Dr. Harry Gutelius
Rooted as a pioneer, Dr. Harry Gutelius graduated from Frankford High School in June 1963.
A talented honor roll student, 13 Club member, basketball team statistician, sports editor for the Highway and Record Book and baseball team co-captain was named an All Public Honors pitcher.
Harry attended LaSalle College (now University) on a full baseball scholarship, and just after graduation, he became head baseball coach at Philadelphia Textile (now Philadelphia University), the youngest head coach in the nation at that time.
Returns to His Roots
In 1967, Harry began his full-time career with the Philadelphia School District as an English teacher at his Alma Mater, Frankford.
During his eight year tenure at Frankford, he sponsored the 13 Club, the National Honor Society, the Color Guard and the Principal’s Advisory Council, and the Record Book.
In 1975, Harry was promoted to an English Department Head at Lamberton High and became the senior class sponsor, the founder of the school's National Honor Society, and the writer and director of a school show.
An Upward Climb
Harry was promoted to Vice Principal at Germantown High in 1983, and served until his promotion to principal of Washington High in 1987.
Along with his principal duties, he served as representative for the city's high school principals at the monthly Public League Supervisory meetings of Athletic Directors.
His peers also elected him, President of the Senior High Principals' Council. And in 1997 he won the Lindenbaum award as the City's Outstanding Secondary School Principal.
Retirement Years…
A Professor is Born
Harry retired from the School District in 1999 after 32 years of service. Presently, he’s a professor at Eastern University teaching. He also directs the ACT grant, and is the university's Athletic Director.
Harry and his wife, Joyce, have two sons, Scott, a teacher, and Kevin, a sales representative. They also have two granddaughters, Bailey and Taylor.