Mercersburg Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mercersburg Academy |
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| Address | |
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100 Academy Drive
, 17236
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| Coordinates | 39°49′34″N 77°53′54″W / 39.82611°N 77.89833°W |
| Information | |
| Former name | Marshall College (1836-65) Mercersburg College (1865-93) |
| Type | Independent selective college-preparatory boarding and day high school |
| Motto | Latin: Integritas, Virilitas, Fidelitas (Integrity, Virility, Fidelity) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Nonsectarian |
| Established | 1836 |
| Founder | William Mann Irvine |
| Status | Currently operational |
| CEEB code | 392570 |
| NCES School ID | 01197796 |
| Head of school | Quentin McDowell |
| Staff | 153 |
| Faculty | 106 |
| Teaching staff | 55 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Enrollment | 452 (2024-2025) |
| • Grade 9 | 88 |
| • Grade 10 | 110 |
| • Grade 11 | 119 |
| • Grade 12 | 135 |
| Average class size | 12 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 7.6 |
| Classes offered | 150 |
| Language | English |
| Hours in school day | 6 |
| Campus size | 300 acres (120 ha) |
| Campus type | Rural |
| Color(s) | Blue and white |
| Athletics conference | MAPL |
| Sports | 27 varsity teams |
| Nickname | The Storm |
| Accreditations | MSA, NAIS, TABS, PAIS |
| Newspaper | The Mercersburg News |
| Yearbook | Karux |
| Endowment | $422 million |
| Budget | $39.5 million |
| School fees | $310–$1,360 |
| Annual tuition | $78,900 (boarding) $50,800 (day) |
| Alumni | 12,211 |
| Nobel laureates | Burton Richter |
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Mercersburg Academy
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| Location | PA 16, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania |
| Area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Built | 1836 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003374 |
| Added to NRHP | June 21, 1984 |
Mercersburg Academy is a special high school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. It used to be called Marshall College and Mercersburg College. This school is an independent boarding and day high school. It helps students get ready for college.
The school was started in 1893. Today, about 452 students attend Mercersburg Academy. They are in grades 9 through 12. The campus is about 90 miles northwest of Washington, D.C..
Contents
A Look Back: Mercersburg Academy's History
Mercersburg Academy has a long history. It began as Marshall College on March 31, 1836. The Pennsylvania General Assembly gave it a special permission to open. Dr. Frederick Augustus Rauch from Switzerland was the first president. He led the college from 1836 to 1841.
Later, in 1853, Marshall College joined with Franklin College. They formed Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The part of Marshall College that prepared students for college became Marshall Academy. It later changed its name to Marshall Collegiate Institute. In 1865, it became Mercersburg College. The school still uses this original permission today. Mercersburg Academy keeps its connection to the church through the United Church of Christ.
In 1893, Dr. William Mann Irvine became the leader of the school. It was then named The Mercersburg Academy. Dr. Irvine helped the school grow a lot. More students joined, more teachers were hired, and new buildings were added. He led the school until 1928. Other leaders followed him, including Boyd Edwards, Charles Tippetts, Bill Fowle, and Walter Burgin.
Douglas Hale became the head of school in 1997. He helped the school's money grow a lot. In 2016, Katherine Titus became the first female head of school. Quentin McDowell took over as head of school in 2021.
Joining Mercersburg Academy: What to Know
Mercersburg Academy has about 452 students for the 2024–2025 school year. Half of the students are boys and half are girls. Most students, about 81%, live at the school in dorms. The other 19% are day students who live at home.
Students come from many places around the world. They represent 31 different countries and 28 American states. About 20% of the students are from other countries. Also, 44% of students from the U.S. are students of color.
Many Mercersburg graduates go on to top colleges. For example, 78% of the Class of 2017 were accepted into very competitive colleges.
For the 2025–2026 school year, it costs $78,900 for students who live at the school. For day students, it costs $50,800. About half of the students get financial help to attend. This help can be based on need or good grades. The school gives out over $11 million in financial aid. There are also special scholarships like the Arce Scholarships and the Hale Scholarship.
School's Financial Support
Mercersburg Academy has a large amount of money called an endowment, which is $422 million. This makes it one of the top schools in the country for money per student. In 2013, a former student named Deborah Simon gave $100 million to the school. This was the biggest gift in the school's history.
Learning and Fun: Classes and Activities
Mercersburg Academy offers 150 different classes. These include over 40 advanced classes for students who want a challenge.
Sports and Athletics
Since 2000, Mercersburg has been part of the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL). This league includes other schools like Blair Academy and The Hill School.
Some Mercersburg graduates have become professional athletes. They have played for teams like the Detroit Tigers in baseball and the Cincinnati Bengals in football. Some have even played for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Stony Batter Players: Theatre at School
Mercersburg has had a drama group since 1899 called Stony Batter. Camille Irvine, the wife of the first headmaster, started it. The group is named after a place near campus where U.S. President James Buchanan was born. Today, they are known as Stony Batter Players.
They put on many plays and musicals. Recent shows include Fiddler on the Roof, Mamma Mia!, and Chicago. They also perform scenes from classic plays. Famous actors like Jimmy Stewart and Benicio del Toro performed with Stony Batter when they were students at Mercersburg.
Music Programs
Music has always been important at Mercersburg. Dr. Irvine led the school's Glee Club. In 1901, he even published The Mercersburg Academy Song Book.
School Traditions and Fun Events
Mercersburg Academy has old traditions. The Washington Irving Literary Society and John Marshall Literary Society are the oldest student groups. They started even before Mercersburg Academy was founded. Students at Mercersburg join one of these two groups. If a family member went to the school, students can choose to join the same group. Otherwise, new students are chosen by the group leaders.
These two societies have a fun competition each year. It used to be a debate, but now it's a week of many contests. Students compete in sports like basketball and swimming. They also play chess and poker. The main event is called Declamation. In this event, five students from each society give speeches. The society that wins the most points gets bragging rights for the year.
Another tradition is Step Songs. This happens on a Friday evening during Alumni Weekend. Students gather at Main Hall and sing school songs. It's like a pep rally for the sports games the next day. This tradition started from concerts given by the Glee Club.
Exploring the Campus
Mercersburg's campus is large, covering 300 acres in a rural area. It has many buildings for students and activities:
- Seven student dorms
- A chapel
- A library
- An arts center
- Two academic buildings
- A student center
- A dining hall
- An alumni and parent center
- A college counseling center
- 10 sports fields, including a turf field
- A gym and field house
- An aquatic center
- A squash center
- A tennis center
The James Buchanan Cabin is also on campus. This cabin is believed to be the birthplace of President James Buchanan. It was moved to the campus in 1953 to keep it safe.
Burgin Center for the Arts
The Burgin Center for the Arts opened in 2006. It is a special building for all the school's arts programs. This includes theatre, music, dance, and visual arts. The building is named after a former headmaster, Walter Burgin, and his wife. It hosts concerts, plays, and school meetings. Famous violinist Itzhak Perlman performed there when it opened.
The Carillon and Organ
The Swoope Carillon is in Barker Tower at the Irvine Memorial Chapel. It is one of only 163 traditional carillons in the United States. A carillon is a musical instrument with many bells. This one has 43 bronze bells made in 1926. The bells contain small pieces of historic metal from around the world. These include old coins and metal from famous ships. The tower is named for Bryan Barker, who played the carillon for over 50 years.
The Chapel also has a large organ. It was built in 1925 and has about 4,000 pipes.
Famous People Who Attended Mercersburg
Many notable people have graduated from Mercersburg Academy.
Medal of Honor Winners
- Joel Thompson Boone, a Navy officer and doctor
- Eugene B. Fluckey, a Navy officer
- Ralph Talbot, a Marine Corps aviator
Nobel Prize Winner
- Burton Richter, a physicist
Olympic Gold Medalists
- Bill Carr (1929) - won gold in athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics
- Harry Glancy (1924) - won gold in swimming at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Robert Leavitt (1903) - won gold in athletics at the 1906 Summer Olympics
- Ted Meredith (1912) - won gold in athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics
- Betsy Mitchell (1983) - won gold in swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics
- Charles Moore Jr. (1947) - won gold in athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics
- Richard Saeger (1982) - won gold in swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics
- Melvin Stewart (1988) - won gold in swimming at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Allen Woodring (1918) - won gold in athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Academy Award Winners (Actors)
- Benicio del Toro, known for movies like Traffic and 21 Grams
- James Stewart, known for It's a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Rhodes Scholars
- Cresson H. Kearny, a military officer and author
- James M. Tunnell, a lawyer and politician
People in Arts and Literature
- Bill Baldwin, a science-fiction author
- Luke Ebbin, a composer and music producer
- Walker Evans, a photographer
- Walter Farley, author of The Black Stallion books
- William Seabrook, a journalist and traveler
Business Leaders
- Joe L. Brown, general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team
- Dick Cass, president of the Baltimore Ravens football team
- Edward E. Ford, a businessman
- Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts football team
- Gerry Lenfest, who founded Suburban Cable
- Nicholas Taubman, CEO of Advance Auto Parts
- Steven Zhang, chairman of the Inter Milan football club
Government and Politics
- Nancy Abudu, a judge
- John Coolidge, son of President Calvin Coolidge
- León Febres Cordero, a former president of Ecuador
- Harry Hughes, a former Governor of Maryland
- John E. Jones III, a judge known for the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case
- Nicholas Taubman, a former United States ambassador
- Dick Thornburgh, a former governor of Pennsylvania and United States attorney general
Journalism
- Rebecca Lowe, a TV sportscaster for NBC
Military
- Wilbert Wallace White, a decorated pilot from World War I
Performing Arts
- Vanessa Branch, an actress known for Pirates of the Caribbean
- Michael Davies, a TV producer
- William Davies, a screenwriter
- Dick Foran, an actor and singer
- Sean Kanan, an actor
- Emily Maynard, a TV personality
- Ben Mendelsohn, an actor
- John Payne, an actor
Sports Figures
- Joe Birmingham, a Major League Baseball player and manager
- Josh Edgin, a pitcher for the New York Mets
- Bump Hadley, a major-league pitcher
- Stéphane Pelle, a professional basketball player
- Vincent Rey, a football player for the Cincinnati Bengals
- Mark Talbott, a squash player
- Jack Taylor, who holds a record for scoring in college basketball
