The Episcopal Academy
Encyclopedia
The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12. In 2008, it relocated from its Merion, Pennsylvania
campus and Devon, Pennsylvania satellite campus to its new 123 acre (0.49776378 km²) campus in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Episcopal Academy has been consistently ranked as a top private school in the nation by various media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal. The Academy is affiliated with the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
The school instituted a new mission statement in 2010. The new mission statement is: "Challenging and nurturing Mind, Body, and Spirit, we inspire boys and girls to lead lives of purpose, faith, and intergrity." Character education is at the core of Episcopal's program and is based on the school's 10 Stripes, or virtues. These are: faith, honesty, self-control, courtesy, kindness, generosity, gratitude, courage, respect, and sportsmanship.
at Old Christ Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as an all-boys school focusing on education in Greek, Latin, religion, mathematics, and business. It was also a pre-missionary school. Its first campus was located on the east side of Fourth Street and was directed by Rev. John Andrews, D.D., the Academy's first headmaster. However, when Dr. Andrews and several of faculty members left to teach at the University of Pennsylvania
in 1798, The Episcopal Academy was reconstituted as a free school. In 1816 it became a Second Classical Academy and a free school again in 1828, but at some points the Academy did not operate as an educational entity.
In 1846 the school was reconstituted yet again, this time as a Third Classical Academy, and has operated continuously since. In 1850, the school moved to a building at Juniper and Locust Street, and remained there until its 1921 move to the Merion, Pennsylvania
, campus.
wanted EA to be a place to produce "leaders of society." Alumni have won Academy Awards
, Emmy Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, Pritzker Prizes and one a knighthood. Alumni have also been national sport stars, successful CEOs and presidents of corporations and businesses such as Hyatt Hotels, Young and Rubicam, Philadelphia Flyers
. Notable alumni of the Academy include:
, from 1921 until it outgrew the site and it moved to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, in 2008. In June, 1998, the Episcopal Academy Board of Trustees directed the "active pursuit of a large tract of land in the western suburbs to serve as a long-term asset and a means of preserving future options."
With a $20 million donation the Board purchased a 123 acre (0.49776378 km²) tract of land in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania on Darby-Paoli Road (Pennsylvania Route 252
).
The $212.5 million project was completed in the summer of 2008 and opened for the 2008-2009 school year. The architecture firms including Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Gund Partnership, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
, and RMJM Hillier "coordinated the materials used as well as the landscape layout of the campus, with its pastoral central quadrangle and collegiate-village scale". The Episcopal Academy sold its Merion campus to Saint Joseph's University
who renamed it the SJU Maguire Campus.
The Academy also maintains a Beliefs Statement, which is required by the Middle States Association. The Academy maintains the following beliefs:
The year is broken into two semesters, with each semester representing one-half of a credit (a one-credit long course will meet during both semesters). Unless they have special permission from their form dean, students are required to take six classes a semester.
The middle school schedule also consists of twelve days, but Math and English have a less chance of dropping than other classes. Furthermore, the year is broken down into three trimesters, as compared to the Upper School's two semesters.
The class of 2006 continued the Academy's 100% matriculation to four-year colleges 'streak'. In 2005, 21 of 111 students (19%) matriculated to Ivy League schools, with two other students matriculating to the United States Naval Academy. In 2005, the Academy's average SAT scores were 646 verbal and 652 math. In that same year, 146 students took 266 Advanced Placement exams. 100% of students who took the Calculus BC, Spanish Language, Latin Vergil, and Physics B exams received what the college board considers a "passing" score (a 3 or above).
The school honored 27 National Merit Scholars in 2006: 9 Commended, 8 Semi-Finalists, 8 Finalists, and 2 Scholars.
, Malvern Preparatory School
, Chestnut Hill Academy
, Penn Charter
, and Germantown Academy
. For girls this league includes Penn Charter
, Germantown Academy
, Notre Dame Academy
, the Baldwin School
, the Agnes Irwin School
, and Springside School
.
Fall sports
Winter sports
Spring sports
Episcopal also offers intramural sports such as Paddle tennis
and Fencing.
Spirit Week concludes with an Upper School Pep Rally on Friday. Classes end for the day at 12:40 and students converge on the football field for skits, music. Varsity sports practices immediately follow this Pep Rally, and students not involved sports help decorate the campus for the upcoming event.
On Friday, Episcopal and Agnes Irwin (female competitors) compete in cross country, soccer, field hockey, and tennis. On Saturday, Episcopal and Haverford compete in soccer, cross country, waterpolo and one of the oldest football rivalries in the nation. The girls compete for the "banner" and the boys compete for the "sweater" which is presented to the school which wins 3 of the 4 competitive events. In the event of a tie the schools split ownership of the banner or the sweater for the year.
EA/Haverford/Agnes Irwin Weekend, and the week preceding it, is a time of school spirit and comradery. Teams often meet on the Thursday night before for a team dinner. The actual events are attended by virtually the entire student body and a large number of parents and alumni. The weekend concludes with the "Can Dance" which is a dance that takes place at the school where the day's competitions did not.
In addition to the pep rally, a pump up video is made by Marc. T. Mandeville and his video crew consisting of select upper school students. First introduced by alum Christopher Pope, this video is played before the pep rally, and encompasses all the sports that will be played at EA/Haverford/AIS day. The video is made on professional film programs, such as Final Cut Pro
. It usually takes around eight to ten weeks to create, including the filming process. In the past, DVD copies of the video were sold to benefit charity.
.
," and in the second oldest school rivalship in the nation, (against the Haverford School
, later adding Agnes Irwin School
) Episcopal Academy athletic teams have gained a reputation nationally and locally for its stellar athletics. Recently, the boys basketball team, coached by Daniel Dougherty, gained national attention in 2005 and 2006, with full team effort including players Gerald Henderson '06 and Wayne Ellington '06. Both were nationally ranked high school basketball players. Henderson signed to play for Duke University
while Ellington signed to play for the University of North Carolina
. The team played at the Palestra
twice during 2006, and the first of those two games was nationally broadcast on ESPN
.
Merion, Pennsylvania
Merion Station is an unincorporated community in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is contiguous to Philadelphia and is also bordered by Wynnewood, Narberth, and Bala Cynwyd...
campus and Devon, Pennsylvania satellite campus to its new 123 acre (0.49776378 km²) campus in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Episcopal Academy has been consistently ranked as a top private school in the nation by various media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal. The Academy is affiliated with the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
The school instituted a new mission statement in 2010. The new mission statement is: "Challenging and nurturing Mind, Body, and Spirit, we inspire boys and girls to lead lives of purpose, faith, and intergrity." Character education is at the core of Episcopal's program and is based on the school's 10 Stripes, or virtues. These are: faith, honesty, self-control, courtesy, kindness, generosity, gratitude, courage, respect, and sportsmanship.
History
The Episcopal Academy was founded in 1785 by the Rt. Rev. William WhiteWilliam White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)
The Most Reverend William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA , the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania , and the second United States Senate Chaplain...
at Old Christ Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as an all-boys school focusing on education in Greek, Latin, religion, mathematics, and business. It was also a pre-missionary school. Its first campus was located on the east side of Fourth Street and was directed by Rev. John Andrews, D.D., the Academy's first headmaster. However, when Dr. Andrews and several of faculty members left to teach at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1798, The Episcopal Academy was reconstituted as a free school. In 1816 it became a Second Classical Academy and a free school again in 1828, but at some points the Academy did not operate as an educational entity.
In 1846 the school was reconstituted yet again, this time as a Third Classical Academy, and has operated continuously since. In 1850, the school moved to a building at Juniper and Locust Street, and remained there until its 1921 move to the Merion, Pennsylvania
Merion, Pennsylvania
Merion Station is an unincorporated community in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is contiguous to Philadelphia and is also bordered by Wynnewood, Narberth, and Bala Cynwyd...
, campus.
Move towards co-education
While female students attended the Academy between 1789 and 1818, a plan for co-education was not implemented until 1974. In 1974, girls were admitted to kindergarten, and then to one higher grade each year thereafter. The class of 1984 was the first co-educational class to graduate from the Academy. Female students were admitted when the Devon lower school campus was added to the Academy.Alumni
Academy Founder William White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)William White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)
The Most Reverend William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA , the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania , and the second United States Senate Chaplain...
wanted EA to be a place to produce "leaders of society." Alumni have won Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
, Emmy Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, Pritzker Prizes and one a knighthood. Alumni have also been national sport stars, successful CEOs and presidents of corporations and businesses such as Hyatt Hotels, Young and Rubicam, Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Notable alumni of the Academy include:
In art & media
- Anthony ApesosAnthony ApesosAnthony Apesos is an American painter and professor of Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University.-Biography:...
- Painter, critic, and professor of Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Boston - Lionel BarrymoreLionel BarrymoreLionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
- Actor and an Academy Award Nominee for Best Director for Madame XMadame X (1929 film)Madame X is a 1929 drama film directed by Lionel Barrymore, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. Ruth Chatterton was nominated for Best Actress for her performance as a fallen woman.-Plot:... - John CarradineJohn CarradineJohn Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...
- actor - Richard Harding DavisRichard Harding DavisRichard Harding Davis was a journalist and writer of fiction and drama, known foremost as the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish-American War, the Second Boer War, and the First World War. His writing greatly assisted the political career of Theodore Roosevelt and he also played...
- American author and journalist, Managing Director of Harper's WeeklyHarper's WeeklyHarper's Weekly was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor...
. - R.W.B. Lewis - long-time professor of English at Yale, and winner of the Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for biography - M. Night ShyamalanM. Night ShyamalanManoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan,known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian-born American screenwriter, film director, and producer known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. He is also known for filming his movies in and around...
- producer and director of Hollywood films including The Sixth SenseThe Sixth SenseThe Sixth Sense is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear , a troubled, isolated boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and an equally troubled child psychologist who tries to help him...
, Unbreakable and The VillageThe Village (2004 film)The Village is a 2004 American fantasy-thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan about a end-of-the-19th-century village whose inhabitants live in fear of the creatures inhabiting the woods beyond it. The movie was shot in a recreation of a 19th-century village outside Philadelphia,...
, multiple Academy Award nominee - Sarah SteeleSarah SteeleSarah Jane Steele is an American actress who got her first break into the film industry by beating thousands of young hopeful females for the role of Bernice in the 2004 film, Spanglish.- Life and career :...
- actress, performing in SpanglishSpanglish.Spanglish refers to the blend of Spanish and English, in the speech of people who speak parts of two languages, or whose normal language is different from that of the country where they live. The Hispanic population of the United States and the British population in Argentina use varieties of...
and a guest appearance in Law & Order, graduated in '06
In athletics
- Jerome Allen - Former Professional Basketball Player Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, Indiana PacersIndiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, and Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... - Brian DoughertyBrian DoughertyBrian "Doc" Dougherty is a lacrosse goaltender. He attended The Episcopal Academy before attending University of Maryland. He is currently the head coach at Chestnut Hill College....
- Professional lacrosse player - Kyle EckelKyle EckelKyle Eckel is an American football fullback in the National Football League, who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
- Football player, US Naval Academy, New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... - Wayne EllingtonWayne EllingtonWayne Robert Ellington Jr. , is an American basketball player who was drafted 28th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association...
- professional basketball player with the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor... - Gerald Henderson, Jr.Gerald Henderson, Jr.Jerome McKinley "Gerald" Henderson, Jr. is an American basketball player who was drafted 12th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association...
- professional basketball player with the Charlotte Bobcats - Greg IsdanerGreg IsdanerGreg Isdaner is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
- Football player, West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - James "Bruiser" FlintBruiser FlintJames "Bruiser" Flint is an American men's basketball coach. He is currently the head coach at Drexel University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he was born.-Collegiate playing career:...
- Coach of the Drexel UniversityDrexel UniversityDrexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
Basketball Team. - George MungerGeorge Munger (American football)George Almond Munger was an American athlete, coach and athletic director. He played college football and competed in track and field at the University of Pennsylvania from 1930 to 1933. He returned to Penn as head coach of the football team from 1938 to 1953 and as director of physical...
- Former head coach of the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
football team, selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976 - Tom Page - former national squash champion
- Josh Cohen- former number 1 junior tennis player in the world
- Scott Rushton- All-American Track Athlete (Thrower)
In business & technology
- George DavidGeorge DavidGeorge David is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Technologies Corporation. David was elected UTC’s President in 1992 and Chief Executive Officer in 1994. He joined UTC’s Otis Elevator subsidiary in 1975 and became its President in 1986.-Life and career:David was born in...
- Chairman and CEO of United Technologies CorporationUnited Technologies CorporationUnited Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut... - Morris Duane - Former chairman of Duane, Morris & Heckscher
- John HaasJohn HaasJohn Able Haas was an American sprint canoer who competed in the 1950s. Competing in two Summer Olympics, he earned his best finish of fifth in the C-2 10000 m event at Helsinki in 1952.-References:*...
- Former Chairman of Rohm and Haas Company - Bill LewisBill LewisWilliam "Bill" Lewis is an English artist, story-teller, poet and mythographer. He was a founder-member of The Medway Poets and of the Stuckists art group.-Early life:...
- software and hardware engineer at Intel CorporationIntel CorporationIntel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
responsible for multithreaded software execution - Ed Stanley - Former president and CEO of Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company
- Robert VenturiRobert VenturiRobert Charles Venturi, Jr. is an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major figures in the architecture of the twentieth century...
- architect and winner of the Pritzker PrizePritzker PrizeThe Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually by the Hyatt Foundation to honour "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built...
, designed the Episcopal's current Chapel in Newtown Square. - Brian TierneyBrian TierneyBrian P. Tierney is an American a former advertising and public relations executive and publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Born in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, Tierney created Tierney Communications, one of the largest and most successful public relations and advertising firms in...
- Republican strategist and CEO of Philadelphia Media HoldingsPhiladelphia Media HoldingsPhiladelphia Media Holdings LLC was an American holding company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by Brian Tierney in 2006, the company owned The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News...
. - Edward VickEdward VickEdward H. Vick is a former Naval officer, businessman and volunteer worker for veteran' causes. He served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War and received two Bronze Star Medals with Combat “V”, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry...
- retired Chairman and CEO of Young and Rubicam - Mark HoplamazianMark Hoplamazian-References:...
- President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. He is currently a Commander CBECBECBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
In government
- John C. Bell, Jr.John C. Bell, Jr.John Cromwell Bell, Jr. was a Pennsylvania politician and judge.He served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 1943–47, and the 33rd Governor briefly in 1947, succeeding Edward Martin, who had resigned to take a seat in the United States Senate...
- Former Governor of Pennsylvania and Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court - Alan Lukens - Former United States ambassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Republic of the CongoRepublic of the CongoThe Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by... - Benjamin Read - Former Under Secretary of StateUnder Secretary of StateThe Under Secretary of State, from 1919 to 1972, was the second-ranking official at the United States Department of State , serving as the Secretary's principal deputy, chief assistant, and Acting Secretary in the event of the Secretary's absence...
under President Jimmy CarterJimmy CarterJames Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
.
- Robert Montgomery Scott - philanthropistPhilanthropistA philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
- John YooJohn YooJohn Choon Yoo is an American attorney, law professor, and author. As a former official in the United States Department of Justice during the George W...
- professor of law at the Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
; former deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal CounselOffice of Legal CounselThe Office of Legal Counsel is an office in the United States Department of Justice that assists the Attorney General in his function as legal adviser to the President and all executive branch agencies.-History:...
of the U.S. Department of Justice during the first term of the George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
presidential administration; principal author of the "Torture Memo".
Others
- Lindley Miller Garrison
- William Chauncey EmhardtWilliam Chauncey EmhardtWilliam Chauncey Emhardt was secretary of the Episcopal Church's Advisory Commission on Ecclesiastical Relations, and a prominent figure in ecumenical relations between Anglicans and Orthodox Christians, as well as Anglicans and Old Catholics...
Episcopal priest and ecumenist - John Charles Groome (Pennsylvania)John Charles Groome (Pennsylvania)John Charles Groome , was the first commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police from 1905 to 1917. He was the former warden of the Eastern State Penitentiary and a Colonel in World War I.-Biography:...
- William White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)William White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)The Most Reverend William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA , the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania , and the second United States Senate Chaplain...
- First Bishop of Pennsylvania, Academy founder, Chaplain to the Continental CongressContinental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
and the United States SenateUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. - Stephen DecaturStephen DecaturStephen Decatur, Jr. , was an American naval officer notable for his many naval victories in the early 19th century. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, Worcester county, the son of a U.S. Naval Officer who served during the American Revolution. Shortly after attending college Decatur...
- naval Commander during the Barbary WarsBarbary WarsThe Barbary Wars were a series of wars between the United States of America and the Barbary States of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At issue was the Barbary pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships failed to pay, pirates...
and War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, youngest man to reach the rank of Captain in the U.S. Navy, 5 U.S. Navy ships are named after him, along with 46 towns and cities in America, three schools, and one school in Sigonella, Italy. Decatur was also the face on the 1886 Silver Certificate, equivalent to our $20 bill. - Garry DavisGarry DavisGarry Davis is a peace activist who created the first World Passport.-Early life:Davis was the son of Meyer and Hilda Davis. He was graduated from the Episcopal Academy in 1940 and attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology...
- Founder of the World Service AuthorityWorld Service AuthorityThe World Service Authority , founded in 1953, is a non-profit organization that educates about and promotes "world citizenship", "world law", and World Government. It is best known for issuing World Passports. It has an office in Washington, D.C...
and creator of the first World PassportWorld PassportThe World Passport is a document issued by the World Service Authority, a non-profit organization founded by Garry Davis in 1948, citing Article 13, Section 2, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.-Appearance and issuance fees:...
Current organisation and events
The Episcopal Academy today claims to have a 100% four-year college matriculation rate, numerous athletics teams, and a chapel program that meets every other day during the school year. The Academy's motto is "mind, body, and spirit" and it strives to enrich these three sectors in every student's life.Administration
- L. Hamilton Clark, Jr. -- Head of School
- Geoffrey Wagg—Head of Upper School
- Stephen Morris—Head of Middle School
- Andrea Danial—Head of Lower School
- Doug Parsons—Dean of Faculty
- Cathy Hall—Acting Academic Dean
- Brad Cates—Chief Financial Officer and Business Manager
Move to the new campus
Episcopal Academy was located in Merion, PennsylvaniaMerion, Pennsylvania
Merion Station is an unincorporated community in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is contiguous to Philadelphia and is also bordered by Wynnewood, Narberth, and Bala Cynwyd...
, from 1921 until it outgrew the site and it moved to Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, in 2008. In June, 1998, the Episcopal Academy Board of Trustees directed the "active pursuit of a large tract of land in the western suburbs to serve as a long-term asset and a means of preserving future options."
With a $20 million donation the Board purchased a 123 acre (0.49776378 km²) tract of land in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania on Darby-Paoli Road (Pennsylvania Route 252
Pennsylvania Route 252
Pennsylvania Route 252 is a north–south route that connects at its northern terminus Pennsylvania Route 23 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania Route 320 in Nether Providence Township, Pennsylvania at its southern terminus.-History:...
).
The $212.5 million project was completed in the summer of 2008 and opened for the 2008-2009 school year. The architecture firms including Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Gund Partnership, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson is a United States-based architectural practice that was founded in 1965 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania by Peter Bohlin and Richard Powell. Bohlin's firm then merged with Bernard Cywinski's Philadelphia-based architectural practice in 1979...
, and RMJM Hillier "coordinated the materials used as well as the landscape layout of the campus, with its pastoral central quadrangle and collegiate-village scale". The Episcopal Academy sold its Merion campus to Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
who renamed it the SJU Maguire Campus.
Buildings
The new campus includes:- An Academic Center, with a Middle School, Upper School, and Science Center.
- A Lower School Building
- A Campus Center, including the Annenberg Library
- A Theater with Stadium Seating
- A Chapel, at the Center of Campus
- An Athletic Center, with a competition gymnasium and pool
- Stadium Football Field
- Black Box Theatre
Accreditation
The Academy is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools under the Academy's "Accreditation for Growth" protocol. The Academy's mission statement is:"The Episcopal Academy educates qualified, motivated students to grow intellectually, physically, and spiritually, and to share their talents generously. We are a coeducational community of learners and teachers working to achieve excellence through a strong academic program, comprehensive athletics, and vibrant arts. Our school's Episcopalian heritage with its respect for all faiths forms the basis of our life together."
The Academy also maintains a Beliefs Statement, which is required by the Middle States Association. The Academy maintains the following beliefs:
- The pursuit of learning is a work for a lifetime. Learning emerges from and builds on experience and discovery.
- A healthy lifestyle, including appropriate education and lifelong physical activity, enhances individual mental and spiritual health. Athletic competition and sportsmanship contribute to the mental and spiritual well-being of individuals and communities.
- Everyone has inherent worth as a creation of God.
- Every individual shares responsibility for the community.
- Individual moral integrity and a core of common values are essential to every community.
- Mutual respect among people of varied backgrounds and perspectives leads to positive, beneficial relationships.
- Individuals thrive in a safe, nurturing environment where they can be comfortable in taking risks and where they can develop their talents.
The 12-day schedule
The Episcopal Academy's upper school is a college preparatory program. It operates on a 12-day schedule, designed by Headmaster Clark at his previous school, Sewickley Academy in Sewickley, PA. Each period or "block" is assigned a letter from A-F or Z. G Block was renamed to Z Block in the 2003-2004 school year to favor time for lab periods. Except for Science classes, each class 'drops' once every twelve days. This drop always occurs the period after lunch, and unless currently under disciplinary sanctions or in their freshman year, students have a "free" during this block, where they are neither required to be in class nor in a study hall.The year is broken into two semesters, with each semester representing one-half of a credit (a one-credit long course will meet during both semesters). Unless they have special permission from their form dean, students are required to take six classes a semester.
The middle school schedule also consists of twelve days, but Math and English have a less chance of dropping than other classes. Furthermore, the year is broken down into three trimesters, as compared to the Upper School's two semesters.
Graduation requirements
Graduation requirements are as follows:- 4 Credits (4 years) of English (senior spring semester elective included)
- 3 Credits of Math (including Algebra 2 and Geometry)
- 3 Credits of Laboratory Science
- 3 Credits of History (including U.S. History)
- 2 Credits of the same Foreign Language (the Academy offers French, Spanish, Mandarin, Ancient Greek, and Latin)
- 1 Credit of Religion (1 Credit = two semester courses)
- 1 Credit of Arts in at least two of the three areas; music, theater, and visual art. (1 Credit = two semester courses)
The college guidance program
Students begin meeting with their college guidance counselors during the winter and spring of their junior year. These meetings are "kicked-off" with one large class meeting in late January, where students find out who their counselor is and are lectured by a member of a college admissions office. Generally, each student is required to attend at least three one-on-one college guidance meetings, including one with the student's parent(s).The class of 2006 continued the Academy's 100% matriculation to four-year colleges 'streak'. In 2005, 21 of 111 students (19%) matriculated to Ivy League schools, with two other students matriculating to the United States Naval Academy. In 2005, the Academy's average SAT scores were 646 verbal and 652 math. In that same year, 146 students took 266 Advanced Placement exams. 100% of students who took the Calculus BC, Spanish Language, Latin Vergil, and Physics B exams received what the college board considers a "passing" score (a 3 or above).
The school honored 27 National Merit Scholars in 2006: 9 Commended, 8 Semi-Finalists, 8 Finalists, and 2 Scholars.
Athletics
In addition the Episcopal Academy also has an athletics program. Both boys and girls teams compete in the Inter-Academic League. For boys this league includes the Haverford SchoolThe Haverford School
The Haverford School is a private, non-sectarian, all-boys college preparatory day school, junior kindergarten through grade twelve. Founded in 1884 as The Haverford College Grammar School, it is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, nine miles northwest of Philadelphia, on Philadelphia's historic...
, Malvern Preparatory School
Malvern Preparatory School
Malvern Preparatory School, commonly referred to as Malvern Prep, is an independent Catholic middle and high school for boys located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. It was started and is still run by Order of Saint Augustine...
, Chestnut Hill Academy
Chestnut Hill Academy
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....
, Penn Charter
William Penn Charter School
William Penn Charter School is an independent school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1689 by William Penn...
, and Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy is America's oldest nonsectarian day school, founded on December 6, 1759 . Germantown Academy is now a K-12 school in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington, having moved from its original Germantown campus in 1965...
. For girls this league includes Penn Charter
William Penn Charter School
William Penn Charter School is an independent school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1689 by William Penn...
, Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy is America's oldest nonsectarian day school, founded on December 6, 1759 . Germantown Academy is now a K-12 school in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington, having moved from its original Germantown campus in 1965...
, Notre Dame Academy
Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (Villanova, Pennsylvania)
Academy of Notre Dame de Namur High School is a private Roman Catholic middle school and high school for girls in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia; however, Notre Dame is an independent school....
, the Baldwin School
Baldwin School
The Baldwin School is an all-girls private day school located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The school, founded in 1888 by Florence Baldwin, consists of a Lower, Middle, and Upper School totaling approximately 600 in enrollment...
, the Agnes Irwin School
Agnes Irwin School
The Agnes Irwin School is an all-girls', non-sectarian, day school for students in grades PreK-12. The School has been a leader in girls' education since 1869, when it was founded by Miss Agnes Irwin of Philadelphia. Agnes Irwin, a great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, later became the...
, and 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...
.
The athletics requirement
The Episcopal Academy has a sports requirement which requires all students to participate in athletics during each of the three seasons. Freshman and sophomores are required to participate in at least two inter-scholastic sports with the option of participating in the "Fitness" option for one season. Juniors may elect to participate in the "Fitness" option for two seasons. "Fitness" consists of organized athletic activities three days a week and community service two days a week. Seniors are permitted to take a "Senior Cut", that is they do not have to participate in any athletics for one season so long as they never received an "unsatisfactory" effort grade in any sport during their four years in the Upper School.Sports offered
The Episcopal Academy has the following sports teams at both the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels, some containing Freshmen and Third Teams:Fall sports
- Cross Country (boys and girls)
- Field Hockey (girls)
- Football (boys)
- Soccer (boys and girls)
- Tennis (girls)
- Water Polo (boys and girls)
- Crew (boys and girls)
Winter sports
- Basketball (boys and girls)
- Ice Hockey
- Squash (boys and girls)
- Swimming/Diving (boys and girls)
- Winter Track (boys and girls)
- Wrestling
- Ultimate Frisbee (coed team)
Spring sports
- Baseball (boys)
- Crew (boys and girls)
- Golf (boys and girls)
- Lacrosse (boys and girls)
- Softball (girls)
- Tennis (boys)
- Track (boys and girls)
Episcopal also offers intramural sports such as Paddle tennis
Paddle tennis
Paddle tennis is a game adapted from tennis and played for over a century. Compared to tennis, the court is smaller and has no doubles lanes, and the net is lower. Paddle tennis is played with a solid paddle as opposed to a strung racquet, and a depressurized tennis ball is used along with an...
and Fencing.
Episcopal Academy/Haverford School/Agnes Irwin Weekend
Every November, three Inter-Academic rivals (Episcopal's male students play Haverford, while its female students compete against Agnes Irwin) meet to compete against each other in cross country, football, soccer, field hockey, girls' tennis, and water polo. The venue alternates each year between the schools. The 2005 EA/Haverford/Agnes Irwin Weekend took place at the Episcopal Academy. The weekend is preceded by "Spirit Week." Spirit Week is marked by different dress days, including an "80's Day", a "Clash Day", and a "Blue and White Day". There is also usually an activity during lunch throughout the week, such as a tug-of-war and a school "Wing Bowl". Every year Episcopal students design a tee-shirt bashing Haverford and Agnes Irwin (and vice-versa), which is sold to the student body during Spirit Week. Recent years' ideas have included spin-offs of the "D.A.R.E" program and MasterCard commercials.Spirit Week concludes with an Upper School Pep Rally on Friday. Classes end for the day at 12:40 and students converge on the football field for skits, music. Varsity sports practices immediately follow this Pep Rally, and students not involved sports help decorate the campus for the upcoming event.
On Friday, Episcopal and Agnes Irwin (female competitors) compete in cross country, soccer, field hockey, and tennis. On Saturday, Episcopal and Haverford compete in soccer, cross country, waterpolo and one of the oldest football rivalries in the nation. The girls compete for the "banner" and the boys compete for the "sweater" which is presented to the school which wins 3 of the 4 competitive events. In the event of a tie the schools split ownership of the banner or the sweater for the year.
EA/Haverford/Agnes Irwin Weekend, and the week preceding it, is a time of school spirit and comradery. Teams often meet on the Thursday night before for a team dinner. The actual events are attended by virtually the entire student body and a large number of parents and alumni. The weekend concludes with the "Can Dance" which is a dance that takes place at the school where the day's competitions did not.
In addition to the pep rally, a pump up video is made by Marc. T. Mandeville and his video crew consisting of select upper school students. First introduced by alum Christopher Pope, this video is played before the pep rally, and encompasses all the sports that will be played at EA/Haverford/AIS day. The video is made on professional film programs, such as Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a non-linear video editing software developed by Macromedia Inc. and then Apple Inc. The most recent version, Final Cut Pro X, runs on Mac personal computers powered by Mac OS X version 10.6.7 or later and using Intel processors...
. It usually takes around eight to ten weeks to create, including the filming process. In the past, DVD copies of the video were sold to benefit charity.
Episcopal Academy - Germantown Academy Day
More colloquially referred to as "EA-GA day", this day was started in the Spring of 2005 and features a Saturday of competitions, both varsity and junior varsity, of Episcopal Academy versus Germantown AcademyGermantown Academy
Germantown Academy is America's oldest nonsectarian day school, founded on December 6, 1759 . Germantown Academy is now a K-12 school in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington, having moved from its original Germantown campus in 1965...
.
Athletic reputation
As a co-founder of the oldest High School sport's league in America, 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...
," and in the second oldest school rivalship in the nation, (against the Haverford School
The Haverford School
The Haverford School is a private, non-sectarian, all-boys college preparatory day school, junior kindergarten through grade twelve. Founded in 1884 as The Haverford College Grammar School, it is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, nine miles northwest of Philadelphia, on Philadelphia's historic...
, later adding Agnes Irwin School
Agnes Irwin School
The Agnes Irwin School is an all-girls', non-sectarian, day school for students in grades PreK-12. The School has been a leader in girls' education since 1869, when it was founded by Miss Agnes Irwin of Philadelphia. Agnes Irwin, a great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, later became the...
) Episcopal Academy athletic teams have gained a reputation nationally and locally for its stellar athletics. Recently, the boys basketball team, coached by Daniel Dougherty, gained national attention in 2005 and 2006, with full team effort including players Gerald Henderson '06 and Wayne Ellington '06. Both were nationally ranked high school basketball players. Henderson signed to play for Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
while Ellington signed to play for the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. The team played at the Palestra
Palestra
The Palestra, also known as the Cathedral of College Basketball, is a historic arena and the home gym of the University of Pennsylvania Quakers men's and women's basketball teams, volleyball teams, wrestling team, and Philadelphia Big 5 basketball. Located at 215 South 33rd St...
twice during 2006, and the first of those two games was nationally broadcast on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
Community life
The Academy prides itself in the community it has created, and believes that its Chapel program is the central point of the community.The Chapel Program
Upper School students meet once every other day for a morning chapel service in Christ Chapel. Middle School Chapel also meets once every other day for a morning chapel service in Christ Chapel. Lower School Chapel meets once a week, with each Lower School campus having a morning gathering in the campus' respective Chapel. The Chapel service at each Unit level of EA is typically thirty-minutes long and consists of hymns, prayers, and an address by the chaplain, a member of the faculty, a student, or a guest. An elected student vestry plans most aspects of the chapel program.Community service
The Academy also runs an extensive community service program, and organizes weekly visits to a soup kitchen in Philadelphia as well as monthly visits to a nursing home and to a facility for adults with AIDS. The Academy also participates in a tutoring program where students help younger children with their homework after school. In addition, the Community Service office sponsors other special events throughout the year, including a clothing drive, a toy drive, and a blood drive.Further reading
- Lyons, Robert S. (2010). On Any Given Sunday, A Life of Bert Bell. Philadelphia:Temple University Press. ISBNInternational Standard Book NumberThe International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering code created by Gordon Foster, Emeritus Professor of Statistics at Trinity College, Dublin, for the booksellers and stationers W.H...
ISBN 978-1-59213-731-2