Blair Academy
Encyclopedia
Blair Academy is a private, coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...

al, secondary boarding
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...

 high school
Secondary education in the United States
In most jurisdictions, secondary education in the United States refers to the last six or seven years of statutory formal education. Secondary education is generally split between junior high school or middle school, usually beginning with sixth or seventh grade , and high school, beginning with...

 with an enrollment of about 448 students for grades nine through twelve. The school has 78 faculty members. The school's campus is situated on 435 acres (1.8 km²) hilltop in Blairstown, approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) west of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, in rural Warren County
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...

, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, United States.

As of the 2009-10 school year, the school has an enrollment of 448 students and 59.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...

 basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.5:1.

Academics

Blair’s academic program follows the traditional four-year college-preparatory plan. Diploma requirements are governed by college entrance requirements, and they ensure that all students graduate with an exposure to a wide variety of disciplines.

The academic year is divided into two semesters. To graduate, a four-year student must successfully complete the following units (with each semester yielding 1.5 credits): English, 12; mathematics, 9; modern or classical language, 6; laboratory science, 6; world history, 3; U.S. history, 6; arts, 4.5; religion, 1.5; and health, 1.5. Electives include area studies in Africa, Asian history, politics and government, computer science, environmental science, and the philosophy of religion. A full complement of courses is offered in the visual and performing arts. In addition, for every year a student attends Blair, he or she must complete 3 units of physical activity or athletics.

Blair Academy offers a broad spectrum of courses, from the introductory level through Advanced Placement. Unique offerings include Mandarin Chinese, Architecture, Roman History, Video Production, Marine Science, and Dance.

Individual participation is encouraged in small classroom sections, with an average class size of 35 students

Athletics

Blair primarily competes in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League
Mid-Atlantic Prep League
The Mid-Atlantic Prep League, also known as the MAPL, is a sports league with participating institutions from prep schools in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area in the United States. The league comprises schools known for their academic rigor, but the quality of play in all sports is fairly high...

 (which includes Blair Academy, The Peddie School
Peddie School
The Peddie School is a college preparatory school in Hightstown, New Jersey, United States. It is a nondenominational, coeducational boarding school located on a 280‑acre campus, and serves students in the ninth through twelfth grades, plus a small post-graduate class...

, The Lawrenceville School
Lawrenceville School
The Lawrenceville School is a coeducational, independent preparatory boarding school for grades 9–12 located on in the historic community of Lawrenceville, in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, U.S., five miles southwest of Princeton....

, The Hill School
The Hill School
The Hill School is a preparatory boarding school for boys and girls located in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia....

, Hun School of Princeton
Hun School of Princeton
The Hun School of Princeton is a private, coeducational, secondary boarding school located in Princeton Township, New Jersey, United States. The school has a Princeton, New Jersey mailing address. The school serves students from grades 6 through high school. Currently, the headmaster is Jonathan...

 and Mercersburg Academy
Mercersburg Academy
Mercersburg Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding school for grades 9-12 located in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. The school's mission is:...

). Its traditional mascot is the "Buccaneer
Buccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...

" (with the team called the Bucs) and the school colors are navy blue and white. Blair's traditional arch-rival is The Peddie School of Hightstown, New Jersey
Hightstown, New Jersey
Hightstown is a Borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,494.Hightstown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 5, 1853, within portions of East Windsor Township. The borough became...

. Since 1903, Blair and Peddie have competed in football, and the rivalry constitutes New Jersey’s oldest continuous prep football competition. Each November, the two schools vie for the coveted Kelley-Potter Cup by playing against one another in a fall sports competition.

During the days leading up to Peddie Day, spirit abounds at Blair. The campus is bedecked with banners hanging from windows, often poking fun at Peddie's Falcon mascot (known to Blair as the Peddie Chickens). On Peddie Day “Eve,” a spirited pep rally, torch procession and stories-high bonfire pave the way for a day of athletic competition. The Bonfire at Blair in the past has been over 80 feet (24.4 m) tall, however new fire regulations prohibit such large fires now. On Peddie Day held at Blair in November 2010, Blair reclaimed the Kelly-Potter Cup, as well as made history for the girls soccer team claiming their first win ever, at any level, against the Peddie girls soccer team. This is also the first time in 10 years that Blair is in possession of the cup.

The most successful athletic program is wrestling. Under current head wrestling coach Jeff Buxton
Jeff Buxton
Jeff Buxton is the head wrestling coach at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. Since his appointment in 1982, the program has come to be considered the most successful high school wrestling program in the United States, winning 31 consecutive National Prep titles as of 2011. He currently...

, the team has won 31 consecutive National Prep Titles (from 1981–2011) and produced a number of NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

 champions and Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

 gold medalist Robert B. Weaver
Bobby Weaver
Robert Brooks Weaver, Sr. was a freestyle wrestler who won a gold medal at 48 kg at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles...

. It is considered the most successful high school wrestling program in the nation.

Over the past several years, Blair has developed a respected basketball program whose alums include three active NBA players: Luol Deng
Luol Deng
Luol Deng is a South Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls and the Great Britain national basketball team. He plays the small forward position.-Early life:...

, Charlie Villanueva
Charlie Villanueva
Charlie Alexander Villanueva is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association....

, and Royal Ivey
Royal Ivey
Royal Terence Ivey is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.-Early life and college:...

.

Former Blair football player Dion Lewis
Dion Lewis
Dion John Lewis is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft...

 was drafted in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The 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...

. He has received numerous honors in 2010 such as, Sporting News Top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidate, Top 25 Overall Players (No. 6), All America Team (first team), All-Big East, as well as ESPN.com "Big East's 25 Best" No.1.

Facilities

Almost all campus architecture is in the Richardson Romanesque style, and modern buildings reflect the features and themes of the older structures. At the center of the campus are the four major classroom buildings: Clinton Hall, Bogle Hall, Timken Library, and the Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts. Bogle Hall, dedicated in 1989, provides laboratories and classrooms for the math and science departments and includes a state-of-the-art computer laboratory and the 100-seat Cowan Auditorium. Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts was dedicated in 1997. The renovated Timken Library, a state-of-the-art facility that includes classrooms and a computer center, opened in 1998. Annie Hall, a girls’ dormitory, opened in fall 1999. Expanded athletic fields and a roadway system were completed in 1997, the Romano Dining Room was completed in the fall of 2000, and renovation of Insley Hall was completed in 2001. Recently, Locke Hall, East Hall, Davies Hall, and South Cottage have been renovated. A major expansion and renovation of the school's athletic and activities facilities and fields occurred between 2006 and 2009: a lighted, synthetic turf field for football and soccer, with new stands, press box, and 400 meter all-weather track; ten new tennis courts (four lighted), a new junior varsity baseball field, and expansion of the existing, natural grass fields. A renovation and expansion of the existing athletic center, including a new student center, concluded in March 2009. This facility, known as the Blair Commons, houses the school's bookstore, canteen, college counseling offices, four additional squash courts (total of seven), two additional gymnasiums, renovation of the third, main gymnasium, new and expanded wrestling facilities, new and larger aerobic facilities, and a new training room and locker rooms. Blair is also home to a nine-hole golf course.

Enrollment

  • Total Enrollment: 448
  • Boarding: 346
  • Day: 102
  • Male/Female Ratio: 1.27/1
  • Number of Post-Graduates: 12
  • Percentage of Minority Students: 14%
  • Number of Countries Represented: 21 (14% of student body)
  • Number of States Represented: 23

School memberships

  • ADVIS – Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools
    Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools
    The Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools is a voluntary, non-profit consortium of independent schools in the Delaware Valley area of the USA. With headquarters in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, the Association currently has 134 members located throughout eastern Pennsylvania, northern...

  • CASE – Council for Advancement and Support of Education
    Council for Advancement and Support of Education
    The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement...

  • NAIS – National Association of Independent Schools
    National Association of Independent Schools
    The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...

  • NJAIS - New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
    New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
    The New Jersey Association of Independent Schools serves independent elementary and secondary schools throughout the state of New Jersey. The Association consists of 70 member schools with a total enrollment of approximately 26,000 students...


Campus

  • The campus, set among 425 acres (1.7 km²) of rolling hills in the shadow of the Delaware Water Gap, is home to numerous grand old buildings and in 1992 was entered into the National Register of Historic Places
    National Register of Historic Places
    The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

     in recognition of its historic and architectural significance.

  • In the 1960s and 1970s, the campus was used in the summer by Camp Racquet, a tennis camp run by Charlie Lundgren, then the coach of the tennis team at Upsala College.

Notable alumni

  • John C. "Jack" Bogle
    John Bogle
    John Clifton "Jack" Bogle is the founder and retired CEO of The Vanguard Group. He is known for his 1999 book Common Sense on Mutual Funds: New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor, which became a bestseller and is considered a classic.-Early life and education:Bogle was born in in Verona, New...

     (born 1929), founder of The Vanguard Group
    The Vanguard Group
    The Vanguard Group is an American investment management company based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, that manages approximately $1.6 trillion in assets. It offers mutual funds and other financial products and services to individual and institutional investors in the United States and abroad. Founder...

    .
  • John Cassavetes
    John Cassavetes
    John Nicholas Cassavetes was an American actor, screenwriter and filmmaker. He acted in many Hollywood films, notably Rosemary's Baby and The Dirty Dozen...

     (1929–1989), actor.
  • Luol Deng
    Luol Deng
    Luol Deng is a South Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls and the Great Britain national basketball team. He plays the small forward position.-Early life:...

     (born 1985), professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls
    Chicago Bulls
    The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...

  • Christine Evans
    Christine Evans
    Christine Evans, from Victoria, British Columbia is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born on May 25, 1990. Her debut single, "Take Me Home"/"Time for Me" was released in 2004 and her debut album, Take Me Home followed on January 25, 2005 by Warner Music Canada.The title track, Take Me Home...

    , songwriter.
  • Reid Fliehr (born 1988), professional wrestler.
  • Bob Guccione
    Bob Guccione
    Bob Guccione was the founder and publisher of the adult magazine Penthouse. He resigned from his publisher position in November 2003.-Early life:...

     (1930–2010), Penthouse
    Penthouse (magazine)
    Penthouse, a men's magazine founded by Bob Guccione, combines urban lifestyle articles and softcore pornographic pictorials that, in the 1990s, evolved into hardcore. Penthouse is owned by FriendFinder Network. formerly known as General Media, Inc. whose parent company was Penthouse International...

    magazine publisher
  • John Reiley Guthrie (1921–2009), United States Army four star General.
  • James Hagerty, White House Press Secretary
    White House Press Secretary
    The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....

     during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower
    Dwight D. Eisenhower
    Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...

  • Andrew R. Heinze
    Andrew R. Heinze
    Andrew R. Heinze is an author, journalist, playwright, and scholar of American History.Heinze grew up in Matawan, New Jersey. At age fourteen, he won a scholarship to Blair Academy in Warren County, where he graduated in 1973. He subsequently won a Bodman Foundation scholarship that enabled him...

     (class of 1973), writer, scholar of American history.
  • Royal Ivey
    Royal Ivey
    Royal Terence Ivey is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.-Early life and college:...

     (born 1981), professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder
    Oklahoma City Thunder
    The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....

  • George P. Jenkins, Jr.
    George P. Jenkins
    George Pollock Jenkins was an American business executive who helped broaden the firm's investment portfolio as chief investment officer and later chairman of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, helping major companies expand through the development of the private placement and purchasing New...

     (1915–2009), Former Chairman of Metropolitan Life.
  • Dion Lewis
    Dion Lewis
    Dion John Lewis is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft...

     (born 1990), running back
    Running back
    A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...

     for the University of Pittsburgh
    University of Pittsburgh
    The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

    , drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
    Philadelphia Eagles
    The 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...

    .
  • Stuart Loory
    Stuart Loory
    Stuart Hugh Loory is an American journalist and educator.-Early life and career:Loory was born in Wilson, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Dover, New Jersey, where his parents, Harry & Eve Loory, owned a large furniture store. Along with his younger brother, Melvyn, he attended prep school at Blair...

     (born 1932), author/reporter, ex-Managing Editor of the Chicago Sun-Times
    Chicago Sun-Times
    The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...

    and Executive Vice President of Turner Networks.
  • Tucker Max
    Tucker Max
    Tucker Max is an American author and public speaker. He chronicles his drunken and sexual encounters in the form of short stories on his website TuckerMax.com, which has received millions of visitors since Max launched it for a bet in 2002, making him an Internet celebrity.Max's book I Hope They...

    , Internet celebrity and New York Times
    The New York Times
    The 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...

    best-selling author.
  • Steve Mocco
    Steve Mocco
    Steve Mocco is an American amateur wrestler originally from North Bergen, New Jersey. Starting his collegiate wrestling career at the University of Iowa, Mocco was the 285-pound NCAA Division I runner-up in 2002 and champion in 2003. After taking an Olympic redshirt year, Mocco transferred to...

     (born 1981), 2008 Olympic wrestler.
  • Albert G. Rutherford
    Albert G. Rutherford
    Albert Grieg Rutherford was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Albert G. Rutherford was born in Watford, Ontario, Canada. He immigrated to the United States in 1883 with his parents, who settled in Carbondale, Pennsylvania...

     (1879–1941), United States Congressman.
  • Ed Sabol
    Ed Sabol
    Edward "Ed" Sabol is an American filmmaker and the founder of NFL Films. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011 as a contributor due to his works with NFL Films....

     (born 1916), founder of NFL Films
    NFL Films
    NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...

    .
  • John Sebastian
    John Sebastian
    John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...

     (born 1944), lead singer and guitarist for the band "The Lovin' Spoonful
    The Lovin' Spoonful
    The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...

    ".
  • Samuel S. Stratton (1916–90), United States Congressman.
  • Taki Theodoracopulos
    Taki Theodoracopulos
    Taki Theodoracopulos , originally named Panagiotis Theodoracopulos is a Greek/American journalist, socialite, and political commentator.Better known as Taki, diminutive for Panagiotis, he is a Greek-born journalist and writer living in New York City, London and Switzerland...

     (born 1937), conservative writer.
  • William R. Timken
    William R. Timken
    William Robert Timken, Jr. is an American industrialist and businessman and former ambassador. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany 2005–2008. He has served at The Timken Company as Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and CEO...

     (born 1938), founder of Hambrecht & Quist
    Hambrecht & Quist
    Hambrecht & Quist was an investment bank based in San Francisco, California noted for its focus on the technology and internet sectors. H&Q was founded by William Hambrecht and George Quist in California, 1968....

    .
  • Charlie Villanueva
    Charlie Villanueva
    Charlie Alexander Villanueva is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association....

     (born 1984), professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons
    Detroit Pistons
    The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...

    .
  • Alexis Wangmene
    Alexis Wangmene
    Alexis Wangmene is a Cameroonian college basketball player with the University of Texas Longhorns men's basketball team. Wangmene began his collegiate career with Texas during the 2007-2008 season when he averaged nearly 10 minutes a game...

     (born 1989), Cameroonian basketball player at the University of Texas at Austin
    University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...

    .
  • Robert B. Weaver
    Bobby Weaver
    Robert Brooks Weaver, Sr. was a freestyle wrestler who won a gold medal at 48 kg at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles...

     (born 1958), Olympic Gold Medalist in Wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympics
    1984 Summer Olympics
    The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...

    .
  • Matthew Ziff
    Matthew Ziff
    Matthew Ziff is an American actor born and raised on the East coast. No stranger to being in the spot light, having been a model and commercial actor from the age of two months old. He signed with the Wilhelmina Models and began modeling baby clothes...

     (born 1991), actor/producer.

External links

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