Dickey School auction set for next month

LOCK HAVEN, PA – If you’re looking for a school, with much of its contents still inside, the Keystone Central School District has one available for you in Lock Haven’s hill district.

School board member Jeff Johnston updated Lock Haven City Council at its Monday night meeting on district plans to auction off Dickey Elementary School and its contents. The auction will be conducted by Harry Schenck on Saturday, March 27 at 9:05 a.m. outside the school on S. Fairview Street. The school has been empty since COVID-19 closed down district schools in March of last year. It was 11 months ago the school board voted to take the school out of use and put it up for sale.

Johnston said the district decided to go the auction route in order to expedite the sale. He said that will get the property back on the tax rolls more quickly. He said the building will be sold “as is” and there will be a reserve requirement. Also for sale will be contents including desks, chairs and tables and “a couple vehicles.” He said in addition to a live auction outside the building, bidders will likely be able to participate by online and by phone.

The school board vote to close Dickey was by a 7-2 margin in March of 2020. The closure was part of a district reconfiguration of its grade placements within the southern end of the district. All fifth graders, effective this school year, are now taught at Central Mountain Middle School. The district continues to operate four elementary schools, grades kindergarten through fourth, in the southern part of the district. They are Woodward, Robb, Mill Hall and Liberty-Curtin.