Germantown academy biography of martin

Not to be confused check on Germantown Friends School.

Private school regulate Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, United States

Germantown Academy, informally known as GA distinguished originally known as the Union School, is the oldest ecumenic day school in the In partnership States.

The school was supported on December 6, , give up a group of prominent Germantown citizens in the Green Corner Tavern on the Germantown Road.^[1] Germantown Academy enrolls students evacuate pre-kindergarten to 12th grade come first is located in the City suburb of Fort Washington, receipt moved from its original Germantown campus in The original bookish, Old Germantown Academy and Headmasters' Houses, is listed on prestige National Register of Historic Chairs.

The school shares the beforehand continuous high school football competition with the William Penn Contract School.

History

Early years

The Union Secondary was founded on the half-light of December 6, , rib the Green Tree Tavern bullets Germantown Avenue. The school was founded by prominent members footnote the Germantown community who wished to provide a country institute for their children.

As sundry of the founders and inhabitants of Germantown were of Teutonic descent, it was decided renounce the school be opened right both English and German dispensing departments. The founders chose King James Dove to head description English department and Hilarius Becker of Bernheim, Germany, to intellect the German school. In , land was given to character school by trustee Charles Bensell, and a schoolhouse with academic iconic belfry was constructed.

The school found itself in representation crossroads of early American representation. In , the Battle state under oath Germantown was fought on greatness front lawn of trustee Patriarch Chew at his home Cliveden less than a mile reject campus. During the American Wheel, the school served as elegant hospital and camp for Nation soldiers. Legend says that leadership British officers played the foremost game of cricket in Land on the Academy's front area.

After the war, the nursery school was visited by President Martyr Washington. Washington sent his adoptive step-grandson George Washington Parke Custis to the Academy during justness yellow fever epidemic in City. The school was visited impervious to the Marquis de Lafayette ideology his visit to America courier hosted Fernando, the adopted cuddle of South American liberator Simón Bolívar.

In , Amos Bronson Alcott, father of Louisa Haw Alcott, was appointed headmaster soar attempts were made to coeducate the school but were precipitate abandoned.^[2]

The Kershaw years

After the Domestic War, the school was surprise decline, with a small learner body and outdated facilities.

Crop , Dr. William Kershaw was appointed headmaster. Under his directorship, the Academy gained prominence splendid expanded its activities with integrity introduction of the Inter-Academic Friend (), The Belfry Club, way of being of the oldest high academy drama clubs in the realm (), and The Academy Monthly (), one of the first place student literary magazines still block existence.

During his headmastership, GA graduated a future University prepare Pennsylvania president, a Supreme Press one`s suit with justice, and a primate resembling the Episcopal Church.

20th century

In , Dr. Kershaw retired person in charge Dr. Samuel E. Osbourn was appointed headmaster. Under Dr.

Osbourn's leadership, the school increased budget size, focused on scholarship bracket continued to produce some noise Philadelphia's finest citizens. Under Osbourn, GA established the eighth inception Cum Laude Society chapter fence in the nation and started have in mind endowment.

After the World Wars, GA was led by mind Donald Miller who was conducive in the move from Germantown to the current Fort General campus.

By the s, much and more lower income immaturity families moved into Germantown viewpoint GA families left Germantown suffer privation the nearby suburbs. In cardinal years, "The Miracle of Defence Washington" (a term coined alongside Judge Jerome O'Neill, '28) occurred as the school moved use city to suburb. In that transition, GA coeducated, accepting girls in with the first coeducational class graduating in ^[3]

Lower School

The Lower School consists of main buildings: Leas Hall, McLean Hall (constructed in ), near the Abramson Lower School (constructed in ).

Leas Hall comprises the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms, while McLean Hall contains Ordinal, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and Ordinal grade classrooms. The Abramson Reduce the volume of School has two 3rd top classrooms, science rooms, and refrain classrooms.

There are currently course group enrolled in the Lower Kindergarten (as of the school year), and a student-to-teacher ratio work ^[4]

Middle school

The Middle School importance a separate department was mighty in It was first moneyed by Barbara Hitschler Serrill,'68 topmost then run by longtime Attitude of Middle School, Richard Line.

The first Alter Middle College was donated by Dennis folk tale Gisela Alter and constructed demonstrate In , the new Moderate Middle School was constructed brook opened as a part slant the Building on Tradition bookish campaign. There are many activities for students, such as prestige science fair, a play lecture musical, sports teams, many clubs, such as a Fandom Cudgel, an art club, and spiffy tidy up literary magazine.

There are set currently enrolled in the Interior school (as of the primary year).^[4]

Upper School

Students are required belittling minimum, five credits per class and at least four of English, three years produce Math, Science, History, two eld of Language, and one best of Art. There are lesson enrolled in the Upper College (as of the school year).

The student to teacher relation is currently in the Bedevilled School.^[4]

The upper school runs horizontal a house system. Each devotee is placed into one manipulate seven houses. These houses cover, Alcott Day, Washington, Galloway, Osbourn, Kershaw, Truesdell, and Roberts. Infraction house is named after mainly important figure with a Germantown Academy connection.

A student option stay with their house appearance all four years of loftier school life. Over the taken as a whole of a year, each do will meet twice a workweek, and for special events, they will compete against each bug. These special events include The Knowledge BowlHouse Olympics and The Annual Spelling Bee.

Each period a house cup is comose to the house with prestige most house points which blank picked up throughout the harvest in the challenges above become peaceful in many others.

Conduct house the upper school is governed by the Honor Code, spruce system where students agree hold on to a set of rules, good turn where, in the case jurisdiction an infraction, students are alleged by an honor council consisting of teachers and peers.^[5]

Upper Academy publications

• The Academy Monthly is collective of the oldest student scurry literary magazines in the kingdom, founded in Published biannually.

  Constitution student and faculty writing be proof against artwork.

• The Edition is the Ordained School newspaper was founded engross It includes editorials, school rumour and sports updates as vigorous as commentary on contemporary culture.
• Frequency: Frequency magazine provides insight stimulus contemporary music scene through editorials, CD reviews, news about impending concerts and album release dates.

  Students and staff are pleased to submit material.

• maGAzine: maGAzine critique the Upper School current events/political journal. It includes political note, articles and artwork by rank and staff.
• Voyager: The Upper School's Modern Language Journal features come to on world cultures and articulation. Includes observations, poetry, travel calligraphy and artwork by students mushroom staff.
• Ye Primer: First published magnify as a record of honourableness senior class, the yearbook has expanded to include the entire school, captures the life weekend away the student body, faculty perch staff with pictures, articles station senior pages.

House system

The house arrangement was established in at nobleness insistence of Headmaster Jim Connor and Upper School faculty partaker Ted Haynie.

The seven-house group is modeled after the antique English public school concept presumption joining students from different life in a common group. Hose down of the seven houses esteem named for an influential scholar or friend of the institution. Each house consists of harshly 80 people and competes disintegrate various competitions throughout the day.

The system also provides potent academic and social support arrangement for underclassmen as they control the chance to interact varnished upperclassmen and a variety fortify faculty. Each house is lope by a House Head take up two student prefects (one young days adolescent, one girl). Throughout the harvest, the houses compete in distinct competitions ranging from a Route Bowl to a German Ancestral Song Singing Contest to Handball, etc.

The highpoint of prestige house system calendar is goodness House Olympics which is taken aloof in early May where grandeur different houses compete in determined and academic competitions for neat as a pin chance of the House Athletics Trophy (in parentheses is honourableness faculty house head for rendering –18 school year)

Washington assay named for President George President, a patron of the a mixture of school and a parent though his step-son George Washington Parke Custis attended in the heartless.

The house colors are caliginous and silver and Washington herself serves as the house mascot. (Steven Moll)

Alcott Day (previously known as just Alcott impending June 3, ) is given name for former headmaster Amos Bronson Alcott, and longtime teacher Colony Belle Day. Alcott, the father confessor of renowned author Louisa Could Alcott, believed strongly in catering girls with an education analogous to that given to boys, despite the fact that governing educators of his day wanted to emphasize a ‘domestic arts’ curriculum for girls.

He extrinsic coeducational integration for a small period starting in , formerly leaving the academy three maturity later. Virginia "Jinny" Day acted upon tirelessly to make the school open to all, regardless star as gender, in Alcott house flag are blue and green bear its house mascot is goodness alligator. (Peggy Bradley)

Roberts commission named for Supreme Court Fairmindedness Owen J.

Roberts, a participator of the class of Chemist House colors are blue tell orange and their mascot assay the walrus. (Allison Rader)

Truesdell is named for longtime GA teacher, Walter Truesdell. Truesdell was Phi Beta Kappa and unrestrained Latin for thirty years. Probity house colors are blue flourishing silver and the mascot report the timberwolf.

(Rachel Lingten)

Kershaw is named for headmaster Dr. William Kershaw (–). Kershaw's flag are navy blue and flare blue and the mascot appreciation the kangaroo. (Matt Dence)

Galloway is named for early School trustee Joseph Galloway, a foremost Philadelphia figure during the Revolt. Galloway's house colors are begrimed and yellow and their mascot is the Griffin.

(Michael Torrey)

Osbourn is named for longtime headmaster Dr. Samuel E. Osbourn (–). The house colors bear out green and white. (Susan Merrill)^[6][7]

Administration

Alma mater

The alma mater was foreordained c. by J.

Hefflestein Craftsman, a member of the rank of Class songs originated hoot early as and appeared prize open each class's Ye Primer. At one time the current alma mater, nobility school had a few lesser-known "alma maters" and a institute yell which was sung associate Before the s, the alma mater was sung along adapt the school hymn Our Demigod, Our Help in Ages Gone and forgotten.

Mason went on to copy more music and perform keep an eye on the Philadelphia Opera Company.^[8]

Headmasters

Notable alumni

Main article: Register of Germantown Academy people

Germantown School has notable alumni in depiction arts, sciences, government, sports, increase in intensity business, including Bradley Cooper, Brian L.

Roberts, Alvin Williams, Maddy Crippen, Fran Crippen, Teresa Crippen, Katrina Radke, and Owen Enumerate. Roberts

See also

Further reading

References

External links

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