Ashley Hall
Encyclopedia
Ashley Hall is an all girls' school
in Charleston
, South Carolina
, founded in 1909 by Mary Vardrine McBee, who headed the institution for many years. It is the only girls college-preparatory school in the state. Ashley Hall's pre-school is the only coed part of the school. Charleston legend has it that George Trenholm
, the original owner of the McBee House, the mansion on the school property, was the man on whom Margaret Mitchell
based the character Rhett Butler in her novel, Gone with the Wind
.
Up until the 1970s, Ashley Hall was a boarding school, and since then has served as a day school.
The school's motto is Possunt Quae Volunt, or “Girls With the Will Have the Ability.” (This was changed in regard to a senior and AP Latin student's suggestion in 2003; the previous motto was Possunt Qui Volunt, or “Those willing are able.”)
Development Publications
Ashley Hall is famed for its excellent Varsity Volleyball and Tennis Teams.
Sports Offered
Acanthus : Acanthus is Ashley Hall's literary magazine. For over fifty years it has presented prose, poetry, photography and art contributed by students from all divisions within the school.
Christmas Play : The Christmas Play, originating from the Nativity cycle of the medieval mystery plays of Chester, England, was first presented in 1924 under the direction of Mary Vardrine McBee, founder of Ashley Hall. Since that time it has been given annually as a Christmas gift to the city. Students, faculty and staff from all school divisions participate in the play.
Fathers' Day : Since boarding school days, Fathers’ Day has been a spring break tradition at Ashley Hall. Students eagerly awaited their fathers who had come to pick them up for the holiday. As guests of their daughters, fathers would spend the morning on campus enjoying the company of students, other fathers and teachers. Today, Fathers’ Day is a special day of classroom visits and socializing.
Georgie : Georgie, the friendly ghost, lives in McBee House and is the special friend of all first graders. Each October first grade students develop a correspondence with Georgie and climb to the top of the spiral stairs in hope of seeing their special friend.
Graduation : Although all members of the Ashley Hall family are invited, the faculty, staff, and all students in grades 9-12 are required to participate in graduation activities. Students must wear pure white dresses and shoes to the baccalaureate service and to graduation. Baccalaureate services are held in a local church, with graduation exercises on the terrace of the campus. Seniors also wear pure white dresses. In addition to her diploma, the school presents each senior a bouquet of red roses and pin that represents the past and future of each girl.
Holiday Giving Program : This program has been a tradition since 1954 to help remember those in the community less fortunate. Gifts of clothing, toys, or canned goods are presented by each student and faculty member at an assembly before vacation. Local agencies distribute the gifts to families and children in the Lowcountry.
Junior - Senior Activities : The 11th - 12th grade classes have a special relationship. One significant event is held when seniors kidnap juniors for an afternoon of activities during the fall. The junior-senior luncheon is hosted in the spring by the junior class. It is built around a theme with skits and music. During the weekend the seniors host the prom.
Play Day/Field Day : Play days, the climax of the sports and team competition, are annual spring afternoons of fun and competition for Intermediate and Upper School. The purple and white teams compete on drill teams, races and land events. Each afternoon ends with an awards ceremony. The Lower School's field day is also held in the spring. The students are divided into cross-grade level groups to compete in outdoor events, followed by a picnic lunch.
Purple and White Teams : Beginning in grade 6, each student is a member of one team. If a member of the student’s family attended Ashley Hall, she is automatically on that relative’s team. New student team members are chosen by lot. The goal of each team is to encourage good sportsmanship, teamwork, loyalty and friendly competition. A student does not contribute to her team solely through athletics; points are accumulated by participation in academic and extracurricular activities as well. The team cup is awarded at the end of the year to the team with the most points.
Shell House : Shell House was originally built as an aviary and used as a chemistry lab when the school was established. It is now a retreat for seniors.
Women in Leadership : The annual Women in Leadership programs highlight women in career fields and community activism. It is an intergenerational activity, open to the entire community. Middle and Upper School students attend the presentations, and family members are encouraged to participate.
Year-end Ceremonies : In Lower and Intermediate Schools, special recognition is given to 4th and 6th graders during closing assemblies. A reception is given in honor of each class as it moves from one school division to the next. An awards program at the end of the school year recognizes academic and extracurricular achievements of girls in grades 7-12. It is a major activity during graduation weekend and is followed by a reception for seniors.http://www.ashleyhall.org/our-traditions.php
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, founded in 1909 by Mary Vardrine McBee, who headed the institution for many years. It is the only girls college-preparatory school in the state. Ashley Hall's pre-school is the only coed part of the school. Charleston legend has it that George Trenholm
George Trenholm
George Alfred Trenholm was a prominent politician in the Confederate States of America and served as the Secretary of the Treasury during its final year.-Biography:...
, the original owner of the McBee House, the mansion on the school property, was the man on whom Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell was an American author and journalist. Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937 for her epic American Civil War era novel, Gone with the Wind, which was the only novel by Mitchell published during her lifetime.-Family:Margaret Mitchell was born in Atlanta,...
based the character Rhett Butler in her novel, Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind
The slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
.
Up until the 1970s, Ashley Hall was a boarding school, and since then has served as a day school.
The school's motto is Possunt Quae Volunt, or “Girls With the Will Have the Ability.” (This was changed in regard to a senior and AP Latin student's suggestion in 2003; the previous motto was Possunt Qui Volunt, or “Those willing are able.”)
Students
The student body population is 652 students. This number includes students from the age of 2 years old to seniors in high school. Preschool (ages 2–4) is co-educational, and from kindergarten until senior year the school body is all-girls. It is the only all girls school in the state of South Carolina.Heads of School
- Mary Vardrine McBee (1909–1948)
- William Piper (1949–1954)
- Caroline Pardue (1954–1978)
- Marian Bell Leland (1979–1984)
- Margaret C. MacDonald (1985–2004)
- Jill Swisher Muti (2004–present)http://www.ashleyhall.org/head-of-school-blog.php
School Publications
Student Publications- Spiral – School Yearbook
- Acanthus – Upper School Literary Magazine
- Acanthus – Ashley Hall's literary magazine; prose, poetry, photography, and art from the students
Development Publications
- Perspectives – official school magazine, distributed to all alumni, families, students and faculty http://www.ashleyhall.org/perspectives-magazine.php
Athletics
Ashley Hall participates in the South Carolina Independent School Association or SCISA.Ashley Hall is famed for its excellent Varsity Volleyball and Tennis Teams.
Sports Offered
- Fall Sports: Cross Country (ClassAAA State Champions 2010), Golf, Sailing (JV and Varsity), Swimming, Tennis (JV and Varsity), Volleyball (ClassAAA State Champions 2007, 2008, 2009)http://scisa.org/athletics/volleyball/
- Winter Sports: Basketball (JV and Varsity)
- Spring Sports: Soccer, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis, Equestrian, and Track
Traditions
Big Sister/Little Sister Program : In the fall, each girl in grades 6-12 is paired with a “little sister” in K-5. Several events during the year highlight this relationship. Other “sister” associations develop: juniors and seniors, seniors and freshmen, and mentors for new students throughout all grades.Acanthus : Acanthus is Ashley Hall's literary magazine. For over fifty years it has presented prose, poetry, photography and art contributed by students from all divisions within the school.
Christmas Play : The Christmas Play, originating from the Nativity cycle of the medieval mystery plays of Chester, England, was first presented in 1924 under the direction of Mary Vardrine McBee, founder of Ashley Hall. Since that time it has been given annually as a Christmas gift to the city. Students, faculty and staff from all school divisions participate in the play.
Fathers' Day : Since boarding school days, Fathers’ Day has been a spring break tradition at Ashley Hall. Students eagerly awaited their fathers who had come to pick them up for the holiday. As guests of their daughters, fathers would spend the morning on campus enjoying the company of students, other fathers and teachers. Today, Fathers’ Day is a special day of classroom visits and socializing.
Georgie : Georgie, the friendly ghost, lives in McBee House and is the special friend of all first graders. Each October first grade students develop a correspondence with Georgie and climb to the top of the spiral stairs in hope of seeing their special friend.
Graduation : Although all members of the Ashley Hall family are invited, the faculty, staff, and all students in grades 9-12 are required to participate in graduation activities. Students must wear pure white dresses and shoes to the baccalaureate service and to graduation. Baccalaureate services are held in a local church, with graduation exercises on the terrace of the campus. Seniors also wear pure white dresses. In addition to her diploma, the school presents each senior a bouquet of red roses and pin that represents the past and future of each girl.
Holiday Giving Program : This program has been a tradition since 1954 to help remember those in the community less fortunate. Gifts of clothing, toys, or canned goods are presented by each student and faculty member at an assembly before vacation. Local agencies distribute the gifts to families and children in the Lowcountry.
Junior - Senior Activities : The 11th - 12th grade classes have a special relationship. One significant event is held when seniors kidnap juniors for an afternoon of activities during the fall. The junior-senior luncheon is hosted in the spring by the junior class. It is built around a theme with skits and music. During the weekend the seniors host the prom.
Play Day/Field Day : Play days, the climax of the sports and team competition, are annual spring afternoons of fun and competition for Intermediate and Upper School. The purple and white teams compete on drill teams, races and land events. Each afternoon ends with an awards ceremony. The Lower School's field day is also held in the spring. The students are divided into cross-grade level groups to compete in outdoor events, followed by a picnic lunch.
Purple and White Teams : Beginning in grade 6, each student is a member of one team. If a member of the student’s family attended Ashley Hall, she is automatically on that relative’s team. New student team members are chosen by lot. The goal of each team is to encourage good sportsmanship, teamwork, loyalty and friendly competition. A student does not contribute to her team solely through athletics; points are accumulated by participation in academic and extracurricular activities as well. The team cup is awarded at the end of the year to the team with the most points.
Shell House : Shell House was originally built as an aviary and used as a chemistry lab when the school was established. It is now a retreat for seniors.
Women in Leadership : The annual Women in Leadership programs highlight women in career fields and community activism. It is an intergenerational activity, open to the entire community. Middle and Upper School students attend the presentations, and family members are encouraged to participate.
Year-end Ceremonies : In Lower and Intermediate Schools, special recognition is given to 4th and 6th graders during closing assemblies. A reception is given in honor of each class as it moves from one school division to the next. An awards program at the end of the school year recognizes academic and extracurricular achievements of girls in grades 7-12. It is a major activity during graduation weekend and is followed by a reception for seniors.http://www.ashleyhall.org/our-traditions.php
Notable alumnae
- Barbara Bush (Class of 1943, née Pierce), former First LadyFirst Lady of the United StatesFirst Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/bb41.html - Madeleine L'EngleMadeleine L'EngleMadeleine L'Engle was an American writer best known for her young-adult fiction, particularly the Newbery Medal-winning A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time...
(Class of 1936), authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/living/11474919.htm - Nancy FridayNancy FridayNancy Colbert Friday is an author who has written on the topics of female sexuality and liberation.'Nancy Friday's successful fantasy revelations ' have seen her placed among 'the feminist erotic pioneers'...
(Class of 1951), authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
http://www.ashleyhall.org/common/news_detail.asp?newsid=510499&L1=3&L2=1 - Josephine HumphreysJosephine HumphreysJosephine Humphreys is an American novelist.A native of Charleston, South Carolina, which is also the setting of her novels Dreams of Sleep, Rich in Love and The Fireman's Fair, Humphreys was educated at Ashley Hall , studied creative writing with Reynolds Price at Duke University , and went on to...
(Class of 1963), author http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/dukemag/issues/030401/love.html - Martha Rivers IngramMartha Rivers IngramMartha Robinson Rivers Ingram is the chairman of Ingram Industries, chairman of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust, and a noted philanthropist and patron of the arts. She was married to the late E. Bronson Ingram, who inherited his father's petroleum and barge empire in 1963...
, Business leader, philanthropist - Alexandra RipleyAlexandra RipleyAlexandra Ripley, née Braid was an American writer best known as the author of Scarlett , the sequel to Gone with the Wind. Her first novel was Who's the Lady in the President's Bed?...
, (Class of 1951, née Braid), author http://www.ashleyhall.org/prospects/alumnaeprofiles.html - Mena SuvariMena SuvariMena Alexandra Suvari is an American actress, fashion designer, and model. Shortly after beginning her career as a model, she appeared in guest roles on 1990's television shows such as Boy Meets World and High Incident...
- actress - Lisa SandersLisa SandersLisa Sanders is an American physician, medical author and journalist.She is a graduate of the College of William & Mary and is part of the Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine....
(Class of 1973), American physician, medical author, and journalist - D'Anna FortunatoD'Anna FortunatoD'Anna Fortunato is a noted American mezzo-soprano. Among her teachers were Phyllis Curtin and Gladys Childs Miller...
(Class of 1963), mezzo-soprano http://www.ashleyhall.org/facts-about-ashley-hall.php
External links
- Ashley Hall website
- Article about Ashley Hall from The State