This school was in 1858, bought by George F. McFarland, who ran it as a private school from then
until August of 1862, when he enlisted a company of men who became Company D
of the 151st Pa Vol Inf.
Col. McFarland was severely wounded in the first day's fighting at
Gettysburg, and was in the hospital
there until September of 1863, when he
returned to McAlisterville to reopen the academy.
His wounds resulted in
the amputation of one of his legs and rendered his remaining leg useless,
so that he needed a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
In early 1864 the PA legislature passed the bill establishing the Orphans'
Schools, and McFarland,
who had been an advocate for these schools, began
to receive orphans at this school
as early as 1 November 1864.
By April of 1865 he had admitted a total of 61 pupils.
By 1870 there were
217 pupils in the school. In 1869 there had been 211. By 1870 a total of
421 children had been admitted and received schooling in the
Orphans' School
at McAlisterville.
A look at the 1870 census records show
approximately 240 people listed at the Orphans' School.*
.
Bob Winder, Researcher Juniata County Historical Society