Chestnut Hill Academy
Encyclopedia
Chestnut Hill Academy, commonly referred to as CHA, is a Pre-K to 12 all-male independent
college preparatory school located in northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
The all-girls Springside School
is attached to CHA; the two schools are collectively abbreviated SCH.
The school's main building at 500 West Willow Grove Avenue was formerly known as the Wissahickon Inn. Designed by G.W. & W.D. Hewitt and built by Henry H. Houston
, the Inn opened for business in 1884. Across the street, Houston also built the Philadelphia Cricket Club
, and additional land across the street played host to the Philadelphia Horse Show (now the Devon Horse Show
). These were popular attractions for Houston's 3000 acres (12.1 km²) real estate development, and brought much business to the Inn.
In 1897, the Inn's business began to decline when the Philadelphia Horse Show relocated, and improved transportation caused guests to seek more distant travel spots. In 1898, Chestnut Hill Academy moved to the Wissahickon Inn from its previous residence on 8030 Germantown Avenue. The school and the Inn functioned simultaneously, the school making use of the inn's facilities during its off season, and the Inn doing business when students had gone home for the summer. The Wissahickon Inn closed in 1901, and Chestnut Hill Academy took permanent possession of the property.
The Wissahickon Inn is listed on National Register of Historic Places
, and the school retains many of the Inn's original structures today.
(Inter-ac) which, since its inception in 1887, remains the nation's oldest and most prestigious interscholastic athletic conference.
While the nickname for all CHA teams has been the Hillers since before 1900, a more popular choice, the "Blue Devils", has been the school's de facto mascot since 1982.
Chestnut Hill emerged as one of the most vaunted soccer programs in Pennsylvania under celebrated coach Jim Talbot during the late 1980s, winning eight consecutive Inter-Ac championships between 1987 and 1994.
The Blue Devils would go another five seasons before their next Inter-Ac title, winning consecutive league crowns in 1999 and 2000 under Bob DiBenedetto. Among the star players on these teams were Dan Gargan
'01 (Georgetown/Colorado Rapids) and Jeff Larentowicz
'01 (Brown/New England Revolution).
In addition to success in soccer, the school has reeled off several MASA and Inter-Ac squash titles within the last 5 years. In the last 5 years, the squash program has been the most successful athletic program at CHA.
The CHA Crew team has gained a reputation for excellence sending several boats to Nationals. The crew program at CHA has also produced several collegiate and Olympic level rowers hailing from CHA, including J. Adam Holland. Despite its small size, the team is receives high rankings, with 12 of 13 boats making it to the finals in the 2006 Philadelphia City Championship.'
In middle school, students are required to play 3 sports a year, one for each trimester/athletic season. In their high school years, students have the choice to play fewer sports.
, the all-girls' sister school located down the street. The Players put on two productions a school year, which are generally met with great reviews by the actors themselves. There is a Middle School drama program for grades 7–8, also working with Springside, which has two productions during the winter, when The Players are not in season.
The main performance space at CHA is the Albert B. Conkey Center for the Performing Arts, well-known to the drama community as "the Rec." The facility previously served as a stable for the Wissahickon Inn.
Students are encouraged to train in music and singing throughout their school careers. Boys in grades 3–8 may participate in the CHA Boychoir, which performs a concert in the winter season and a musical production in the spring. CHA has a primarily 9th grade sing group called the Bluetones, which is a step down from the Hilltones. CHA also has its own men's a cappella
singing group, exclusive to students in grades 10–12 who pass an audition. Called the "Hilltones," the group is often featured performing at major school events and functions, as well as in concert and on tour outside of school. The Hilltones also frequently perform with Springside School's a cappella group, called "Laurelei." Together, the Hilltones and Laurelei form a coed SATB ensemble known as the Chamber Singers.
The school's 19th century main building, once an inn, is full of character and ambience. It was one of the filming locations for the motion picture Stealing Home
. The film's director Steven Kampmann is a graduate of CHA, and the film featured then-student Thacher Goodwin as the young version of Mark Harmon
's character.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
college preparatory school located in northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
The all-girls Springside School
Springside School
Springside School is a private, all-girls school in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood, in the Northwest section of Philadelphia in the United States...
is attached to CHA; the two schools are collectively abbreviated SCH.
History
Henry H. Houston
Henry Howard Houston was a leading Philadelphia businessman and philanthropist. He was in charge of the Philadelphia, Germantown and Chestnut Hill Railroad which was built in the 1880s to link downtown Philadelphia with the wealthy and growing suburbs to the northwest.Houston attended St...
, the Inn opened for business in 1884. Across the street, Houston also built the Philadelphia Cricket Club
Philadelphia Cricket Club
The Philadelphia Cricket Club, founded in 1854, is the oldest country club in the United States. It has two locations: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, and Flourtown, Pennsylvania.-History:...
, and additional land across the street played host to the Philadelphia Horse Show (now the Devon Horse Show
Devon Horse Show
The Devon Horse Show, also known as The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is an annual horse show which has been held late May through early June in Devon, Pennsylvania since 1896. ....
). These were popular attractions for Houston's 3000 acres (12.1 km²) real estate development, and brought much business to the Inn.
In 1897, the Inn's business began to decline when the Philadelphia Horse Show relocated, and improved transportation caused guests to seek more distant travel spots. In 1898, Chestnut Hill Academy moved to the Wissahickon Inn from its previous residence on 8030 Germantown Avenue. The school and the Inn functioned simultaneously, the school making use of the inn's facilities during its off season, and the Inn doing business when students had gone home for the summer. The Wissahickon Inn closed in 1901, and Chestnut Hill Academy took permanent possession of the property.
The Wissahickon Inn is listed on National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and the school retains many of the Inn's original structures today.
The Academic Program
CHA offers French, Latin, and Spanish language studies beginning in seventh grade, as well as Chinese language courses beginning in the first year of upper school. English is offered and required every year, with honors and AP (advanced placement) options beginning in grades ten and twelve, respectively.Athletics
Chestnut Hill Academy's athletic teams play in the Inter-Academic LeagueInter-Academic League
The Inter-Academic League is an inter-scholastic athletic conference. The high school sports league consists of selective private schools in the Philadelphia area and surrounding suburbs...
(Inter-ac) which, since its inception in 1887, remains the nation's oldest and most prestigious interscholastic athletic conference.
While the nickname for all CHA teams has been the Hillers since before 1900, a more popular choice, the "Blue Devils", has been the school's de facto mascot since 1982.
Chestnut Hill emerged as one of the most vaunted soccer programs in Pennsylvania under celebrated coach Jim Talbot during the late 1980s, winning eight consecutive Inter-Ac championships between 1987 and 1994.
The Blue Devils would go another five seasons before their next Inter-Ac title, winning consecutive league crowns in 1999 and 2000 under Bob DiBenedetto. Among the star players on these teams were Dan Gargan
Dan Gargan
Dan Gargan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:...
'01 (Georgetown/Colorado Rapids) and Jeff Larentowicz
Jeff Larentowicz
Jeffery Adam Larentowicz is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-College:...
'01 (Brown/New England Revolution).
In addition to success in soccer, the school has reeled off several MASA and Inter-Ac squash titles within the last 5 years. In the last 5 years, the squash program has been the most successful athletic program at CHA.
The CHA Crew team has gained a reputation for excellence sending several boats to Nationals. The crew program at CHA has also produced several collegiate and Olympic level rowers hailing from CHA, including J. Adam Holland. Despite its small size, the team is receives high rankings, with 12 of 13 boats making it to the finals in the 2006 Philadelphia City Championship.'
In middle school, students are required to play 3 sports a year, one for each trimester/athletic season. In their high school years, students have the choice to play fewer sports.
The Arts
The Upper School division's drama group is known as The Players, who works in coordination with Springside SchoolSpringside School
Springside School is a private, all-girls school in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood, in the Northwest section of Philadelphia in the United States...
, the all-girls' sister school located down the street. The Players put on two productions a school year, which are generally met with great reviews by the actors themselves. There is a Middle School drama program for grades 7–8, also working with Springside, which has two productions during the winter, when The Players are not in season.
The main performance space at CHA is the Albert B. Conkey Center for the Performing Arts, well-known to the drama community as "the Rec." The facility previously served as a stable for the Wissahickon Inn.
Students are encouraged to train in music and singing throughout their school careers. Boys in grades 3–8 may participate in the CHA Boychoir, which performs a concert in the winter season and a musical production in the spring. CHA has a primarily 9th grade sing group called the Bluetones, which is a step down from the Hilltones. CHA also has its own men's a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
singing group, exclusive to students in grades 10–12 who pass an audition. Called the "Hilltones," the group is often featured performing at major school events and functions, as well as in concert and on tour outside of school. The Hilltones also frequently perform with Springside School's a cappella group, called "Laurelei." Together, the Hilltones and Laurelei form a coed SATB ensemble known as the Chamber Singers.
Miscellaneous
CHA recently completed Phase II of its capital campaign with construction of its LEED-certified Rorer Center for Science and Technology https://www.chestnuthillacademy.org/podium/default.aspx?t=125689. The center, which houses the school's science and robotics programs, is the first LEED-certified school building in the Philadelphia area. Designed as a teaching tool, the center offers working demonstrations of some of the latest environmental technologies and practices (e.g., pervious parking lot, graywater system) as well as visible connections to th elocal habitat through its native species arboretum and a full-size mural of the Wissahickon watershed that features local flora and fauna. Opened in December 2009, the building has already become a nexus of campus activity as well as a visible affirmation of the school's commitment to academic excellence and environmental sustainability. Within months of the building's opening, the CHASS FIRST Robotics Team took a first place finish at the Pittsburgh Regional and went on to finish third in the World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. The robotics program has been incredibly successful in its short tenure, attaining a first place finish at the Philadelphia Regional in its first year, and a second place finish at the 2004 FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston, Texas. The robotics team is seen as a powerhouse in the Delaware Valley, taking numerous top-placing finishes throughout its history.The school's 19th century main building, once an inn, is full of character and ambience. It was one of the filming locations for the motion picture Stealing Home
Stealing Home
Stealing Home is a 1988 movie, starring Mark Harmon, Jodie Foster, Jonathan Silverman, and Harold Ramis. The film is directed by Steven Kampmann and William Porter.-Plot summary:...
. The film's director Steven Kampmann is a graduate of CHA, and the film featured then-student Thacher Goodwin as the young version of Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon is an American actor who has been starring in American television programs and films since the mid-1970s, after a career as a collegiate football player with the UCLA Bruins. Since 2003, Harmon has starred as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the CBS series NCIS.-Early life:Harmon was born Thomas...
's character.
Notable alumni
- Bruce L. Castor, Jr.Bruce L. Castor, Jr.Bruce L. Castor, Jr. is an American lawyer and Republican politician from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Castor was district attorney for Montgomery County from January 2000 through January 2008 when he took a seat on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners...
, 1979, former District Attorney and current Commissioner for Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaMontgomery County, PennsylvaniaMontgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
; Shareholder/Director law firm of Elliott, Greenleaf & Siedzikowski. - Joseph S. ClarkJoseph S. ClarkJoseph Sill Clark, Jr. was a U.S. lawyer and Democratic Party politician in the mid-20th century. He served as the mayor of Philadelphia from 1952 until 1956, and as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1957 until 1969...
, 1918, Philadelphia Mayor, 1952–56; US Senator from Pennsylvania, 1957–69 - Thomas S. Gates Jr.Thomas S. Gates Jr.Thomas Sovereign Gates Jr. was United States Secretary of Defense from 1959 to 1961 under President Eisenhower. He was promoted from deputy secretary of defense. During his tenure, he established a task force to set nuclear target priorities...
, 1924, Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of Defense during the Eisenhower Administration - Dan GarganDan GarganDan Gargan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-College:...
, 2001, defenderDefender (football)Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for the Colorado RapidsColorado RapidsThe Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league... - Walter B. GibsonWalter B. GibsonWalter Brown Gibson was an American author and professional magician, best known for his work on the pulp fiction character The Shadow...
, 1915, author of the "Shadow" mystery stories - W. Anthony Hitschler, 1956, founder, Brandywine Asset Management (now Brandywine Global)
- Allyn JoslynAllyn JoslynAllyn Joslyn was an American stage, film and television actor.-Biography:Allyn Joslyn was born in Milford, Pennsylvania, the son of a mining engineer...
, 1919, stage, film, radio, and television actor - Mike KoploveMike KoploveMichael Paul "Mike" Koplove is a sidearm relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres organization.Koplove throws with a different arm angle than most pitchers...
, 1995, relief pitcher in the Major Leagues, currently with the Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
; won a World SeriesWorld SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
ring in 2001. - Irving LangmuirIrving LangmuirIrving Langmuir was an American chemist and physicist. His most noted publication was the famous 1919 article "The Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms and Molecules" in which, building on Gilbert N. Lewis's cubical atom theory and Walther Kossel's chemical bonding theory, he outlined his...
, 1898, Winner of the 1932 Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in Chemistry. - David NalleDavid NalleDavid Nalle is a retired American diplomat, writer and lecturer and the former editor of Central Asia Monitor.Born in Philadelphia, his study of Engineering at Princeton University was interrupted by World War II where he served as a Naval Aviator. He returned to complete a degree in English...
, 1942 American diplomat and scholar. - Andrew Moss, 1996, Frontman of the indie-rock band Clap Your Hands Say YeahClap Your Hands Say YeahClap Your Hands Say Yeah is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was self-released in 2005.-History:...
. - Stuart Taylor, Jr., Member of the Brookings InstitutionBrookings InstitutionThe Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
; columnist for the National Journal and Contributing Editor for Newsweek - John WolfJohn WolfJohn S. Wolf served as a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State from 1970-2004, including tours as Ambassador to Malaysia, Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation, and Chief Monitor, The Middle East Roadmap for Peace...
, 1966, Assistant Secretary of State for Non-Proliferation - Lud WrayLud WrayJames R. Ludlow "Lud" Wray was a professional American football player, coach, and co-founder, with college teammate Bert Bell, of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was the first coach of the Boston Braves in 1932 and of the Eagles, 1933-1935...
, professional football player and coach - Jeff LarentowiczJeff LarentowiczJeffery Adam Larentowicz is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-College:...
, 2001, professional soccer player for the Colorado RapidsColorado RapidsThe Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league... - Pat MeehanPat MeehanPatrick Leo "Pat" Meehan is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing since January 3, 2011. The district includes most of Delaware County and parts of Chester and Montgomery Counties...
, 1974, District Attorney for Delaware CountyDelaware County, PennsylvaniaDelaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
, U.S. Attorney, 2001–2008, Member, United States Congress, 2011-Present - George Meade Easby, 1936, Relative, Celebrity, Dilettante
- George Ciukerescu, 2004, http://www.myspace.com/valencia Valencia band member
- J.D. Perry, 2004, http://www.myspace.com/valencia Valencia band member
- Alec OunsworthAlec OunsworthAlec Ounsworth is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and frontman of indie rock band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. He is also a member of The Pelican Picnic and Flashy Python...
, 1996, Musician, Song Writer, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah - Isaac StarrIsaac StarrIsaac "Ike" Starr was an American physician and heart disease specialist notable for developing the first practical ballistocardiograph...
, 1912, developed the first practical ballistocardiographBallistocardiographBallistocardiograph or BCG detects and measures recoil of the human body due to the momentum of the blood that the heart is currently pumping....
, recipient of the 1957 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical ResearchAlbert Lasker Award for Basic Medical ResearchThe Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research is one of the prizes awarded by the Lasker Foundation for the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of disease...
, the 1967 Kober Medal of the Association of American PhysiciansAssociation of American PhysiciansThe Association of American Physicians is a medical society founded in 1885 by the Canadian physician Sir William Osler and six other distinguished physicians of his era, for "the advancement of scientific and practical medicine." Election to the AAP is an honor extended to individuals with...
, and the 1977 Burger Medal of the Free University of Amsterdam