Pages from the Program of Dedication - Poem Written for Mr. Crawford
James B. Crawford was born in Chesterville, Pennsylvania. He graduated from West Grove High School, where he earned letters in four sports.
In May of 1930 he received his B.S degree in Health and Physical Education from West Chester State College. Here, too, he was awarded letters in four sports.
He began his teaching career at Lansdale High School in September of 1930 where he taught Health and Physical Education. He was also head track coach and assistant football coach. In 1940, he obtained his Master's degree in Education from Temple University.
Two years later, he married Virginia Workman, a foreign language teacher also from Lansdale High School. In 1942, he was inducted into the United States Navy in which he served four years.
On his return to Lansdale in 1946, he continued as instructor of Health and Physical Education and as track and cross-country coach. The latter team in 1949 won the school's first district championship in any sport.
Lansdale High School became North Penn High School in 1955, and Mr. Crawford became its first Athletic Director while continuing as track coach and as an instructor of Driver Education.
He was the father of two sons. James, Jr. is a counselor at North Penn High School, while Michael, a 1972 graduate of West Chester University passed away in 1978. He also had three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Some of his major accomplishments include the following:
- His track teams won 276 league dual meets and lost only 7 league dual meets during his coaching career.
- His teams maintained the Bux-Mont League Championship in track for 22 consecutive years from 1948 until 1969 inclusive, when he retired from coaching.
- At the time of his retirement from coaching, his teams had 95 consecutive league dual meet victories between 1958 and 1969.
- His mile relay teams won the Bux-Mont League Mile Relay Championship at the Penn Relays 18 out of 22 times between 1948 and 1969.
- He was selected as the Honorary Referee for Secondary Schools at the 1968 Penn Relays.
- His 1969 track team won the District One Track and Field Championship for North Penn for the first time.
- His track teams have also won a number of Invitation Meets, Relay Carnivals, and County Championships during his coaching career.
- He coached many league, district, and state champions in track and field, and many of their records still stand.
- In May of 1991 he was inducted into the Souderton-North Penn Hall of Fame
- In November of 1991 North Penn High School's stadium was rightfully named Crawford Stadium.
- In 1969 he retired from coaching and five years later retired from teaching.
- He continued to officiate cross country, track and field, and swimming, both at the high school and college levels.
- Mr. Crawford served as meet referee for the Suburban One League Cross Country and Track and Field Championships as well as the District One Cross Country and Track and Field Championships for over 20 years. He was also an official at the PIAA State Track and Field Championships during that time.
- Officiated at the NCAA Division One Cross Country and Track and Field Meets on two different occasions.
- He died at the age of 88 in November of 1996
- He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1997
