Paul Bernhardt, ceramics teacher

"Increasing attention has been paid in the ceramics community nationwide to the role played by the ceramics program at Conestoga High School in Berwyn," Inquirer art critic Victoria Donohue wrote in January 2000.

The program was founded in 1960 by teacher Paul R. Bernhardt and was run after his 1990 retirement by teacher John Matthews.

"The results have become almost legendary," Donohue wrote.

"It is commonplace to hear craftspeople in various parts of the country exclaim incredulously upon meeting another Conestoga-trained [ceramics] artist: 'You went to that school, too?' "

Mr. Bernhardt, 76, of West Chester, died of lung cancer Saturday, June 26, at his home.

In 2007, the National Council on Education for the Ceramics Art gave him its Excellence in Teaching award at its annual meeting in Louisville, Ky.

His award was the first of its kind given to a high school teacher. "Of the nine prior to him," said council spokeswoman Dori Nielsen, "most of them are related to a university."

Donohue, while reporting on a 2000 event at Chester Springs Studio, wrote that Mr. Bernhardt and Matthews "have lent moral prestige and exceptionally effective guidance to a host of would-be craftspeople in clay."

The event was the first to bring together works by Mr. Bernhardt, Matthews, and 11 of their Conestoga alumni, including four who had become university teachers of the art.

The curator for the exhibit was Eric Eley, Conestoga Class of 1995, a ceramics teacher in Helena, Mont.

The works at the event, Eley told another Inquirer reporter, did not "show any particular influence as much as what kind of creativity can be inspired by two teachers."

"They were serious," Eley said, "so we were serious."

Born in Yeadon, Mr. Bernhardt graduated from Yeadon High School in 1950 and earned a bachelor's degree in art education at Kutztown State College in 1955.

His wife, Janet, said that Mr. Bernhardt taught junior high school classes in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District for a year, served as an Army art illustrator from 1956 to 1958, and then returned to the junior high for another year.

While teaching at Conestoga, beginning in 1960, he earned a master's degree in art education at Temple University in 1963 and a master of fine arts in ceramics at Alfred (N.Y.) University in 1970.

Mr. Bernhardt also taught ceramics at Main Line School Night for several years, his wife said. After retiring, he taught at the Chester Springs Studio.

Mr. Bernhardt was a member of the Chester County School Retirees and the Wallingford Potters' Guild.

Besides his wife of 55 years, Mr. Bernhardt is survived by brother Harold and sister Ruth Thompson.

A visitation was set at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 7, at the DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, 410 N. Church St., West Chester, followed by an 11 a.m. memorial there. Burial is private.