Mercersburg Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mercersburg Academy |
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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 | 144 |
| Faculty | 58.3 (FTE) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Enrollment | 444 (2017-2018) |
| • Grade 9 | 81 |
| • Grade 10 | 117 |
| • Grade 11 | 114 |
| • Grade 12 | 132 |
| Average class size | 12 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 7.6 |
| Language | English |
| Hours in school day | 6 |
| Campus size | 300 acres (120 ha) |
| Campus type | Rural |
| Color(s) | Blue and white |
| Sports | 24 varsity teams |
| Nickname | Blue Storm |
| Accreditations | MSA, NAIS, TABS, PAIS |
| Endowment | $397 million |
| Budget | $34 million |
| School fees | $310–$1,360 |
| Annual tuition | $72,925 (boarding) $45,600 (day) |
| Revenue | $44.65 million |
| 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's an independent school that helps students get ready for college. Many students live and learn there, while others attend during the day. The school was founded in 1893. Today, about 444 students in grades 9 through 12 attend Mercersburg Academy. It is located about 90 miles northwest of Washington, D.C..
Contents
Mercersburg Academy's History
Mercersburg Academy has a long history, starting way back in 1836. That's when a college called Marshall College was given permission to open in Mercersburg. Dr. Frederick Augustus Rauch from Switzerland became its first leader. He led the college until 1841.
Later, in 1853, Marshall College joined with another school to become Franklin & Marshall College. The part of Marshall College that prepared students for college then became Marshall Academy. In 1865, its name changed again to Mercersburg College. The school still uses this original college charter today. Mercersburg Academy also keeps its connection to the United Church of Christ.
In 1997, Douglas Hale became the head of the school. During his time, the school's special fund, called an endowment, grew a lot. It went from $64 million in 1997 to $251 million by 2015. After Mr. Hale, Katherine Titus became the head of school in 2016. She was the first woman to lead Mercersburg Academy.
What Students Learn and Do
The school offers many different classes, about 170 in total. There are 106 teachers, and most of them have advanced degrees. Mercersburg Academy teaches students in grades 9 through 12. Some students also attend for a special "postgraduate" year after high school.
In the 2019–2020 school year, there were 442 students. About half were boys and half were girls. Most students, 84 percent, live at the school. The other 16 percent are day students who go home after classes. About one-third of students who apply are accepted into the school.
How to Join Mercersburg Academy
For the 2021–2022 school year, the cost for students living at the school was $64,150. For day students, it was $38,025. Mercersburg Academy helps many students with money. About half of all students receive financial aid. This aid can be based on their family's need or on their achievements. The school spends over $7 million on financial aid each year.
Mercersburg also offers special scholarships. These include the Arce, Guttman, Hale, Legacy, Mercersburg, Regents, Witmer, and 1893 Scholarships. Students come from all over the world to attend Mercersburg. They represent 36 different countries and 27 states in the U.S. About 20 percent of students are from other countries. Also, 25 percent of U.S. students are people of color.
Many Mercersburg graduates go on to top colleges. For example, 78 percent of the Class of 2017 were accepted into very competitive colleges.
School's Special Fund (Endowment)
Mercersburg Academy has a large special fund, called an endowment, of $397 million. This makes it one of the richest independent schools per student in the country. This fund helps the school pay for many things. In 2013, a former student, Deborah Simon, gave the school $100 million. This was the largest gift ever given to the school. It was also one of the biggest gifts ever to an independent high school in the U.S.
Classes and Activities
Mercersburg offers 170 different courses. This includes over 40 advanced classes. These are called honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and post-AP courses.
Sports and Athletics
Since 2000, Mercersburg has been part of the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL). This league includes other well-known schools like Blair Academy and The Hill School. Mercersburg has 24 different sports teams.
Some former students have even played sports professionally. They have competed in MLB, the NFL, and for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Stony Batter Players (Theatre)
Mercersburg has had a drama group since 1899. It was called Stony Batter. Camille Irvine, the wife of the school's first headmaster, started it. The group is now known as the Stony Batter Players. They perform many plays and musicals. Recent shows include Fiddler on the Roof and Mamma Mia!.
Famous actor and Oscar-winner Jimmy Stewart '28 was a student at Mercersburg. He performed in Stony Batter plays when he was there.
Music Programs
Music has always been important at Mercersburg. The first headmaster, Dr. Irvine, even led the school's Glee Club. In 1901, he published The Mercersburg Academy Song Book.
School Traditions
Mercersburg has some very old traditions. The Washington Irving Literary Society and John Marshall Literary Society are the school's oldest student groups. They started even before Mercersburg Academy was founded.
Students at Mercersburg join one of these two societies. If a student's family member went to Mercersburg, they can join the same society. Otherwise, new students are chosen by the society leaders. In the past, students used to race to meet new students arriving at school. They would try to convince them to join their society!
These societies have a big competition each year. It used to be just a debate. Now, it's a week of contests in sports like basketball and swimming. They also compete in games like chess and poker. The main event is called Declamation. In this event, five students from each society give prepared speeches. The society that wins the most points gets bragging rights for the year.
Another tradition is Step Songs. This happens each year on a Friday evening in October. Students gather on the steps of Main Hall. They sing school songs and cheers. It's like a pep rally for the sports games the next day. This tradition started as a concert for former students.
Mercersburg Academy Campus
Mercersburg's campus is very large, covering 300 acres. It has seven places where students live. There are also three main buildings for classes. These buildings have 47 classrooms and labs. The campus also has 10 sports fields, a gym, a tennis center, and a squash center. There is also an outdoor track and a large arts center.
The James Buchanan Cabin is also on campus. This cabin is believed to be the birthplace of James Buchanan. He was the first U.S. president from Pennsylvania. The school bought the cabin in 1953 to make sure it was taken care of.
Burgin Center for the Arts
The Burgin Center for the Arts opened in 2006. It's a big building, 65,500 square feet. It has special spaces for theatre, music, dance, and visual arts classes. The center is named after a former student and headmaster, Walter Burgin, and his wife. Many concerts and plays happen here. Famous violinist Itzhak Perlman performed at its opening.
The Carillon and Organ
The Swoope Carillon is in the Barker Tower of the Irvine Memorial Chapel. A carillon is a musical instrument with many bells. This one is one of only 163 in the United States. It was a gift from Mr. Henry B. Swoope. The original 43 bronze bells were made in 1926. These bells contain small pieces of historic metal from all over the world. This includes 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 a gift from Mr. and Mrs. George A. Wood. The Skinner Organ Company built it in 1925. This organ has about 4,000 pipes!
Famous People Who Went to Mercersburg
Many notable people have graduated from Mercersburg Academy.
Medal of Honor Recipients
- Joel Thompson Boone, a Navy officer and doctor
- Eugene B. Fluckey, a Navy officer
- Ralph Talbot, a Marine Corps pilot
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
- Benicio del Toro, an actor known for Traffic
- James Stewart, an actor known for It's a Wonderful Life
Rhodes Scholars
- Cresson H. Kearny, a military officer and author
- James M. Tunnell, a lawyer and politician
Academics
- Ann M. Blair, a history professor at Harvard University
Arts and Literature
- Bill Baldwin, a science-fiction author
- Luke Ebbin, a composer and record producer
- Walker Evans, a famous photographer
- Walter Farley, author of The Black Stallion books
Business Leaders
- Joe L. Brown, general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team
- Dick Cass, president of the Baltimore Ravens football team
- Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts football team
- Gerry Lenfest, who founded a large cable company
- Steven Zhang, chairman of the Inter Milan football club
Government and Politics
- Nancy Abudu, a judge
- John Coolidge, son of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge
- León Febres Cordero, a former president of Ecuador
- Harry Hughes, a former Governor of Maryland
- Dick Thornburgh, a former governor of Pennsylvania and U.S. 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 for shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
- Ben Mendelsohn, an actor known for Bloodline
- John Payne, an actor known for Miracle on 34th Street
Sports
- Josh Edgin, a pitcher for the New York Mets
- Bump Hadley, a major-league pitcher
- Vincent Rey, a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals
