, W. H. Zearing, J. A. Schrich, C. I. Boyer and John Umberger. Among the superintendents were Profs. D. E. Kost, S. B. Shearer, A. J. Beitzel, I. S. Bryner, J. Kelso Green.
In the seventies and eighties spelling bees and lyceums were in vogue and a public examination near the end of the term was a feature of school life.
The schoolboys were fairly good but not of the angelic class. The following is told by F. K. Ployer as part of his teaching experience in Lisburn: The boys carried the drinking water and considered it a privilege to get away from their studies and go for water. Frank P. Boyer of Monroe, William Lemer and the late John A. Gher were granted the privilege of serving as water bearers one fine afternoon. As it was a fine day, they did not go to Anderson’s well, which was nearby, but went to Anderson’s spring, quite a distance away. On the way back they caught a pig, took it to school, turned it loose inside of the primary school door and then proceeded upstairs to their own place, wearing that innocent look which is a characteristic of every tricky schoolboy. The teacher of the primary school reported to Mr. Ployer. Under the circumstances no investigation was needed, and Mr. Ployer just directed the three boys to go and catch that pig and return it to its owner. The boys were rather crestfallen but had no defense.