An Interview with Maryella Correll
A Lifelong Pen Argyl Resident
Maryella Correll, at age 82, has lived in Pen Argyl her whole life. Her grandfather bought Pen Argyl's only opera house, located on Main Street in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania.
Main Street, Pen Argyl, PA
She attended school in Pen Argyl until the tenth grade. In those days, students walked to school, back home for lunch, and then back to the school for the rest of the day.
School Building on Pennsylvania Avenue
- In those days, local sports were a big part of life in Pen Argyl. Unlike today, teenagers did not have jobs. They worked around the house with their mothers or for their neighbors who needed help. They were not paid for their services, but they were always rewarded in some way. On the weekends, their activities involved sports and occasionally going to one of the three theaters that Pen Argyl had to offer. Once a year, the people of Pen Argyl celebrated Pen Argyl Day by taking a trolley ride around Pen Argyl.
- Transportation, at this time, involved walking or riding in a horse and buggy. Later, trains were available for transportation. Activities in which teenagers participated were usually family oriented. There were no restaurants located in the town of Pen Argyl, so families always ate at home. On some days, Maryella went to a neighbor's house and ate meals with their family. This was a tradition with them for many years. After Maryella finished school, she joined the war effort during World War II, where she was a commander.
- In those days, coal stoves were used to heat the house or cook. The younger boys walked up forty-two steps to carry the coal to the stove. As Maryella got older, she saw the town of Pen Argyl boom from a small population to more than four hundred people. She saw many churches being built, such as the Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church, and many new businesses came to town. There were about twenty-five businesses on Main Street alone. The town of Pen Argyl had a park named Weona Park, which eventually acquired a magnificent carousel. Maryella remembers that when the carousel was first purchased it was very popular with the local children.
-
- Now, many years later, Maryella Correll owns and lives in the building that contained the Opera House. She now speaks at the Pen Argyl Legion and her main theme is "Togetherness is the Main Thing."
The Correll Building as it appears today
"We need to get back to the old times and get our community together," says Maryella. She feels that people today are not willing to work for what they want. She says that Pen Argyl isn't like it used to be. There aren't many of the original townspeople living in Pen Argyl today because there is nothing to hold them here.