Hummels Wharf, Pennsylvania

Geography

Hummels Wharf is located at 40°50′5″N 76°50′12″W (40.834638, -76.836753).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 641 people, 314 households, and 184 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,254.1 people per square mile (883.9/km²). There were 336 housing units at an average density of 1,181.5/sq mi (463.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.04% White, 0.47% African American, 1.25% Asian, 0.94% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

There were 314 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.63.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $24,600, and the median income for a family was $25,781. Males had a median income of $38,942 versus $25,109 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $19,218. About 14.1% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Hummels Wharf is located in the 108th House District and the 27th Senate District of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. With regards to the U.S. House of Representatives, residents are in Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. In the United States each state is represented in the United States Senate by two at large senators.

Schools

Selinsgrove Area School District is the local public school. There are approximately 2700 students clustered on a campus located in Selinsgrove borough. The Pennsylvania Department of Education projects a declining enrollment for the foreseeable future.

According to Pittsburgh Business Times, which ranks Pennsylvania school districts based on test scores, in 2007 Selinsgrove Area School District was ranked 235th out of 499 public school districts in the state. The Daily Item reported that in 2006 Selinsgrove reached adequate yearly progress standards for the first time since the progress analysis began during the 2002-03 school year.

SASD employs about 350 people in 2007. Two hundred of the employees are teachers. The median teacher salary in 2007 is $58,000 plus benefits. Seventy percent of spending is allocated to employee costs. The district reports spending $9800 per pupil in 2007. According to Jeffrey Hummel, district business manager, costs for building projects coupled with salaries, transportation costs and increased charges for energy, will mean continued property tax increases.

The Selinsgrove Area Middle School serves students in grades 6-8 using a team teaching approach. The students' PSSA scores for reading and math have exceeded state and regional averages for several years.

Selinsgrove Area Intermediate School has students grades 3-5. The school's lagging reading and math test scores have raised concerns. The scores have been below state and regional averages for several years. In 2005, the 3rd grade ranked 1215th out of 1779 Pennsylvania third grades.

Primary grades are at Selinsgrove Area Elementary School. Kindergarten is located at Jackson Penn School. All Day Kindergarten begins in the 2007-2008 school year. District officials are using this as an opportunity to further consolidate the district by renovating and enlarging Selinsgrove Elementary School and closing Jackson-Penn Elementary School. Enrollment in the district is declining and is projected to continue to decline for the next decade. SASD Demographic report PreK-12 school statistics Enrollment Projections

In 2005, Standard & Poors reported the district's student teacher ratio was 15.9 to 1.

Public School busing is provided.

Selinsgrove Area High School has about 960 students in grades 9-12. In 2005, Selinsgrove Area High School was ranked 306th out of 601 Pennsylvania high schools on the annual state basic testing.

Parks and recreation

Local government is participating in a regional effort to increase and improve outdoor recreation in Eastern Snyder County. A regional plan has been developed by Shamokin Dam borough, Selingrove borough, Monroe Township, and Penn Township officials. Their hope is to garner state tax dollars through grant and matching fund applications. Officials assert that a poll of 10% of residents showed that they were willing to pay higher taxes to add more recreation facilities to the area.

The East Snyder Park is a multi-use facility which is under development using state grants and local donations. It is located along the upper end of University Ave. near Rt. 522, at the location of the existing Penn Township ball fields. The master plan of the park calls for nine professional grade horseshoe pits, baseball, softball, football and soccer fields, a preschool playground with age appropriate apparatus (Kaboom grant) a playground for older children, and a small wetland conservation education area. The facilities are governed by the East Snyder Regional Recreation Association, a 501 (c) organization with a board made up of interested parties, local youth recreation organization representatives and area government officials.

One concept brought out in the Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan is for the region to market riverfront recreation opportunities. This is being actively promoted by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership.

Susquehanna River Shady Nook PP&L electric company donated 4.7 acres of land to the township for a public boat access in Hummels Wharf. From U.S. routes 11 and 15 in Selinsgrove, turn right at Sheetz, then at the curve drive straight ahead. At the stop sign, turn left to access the area. The hours of operation are 24 hours, 7 days a week. Activities include unlimited-horsepower boating, shallow-draft, lightweight fishing boats, canoes and inflatables. Shore fishing is permitted with a Pennsylvania fishing license. Parking is available in a large lot and a surfaced ramp is maintained.

Libraries

The Selinsgrove Community Library is a public library that is part of the Snyder County Library system. Patrons have free use of the PA Power Library and Access Pennsylvania which provide extensive onlline resources for children and adults. The library is on the corner of High Street and Pine Street, one block west of Market Street in downtown Selinsgrove. A small book exchange cart is hosted in the U.S. Post Office building on Rte 11&15, Hummels Wharf.

The Selinsgrove Area High School Media Center is open to the public one evening a week during the school year.

Degenstein Community Library is located at 40 South Fifth Street, Sunbury, Northumberland County, PA 17801 570-286-2461

The State Library of Pennsylvania Commonwealth & Walnut Sts., Harrisburg, PA. This library provides information for State Government and citizens, collects and preserves Pennsylvania's written heritage through materials published for, by, and about Pennsylvania.