The final month: When will SEPTA’s ‘Germantown High’ bus-stop announcement change?

When Germantown High School closes its doors later this month, the building itself won’t be the only relic.

SEPTA buses, including the Route 23, will still announce GHS as a destination accessible from Germantown Avenue stops at, and near, the High Street intersection.

Don’t expect that announcement to feature an immediate difference when students are no longer taking public transportation to GHS, either.

A collective process

SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch told NewsWorks that while schedules are changed three times annually, the automated recordings are not altered unless service or routing changes make it a necessity.

“With things like schools, hospitals or major business closings or additions, several departments — communications, service operations — get together, review the entire system and make changes every year or two,” he said of that “purge” process. “If we did it with every change, we would be consumed by doing it all the time.”

He used the changing names of sports arenas in South Philadelphia as an example.

The Wells Fargo Center, for instance, has been called CoreStates Center, First Union Center and Wachovia Center since 1996. That’s why the Broad Street Line refers to that stop as a collective “sports complex.”

On buses and trolleys, the announcements are computerized and automated, so when that process starts, Germantown High would be among many destinations entered into a master list and updated.

“There won’t be an immediate change,” said Busch.

As the final day of Germantown High School’s 99-year history approaches — the Class of ’13 will don caps and gowns on June 19 — NewsWorks will present a series of stories including interviews with grads and former students.

To that end, we’re asking you to send your memories via email (subject line: My GHS Memories), the comments section or call (215) 351-1293.