Arthur Lewis, the 85-year-old president of the Radnor High School Scholarship Fund, was recently honored at a party for the organization’s 50th anniversary, writes Linda Stein of the Main Line Suburban Life.

According to Stein, the scholarship fund provides need-based financial assistance to Radnor graduates and has given $2.5 million to 900 students since it began with the Class of 1966. Thirty scholarships of $2,000 or $2,500 went to college or trade school-bound students from the Class of 2015.

A financial aid expert privately reviews financial applications for each recipient, said Lewis. They must keep up a “C” grade point average to keep getting the scholarship each year for four years.

Now, there is a scholarship in the name of Lewis, who has been president of the organization since 1989.

“It was a big surprise,” he said. “It was really funny, keeping that secret. My wife and kids all came.”

Radnor resident Tim Dilworth has known Lewis since he was in high school with his son, Andy, and had worked with Lewis for years at the annual July 4th fireworks, a big fundraiser for the scholarship fund.

“The amount of work the guy put in was unbelievable,” Dilworth said. “The amount of money we earned was unbelievable.

“People think these people always have money in Radnor and they don’t,” Dilworth added. Scholarships are “given to people who financially need the money and that’s why we worked so hard for it.”

Lewis has also served in public office, representing Ward 1 on the Radnor Board of Commissioners from 1978 to 1983. He served on the Zoning Hearing Board and on the Township School Board from 1991 to 2007.

Click here to read more about Arthur Lewis in the Main Line Suburban Life.

Top photo credit: Conant Graduation 2015 23 via photopin (license)