Woodberry Forest School
Encyclopedia
Woodberry Forest School is a private
, all-male
boarding school
located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia
, in the United States
. Woodberry's current enrollment is 402. Students come from 28 U.S. state
s (plus the District of Columbia
), and eighteen foreign countries.
(Mosby's Rangers) during the American Civil War
. The school occupies approximately 1200 acres (4.9 km²) in Madison, Virginia
. The campus is bounded on one side by the Rapidan River
. It was originally the estate of William Madison, brother of President
James Madison
. The headmaster's residence is taken entirely from an architectural design by Thomas Jefferson
. The property eventually passed to the Walker family. The school was founded when Walker hired a tutor
to teach his six sons and other local children because of the lack of adequate schooling in the surrounding area.
J. Carter Walker, son of Captain Walker, and a graduate of the school, graduated from the University of Virginia
in 1897. According to Elizabeth Copeland Norfleet in A Venture in Faith, a history of the school's early years, his plans to go on to law school
were interrupted by his father's request that he serve as "head teacher." Carter Walker later explained his decision to his brother thus, "I always did what Father and Mother told me to."
. A Prefect Board of roughly 19 senior students decide the fate of any students who "lie, cheat, or steal
", and its decision is approved or vetoed (though rarely) by the headmaster and the dean of students. Anyone found violating the honor code on any scale is dismissed from the school. The Prefect Board is determined through a process involving students, faculty
, and administration. In the spring trimester
, an election among the students is held where students are given a roster of the rising senior class and asked to select the 19 they feel are best suited to the role. Faculty undertake a similar process, and later the administration interviews the individual candidates as determined by the initial elections. Finally, the headmaster decides the final composition of the board and they are announced publicly to the student body before the close of the year.
Aside from maintaining the honor system, the Prefect Board is charged with guiding the new students though orientation
. Prefects also serve in roles similar to that of resident assistant
s, organizing dormitory events and informing students of news and events. A Senior Prefect is elected by the Prefect Board from among its members; his role is similar to that of a student body president
, giving a speech at the assembly commencing the school year and at graduation in spring.
, soccer, baseball
, golf
, swimming
, lacrosse
, wrestling
, cross country
, tennis
, and track, and football
, which is played on Saturdays in the fall.
The longest-running high school football rivalry in the south in the country takes place each year between Woodberry Forest and Episcopal High School of Alexandria, Virginia
. The schools first played against each other in 1901 and have competed in over a hundred consecutive games. "The Game," as it is known, draws back many alumni and is considered the homecoming
for both schools. The 100th contest, which Woodberry won, took place in the 2000, drew nearly 15,000 spectators, and was featured on ESPN
. Before every game between the two schools, Woodberry has a bonfire reaching heights of four stories where students throw torches into the temple of sticks and run to a prep rally next to the burning edifice. The bonfire draws nearly as many Woodberry fans as The Game itself.
The school's facilities include an on-campus 9-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross; an indoor track/pool complex; two turf football / lacrosse fields; two baseball fields; three competition-level soccer fields; and three other grass fields for football, soccer, or lacrosse.
Woodberry's long-standing football program is currently headed by coach Clinton Alexander. Under his leadership, the team has been voted the top private school team in Virginia for three years in a row 2008-10. The Tigers have begun to send numerous players to play college football at all levels, including 1-4 Division I recruits each year.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, all-male
Single-sex education
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and...
boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia
Madison County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,520 people, 4,739 households, and 3,521 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 5,239 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Woodberry's current enrollment is 402. Students come from 28 U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s (plus the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
), and eighteen foreign countries.
History
The school was founded in 1889 by Captain Robert Stringfellow Walker, who had been a member of the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan cavalry in the Confederate army during the American Civil War...
(Mosby's Rangers) during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The school occupies approximately 1200 acres (4.9 km²) in Madison, Virginia
Madison, Virginia
Madison is a town in Madison County, Virginia, United States. The population was 210 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County.-Geography:Madison is located at ....
. The campus is bounded on one side by the Rapidan River
Rapidan River
The Rapidan River, flowing through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock River. The two rivers converge just west of the city of Fredericksburg...
. It was originally the estate of William Madison, brother of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
. The headmaster's residence is taken entirely from an architectural design by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. The property eventually passed to the Walker family. The school was founded when Walker hired a tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
to teach his six sons and other local children because of the lack of adequate schooling in the surrounding area.
J. Carter Walker, son of Captain Walker, and a graduate of the school, graduated from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in 1897. According to Elizabeth Copeland Norfleet in A Venture in Faith, a history of the school's early years, his plans to go on to law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
were interrupted by his father's request that he serve as "head teacher." Carter Walker later explained his decision to his brother thus, "I always did what Father and Mother told me to."
Headmasters
J. Carter Walker served as headmaster until he retired in 1948. Headmasters since then have been:- Shaun Kelley, Jr. (1948–1952)
- Joseph M. Mercer (1952–1962)
- A. Baker Duncan Jr. (1962–1970)
- Charles M. Sheerin, Jr. (1970–1973)
- Gerald L. Cooper (acting) (1973–1974)
- Emmett W. Wright, Jr. (1974–1991)
- John S. GrinaldsJohn S. GrinaldsJohn Southy Grinalds, is a retired United States Marine Corps Major General who served as the 18th president of The Citadel.He arrived at the historic military college on August 1, 1997, one year after the first female cadets were admitted...
(1991–1997) - Dennis M. Campbell (1997–present)
Prefect Board
A principal feature of life at Woodberry is its student-run honor systemHonor system
An honor system or honesty system is a philosophical way of running a variety of endeavors based on trust, honor, and honesty. Something that operates under the rule of the "honor system" is usually something that does not have strictly enforced rules governing its principles...
. A Prefect Board of roughly 19 senior students decide the fate of any students who "lie, cheat, or steal
Honor code
An honour code or honour system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that community. The use of an honor code depends on the idea that people can be trusted to act honorably...
", and its decision is approved or vetoed (though rarely) by the headmaster and the dean of students. Anyone found violating the honor code on any scale is dismissed from the school. The Prefect Board is determined through a process involving students, faculty
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, and administration. In the spring trimester
Academic term
An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms...
, an election among the students is held where students are given a roster of the rising senior class and asked to select the 19 they feel are best suited to the role. Faculty undertake a similar process, and later the administration interviews the individual candidates as determined by the initial elections. Finally, the headmaster decides the final composition of the board and they are announced publicly to the student body before the close of the year.
Aside from maintaining the honor system, the Prefect Board is charged with guiding the new students though orientation
Orientation week
Student orientation or new student orientation, is a period of time at the beginning of the academic year at a university or other tertiary institution during which a variety of events are held to orient and welcome new students. The name of the period varies by country...
. Prefects also serve in roles similar to that of resident assistant
Resident assistant
A resident assistant , commonly shortened to RA is a trained peer leader who supervises those living in a residence hall or group housing facility...
s, organizing dormitory events and informing students of news and events. A Senior Prefect is elected by the Prefect Board from among its members; his role is similar to that of a student body president
Student body president
The President of the Student Government is the highest ranking officer of a student government or student union association on the high school, college, or university level...
, giving a speech at the assembly commencing the school year and at graduation in spring.
Athletics
Woodberry, nicknamed the Tigers, competes in the Virginia Prep League in a variety of sports including basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, soccer, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and track, and football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, which is played on Saturdays in the fall.
The longest-running high school football rivalry in the south in the country takes place each year between Woodberry Forest and Episcopal High School of Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. The schools first played against each other in 1901 and have competed in over a hundred consecutive games. "The Game," as it is known, draws back many alumni and is considered the homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
for both schools. The 100th contest, which Woodberry won, took place in the 2000, drew nearly 15,000 spectators, and was featured 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....
. Before every game between the two schools, Woodberry has a bonfire reaching heights of four stories where students throw torches into the temple of sticks and run to a prep rally next to the burning edifice. The bonfire draws nearly as many Woodberry fans as The Game itself.
The school's facilities include an on-campus 9-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross; an indoor track/pool complex; two turf football / lacrosse fields; two baseball fields; three competition-level soccer fields; and three other grass fields for football, soccer, or lacrosse.
Woodberry's long-standing football program is currently headed by coach Clinton Alexander. Under his leadership, the team has been voted the top private school team in Virginia for three years in a row 2008-10. The Tigers have begun to send numerous players to play college football at all levels, including 1-4 Division I recruits each year.
Notable alumni
Notable alumni of Woodberry Forest School include:- Marvin P. Bush, youngest son of George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
and brother of 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.... - Charles W. CokerCharles W. CokerCharles "Charlie" Westfield Coker is the former president and CEO of Sonoco Products Company of Hartsville, South Carolina, U.S.A.. He also serves as a director of Bank of America, HanesBrands Inc., Springs Industries, and Carolina Power & Light Company...
, former Chairman/CEO of Sonoco ProductsSonoco ProductsFounded in 1899, Sonoco Products Company is a global provider of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging and packaging supply chain services... - Bosley CrowtherBosley CrowtherBosley Crowther was a journalist and author who was film critic for The New York Times for 27 years. His reviews and articles helped shape the careers of actors, directors and screenwriters, though his reviews, at times, were unnecessarily mean...
, film critic for The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization... - Gordon Gray, National Security AdvisorNational Security Advisor (United States)The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
- David HoTing Kwok David HoDavid Ho Ting-kwok is a Vancouver based entrepreneur originally from Hong Kong. He founded the now defunct Harmony Airways, and owns the University Golf Club and MCL Motors. In 2005 he was named the Businessman of the Year by the Vancouver Junior Board of Trade. Ho is a former member of the...
, VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
entrepreneur - William States Lee IIIWilliam States Lee IIIWilliam States Lee III, popularly known as Bill Lee, was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1929. He attended Woodberry Forest School and was a Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Princeton University in Civil Engineering. After serving in the U.S. Navy SeaBees, Lee joined Duke Power’s...
, former Chairman/CEO Duke Power - Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr.Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr.Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr. was an American businessman, philanthropist and Chairman of J.C. Lewis Enterprises, Lewis Broadcasting Corporation, J.C. Lewis Investment Company, and Island Investments...
, automotive and broadcasting magnate, former Mayor of Savannah, GA - James McMurtryJames McMurtryJames McMurtry is a Texas rock/Texas Country singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader and occasional actor...
, singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the... - Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
, songwriter - Halsey MinorHalsey MinorHalsey McLean Minor is a technology entrepreneur who founded CNET in 1993 . Minor ran CNET for 8 years during which time it became one of the Internet's first companies to achieve profitability. From 1999 to 2001, CNET was a member of the NASDAQ-100 index...
, CNET Networks founder - Rogers MortonRogers MortonRogers Clark Ballard Morton was an American politician who served as Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Commerce under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, respectively...
, United States cabinetUnited States CabinetThe Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
member - Thruston Morton, 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...
- Heinz PagelsHeinz PagelsHeinz Rudolf Pagels was an American physicist, an adjunct professor of physics at Rockefeller University, the executive director and chief executive officer of the New York Academy of Sciences, and president of the International League for Human Rights...
, particle physicist and exectutive director of the New York Academy of SciencesNew York Academy of SciencesThe New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology... - J. Sargeant ReynoldsJ. Sargeant ReynoldsJulian Sargeant Reynolds of Richmond, Virginia was a teacher, businessman, and politician. He served in both the House and Senate of the Virginia General Assembly and served as Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the first Republican to serve in that position since Reconstruction...
, executive vice president of Reynolds Aluminum Credit Corp.Reynolds MetalsReynolds Group Holdings is an American packaging company with its roots in the Reynolds Metals Company, was the second largest aluminum company in the United States, and the third largest in the world...
, Virginia General AssemblyVirginia General AssemblyThe Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
man, Lieutenant Governor of VirginiaLieutenant Governor of VirginiaThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected... - James D. Robinson IIIJames D. Robinson IIIJames Dixon Robinson III was the chief executive officer of American Express Co. from 1977 until his retirement in 1993.-Education:...
, former CEO of American ExpressAmerican ExpressAmerican Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best... - Randolph ScottRandolph ScottRandolph Scott was an American film actor whose career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of genres, including social dramas, crime dramas, comedies, musicals , adventure tales, war films, and even a few...
, actor - Roger WilsonRoger Wilson (actor)Roger Wilson is an American actor in movies and television,notably the first two Porky's movies and "Thunder Alley ".He attended Woodberry Forest School and graduated in 1975 with Marvin Bush, brother of former President George W. Bush...
, actor Porky'sPorky'sPorky's is a 1982 comedy film about the escapades of teenagers at the fictional Angel Beach High School in Florida in 1954. It was released in the United States in 1982, and spawned two sequels: Porky's II: The Next Day and Porky's Revenge! and influenced many writers in the teen film genre... - Frank WisnerFrank WisnerFrank Gardiner Wisner was head of Office of Strategic Services operations in southeastern Europe at the end of World War II, and the head of the Directorate of Plans of the Central Intelligence Agency during the 1950s....
, OSSOffice of Strategic ServicesThe Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
/CIACentral Intelligence AgencyThe Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
official - Paul IlyinskyPaul IlyinskyPaul R. Ilyinsky was a three-time mayor of Palm Beach, Florida, and the only child of Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia and his morganatic wife, Cincinnati heiress Audrey Emery...
, mayor of Palm Beach and claimant to the Russian Throne. - John Hart, author
- Will StricklerWill StricklerWilliam Belden Strickler is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.- Early years :Strickler was born in Bronxville, New York. He grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, and attended high school at Woodberry Forest School in Madison County, Virginia...
, class of 2004, professional golfer on PGA TourPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America... - Robert Noyes, class of 1979, Owner of LetterRep.com, professional letter-writing company