George M. Meiser,IX was born, reared, and educated in Reading, Pennsylvania. Soon after graduating from Kutztown University, he was
appointed principal of the Alsace Consolidated School, in the Oley Valley of
Berks County, Pennsylvania. From 1966 to 1996, he had been on the faculty of the Wyomissing Area
School District. Mr. Meiser is well known for his long-running
newspaper series, The Passing Scene, which had some 225 installments in the Reading
Eagle, beginning in 1977.
Mr. Meiser served as associate editor of the Historical
Review of Berks County (1966-1999) and is now publisher. Since 1978 he has been a member of Reading Historical Architectural Review Board. At present he is president of the Music Club of
Reading-Berks.
Mr. Meiser is president of the Historical Society of Berks County and is an avid record collector and photographer. Since 1960, he has delivered some 600 illustrated lectures. For a decade he has hosted a BCTV program dealing with
historical Reading and Berks County.
PUBLICATIONS:-
The following is a list of the publications which
George Meiser has authored with the research assistance of his wife, Gloria Jean.
- Meiser's Historical Sites Map of Reading & Berks County (900 sites; 2 x 3 ft.; 2 sides) 1976
- Echoes of Scholla--Illustrated - 184 pages 1976
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 1 - 280 pages 1982
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 2 - 282 pages 1983
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 3 - 272 pages 1984
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 4 - 272 pages 1986
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 5 - 272 pages 1988
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 6 - 272 pages 1989
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 7 - 272 pages 1991
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 8 - 272 pages 1992
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 9 - 272 pages 1994
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 10 - 272 pages 1996
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 11 - 272 pages 1998
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 12 - 272 pages 2000
- The Story of Berks County - Prefaced, annotated and indexed this 1925 Balthaser history- 414 pgs - 2001
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 13 - 272 pages 2005
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 14 - 272 pages 2006
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 15 - 272 pages 2007
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 16 - 272 pages 2008
- The Passing Scene, Vol. 17 - 272 pages 2009 (in preparation)
Community Awards
- Outstanding Community Service Award, Berks County Chamber of Commerce - 1977
- Americanism Award, B'nai B'rith - 1979
- Founders' Award, Albright College - 1983
- Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Finalist - 1985-1986
- Kutztown University Distinguished Public Service Citation - 1986
- Outstanding Reading High School Alumnus, Reading High School Alumni Association - 1988
- Outstanding Teacher of American History in Pennsylvania, D.A.R. - 1989
- Grow With Berks Award, Greater Reading Board of Realtors, Inc. - 1991
- Mary Owen Steinmetz Award, Berks County Genealogical Society - 1992
- Official Historian of Berks County, County Commissioners of Berks County - 1994
- Co-chairman of Reading's 250th Anniversary (1998)
- Grand Marshall of Readings Holiday Parade Saturday, November 20, 1999
- Grand Marshall/Orator at Wyomissing Hills Memorial Day observance - May 27, 2000
- Member of the Executive Committee for Berks Countys 250th Anniversary Celebration (2002)
- Doctor of Humane Letters degree, Honoris Causa, conferred by Albright College;
delivered commencement address - December 14, 2002
- Doctor of Humane Letters, Litterarum Humaniorum Doctor, conferred by Kutztown University - May 2, 2009
==============================================