Concord Academy
Encyclopedia
Concord Academy is a coeducational, independent, college preparatory school
for grades nine through twelve, located in Concord, Massachusetts
. Founded in 1922, the school currently enrolls 373 boarding and day students from eight countries and twenty states.
Concord Academy’s curriculum includes classes such as:
.
Athletic offerings are as follows:
Fall
Winter
Spring
in the center of Concord, Massachusetts
. Concord Academy’s campus includes eleven historic houses on Main Street, all built as family homes between 1780 and 1830.
Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel.
This nineteenth-century meetinghouse is considered a landmark on campus. It was transported to Concord from Barnstead, New Hampshire in 1956. Today it serves as a meeting place three times per week for the entire Concord Academy community.
“It’s unclear how or why the chameleon was chosen, or exactly when that happened, but “the critter” has been associated with the school for more than eighty years. When Philip McFarland was researching A History of Concord Academy: The First Half-Century and A History of Concord Academy: The Wilcox Years, alumnae told him that the chameleon dates from the era of Elsie Garland Hobson, who was headmistress from 1922 to 1937, and that it was used as a symbol before becoming the title of the school’s literary magazine, first published in December 1927 . . . Over the years, the chameleon has been used in a variety of ways—most notably on the school ring, but also on the cover of the literary magazine, in recognition of contributions to Annual Giving, on stationery, pillows, bags, pens, mugs, and clothing . . . True to its nature, the chameleon has adjusted with the times. It remains an important part of CA—an enduring legacy and a symbol of how adaptable the school’s graduates can be while still maintaining their individuality.”
1981—Thomas E. Wilcox named headmaster
1984—Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel dedicated
2000—Jacob A. Dresden named head of school
2004-05—Renovation and expansion of Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel
2007—Purchase of additional 13.6 acres (55,037.3 m²) property near main campus
2009—Richard Hardy named head of school; began July 1, 2009
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
for grades nine through twelve, located in Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
. Founded in 1922, the school currently enrolls 373 boarding and day students from eight countries and twenty states.
Academics
According to http://boardingschoolreview.com/highest_sat_scores/sort/1, Concord Academy ranks in the top tier of U.S. boarding schools for student SAT scores.Concord Academy’s curriculum includes classes such as:
- Applied Chemistry: Neurochemistry
- Applied Physics: Meteorology
- Advanced Physics: Electromagnetism
- Creative Nonfiction and the Art of the Essay
- The "Hidden Luminous": Writing and Reading Poetry
- Latin American Literature: Magical Realities
- All Under Heaven: Early Chinese History
Athletics
Concord Academy students play on twenty-eight teams in twenty-three sports; about 75 percent of students play on at least one team each year. Teams compete in the Eastern Independent League (EIL)Eastern Independent League
The Eastern Independent League is composed of twelve New England preparatory schools that compete athletically and academically. The EIL's twelve members compete in a number of sports in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference ....
.
Athletic offerings are as follows:
Fall
- Girls and Boys Cross Country
- Cross Country
- Girls Varsity Field Hockey
- Girls and Boys Golf
- Girls and Boys JV Soccer
- Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer
Winter
- Girls JV Volleyball
- Girls Varsity Volleyball
- Girls and Boys JV Basketball
- Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball
- Girls Squash
- Boys Club Squash
- Boys Wrestling
- Girls and Boys Alpine Skiing
Spring
- Boys Baseball
- Girls and Boys Varsity Tennis
- Girls and Boys Varsity Lacrosse
- Girls and Boys Sailing
- Girls and Boys Ultimate Frisbee
- Girls and Boys Club Track
Boarding/day hybrid
In the 2009-2010 school year, Concord Academy's student population consisted of 217 day students and 156 boarding students.Campus
Concord Academy's primary campus is located on 39 acres (157,827.5 m²) between Main Street and the Sudbury RiverSudbury River
The Sudbury River is a tributary of the Concord River in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States.Originating in the Cedar Swamp in Westborough, Massachusetts, near the boundary with Hopkinton, it meanders generally northeast to its confluence with the Assabet River at Egg Rock in...
in the center of Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
. Concord Academy’s campus includes eleven historic houses on Main Street, all built as family homes between 1780 and 1830.
Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel.
This nineteenth-century meetinghouse is considered a landmark on campus. It was transported to Concord from Barnstead, New Hampshire in 1956. Today it serves as a meeting place three times per week for the entire Concord Academy community.
School mascot
Concord Academy's mascot is the chameleon, chosen for the adaptability it implies. Excerpted from “Leapin’ Lizards,” Winter 2008 Concord Academy magazine:“It’s unclear how or why the chameleon was chosen, or exactly when that happened, but “the critter” has been associated with the school for more than eighty years. When Philip McFarland was researching A History of Concord Academy: The First Half-Century and A History of Concord Academy: The Wilcox Years, alumnae told him that the chameleon dates from the era of Elsie Garland Hobson, who was headmistress from 1922 to 1937, and that it was used as a symbol before becoming the title of the school’s literary magazine, first published in December 1927 . . . Over the years, the chameleon has been used in a variety of ways—most notably on the school ring, but also on the cover of the literary magazine, in recognition of contributions to Annual Giving, on stationery, pillows, bags, pens, mugs, and clothing . . . True to its nature, the chameleon has adjusted with the times. It remains an important part of CA—an enduring legacy and a symbol of how adaptable the school’s graduates can be while still maintaining their individuality.”
Publications
- The Centipede, Concord Academy’s student newspaper, is published approximately eight times a year.
- The Chameleon, a literary and artistic magazine, is published annually.
- The Scallion, a satirical newspaper playing on the title of The Onion (a scallion is also called a green onion, alluding to Concord's school color), has published as frequently as six times a year and as infrequently as never. Its slogan: “Yeah. We Said It.”
- The Gentleman's Standard, a journal on world events and politics written from the perspectives of highly conservative and traditional intellectuals.
- Concord Academy magazine, the school’s alumnae/i magazine, is published three times a year and is sent to more than 8,000 graduates, parents, and friends of CA.
- Drop, a magazine that reviews, critiques and recommends the latest music that students are listening to.
History
Concord Academy was established as a school for girls in September 1922. Enrollment grew gradually from three in 1924 to twenty in 1948. The school's headmistress for the first 15 years was Elsie Garland Hobson, followed by Valerie Knapp (1937–40) and Josephine Tucker (1940–49). Tucker imposed the advisor system and ended the giving of prizes at commencement. Under Elizabeth Hall (1949–63), student population increased, especially. Mrs. Hall shape in the boarding department, and the Academy's reputation as an independent high school grew. Under David Aloian (1963–71), Concord Academy was regarded as "perhaps the finest independent secondary school for girls in the country".1981—Thomas E. Wilcox named headmaster
1984—Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel dedicated
2000—Jacob A. Dresden named head of school
2004-05—Renovation and expansion of Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel
2007—Purchase of additional 13.6 acres (55,037.3 m²) property near main campus
2009—Richard Hardy named head of school; began July 1, 2009
Notable alumni
- Drew Gilpin FaustDrew Gilpin FaustCatherine Drew Gilpin Faust is an American historian, college administrator, and the president of Harvard University. Faust is the first woman to serve as Harvard's president and the university's 28th president overall. Faust is the fifth woman to serve as president of an Ivy League university, and...
- 28th and current President of Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... - Caroline KennedyCaroline KennedyCaroline Bouvier Kennedy is an American author and attorney. She is a member of the influential Kennedy family and the only surviving child of U.S. President John F...
- Author, attorney, daughter of U.S. President John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and his wife, Jacqueline - Queen Noor of Jordan - Widow of King Hussein of Jordan
- Peter R. FisherPeter R. FisherPeter R. Fisher is a United States banker who was Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance from 2001 to 2004.-Biography:Peter R. Fisher was educated at Concord Academy in Massachusetts and then at Harvard College, where he received a B.A. in History in 1980. He graduated from Harvard...
- U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance, 2001–2004 - Julia GlassJulia GlassJulia Glass is an American novelist. Her debut novel, Three Junes, won the National Book Award in 2002. Glass followed this with a second novel, The Whole World Over, in 2006, which was also set in the Bank Street, Greenwich Village universe with three interwoven stories featuring several...
- 2002 National Book Award-winning author of Three Junes and The Whole World Over - Julia Preston - Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist at The New York Times
- Charlie GrandyCharlie GrandyCharlie Grandy is an American stand-up comedian, television writer and producer who has worked on series such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Saturday Night Live and The Office...
- Television writer, producer, winner of two Emmy Awards and two Writers' Guild Awards for Saturday Night Live; nominated for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Office - Larry GoldingsLarry Goldings-Life and career:Goldings was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was a classical music enthusiast, and Larry studied classical piano until the age of twelve. While in high school at Concord Academy, he attended a program at the Eastman School of Music. During this period Erroll Garner,...
- Jazz pianist, organist, composer, and 2006 Grammy nominee for Best Jazz Instrumental Album Individual or Group for Trio Beyond - Saudades - Sebastian JungerSebastian JungerSebastian Junger is an American author, journalist and documentarian, most famous for the best-selling book The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea, his award-winning chronicle of the war in Afghanistan in the 2010 movie Restrepo, and his 2010 book War.-Background:Junger was born...
- Author of The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea - Nina Rothschild Utne - Chair and CEO of Utne ReaderUtne ReaderUtne Reader is an American bimonthly magazine. The magazine collects and reprints articles on politics, culture, and the environment from generally alternative media sources, including journals, newsletters, weeklies, zines, music and DVDs...
- Tom First - Co-founder of Nantucket NectarsNantucket NectarsNantucket Nectars is a beverage company created by Tom First and Tom Scott who met at Brown University in 1985. After graduation they headed to Nantucket where they started Allserve, a floating convenience store servicing boats in Nantucket Harbor, delivering everything from newspapers to...
- Anita LoAnita LoAnita Lo is an American chef and restaurateur. In 2001, she was named by Food & Wine magazine one of ten “Best New Chefs in America”.-Early life and education:...
- Award-winning chef and owner of Michelin-rated restaurant Annisa - Susan MinotSusan MinotSusan Minot is a prize-winning American novelist and short story writer.Minot was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from Concord Academy and then attended Brown University, where she studied writing and painting; in 1983 she graduated from Columbia University School of the Arts with...
- Author of Monkeys, Evening, and Folly - Matt TaibbiMatt TaibbiMatthew C. "Matt" Taibbi is an American author and journalist reporting on politics, media, finance, and sports for Rolling Stone and Men's Journal, often in a polemical style. He has also edited and written for The eXile, the New York Press, and The Beast.- Early years :Taibbi grew up in the...
- Columnist for Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J... - Theo StockmanTheo StockmanTheo Stockman is an American actor, singer, and disc jockey, best known for his roles in Broadway musicals.-Early life:...
- Broadway actor
Notable teachers
- Elizabeth B. Hall, after serving as headmistress from 1949 to 1963, went on to found Bard College at Simon's Rock in 1964, the nation's oldest and most prestigious college early entrance program.
- Kevin JenningsKevin JenningsKevin Brett Jennings is an American educator, author, and administrator. He was the Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools at the U.S. Department of Education from 2009-11...
taught at Concord Academy from 1987 to 1995, where he was chair of the history department. In 1988, he and a student founded the nation's first gay-straight allianceGay-straight allianceGay–straight alliances are student organizations, found primarily in North American high schools and universities, that are intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their straight allies .-Goal:The goal of most, if not all,...
at Concord Academy, which is still an active club in the school.
External links
- Concord Academy's Web site
- Concord Academy’s philosophy on Advanced Placement courses: “Taking a Hard Look at Advanced Placement,” by Patty Hager, Concord Academy magazine
- “The Science and Art of Teaching” by Head of School Jacob A. Dresden, Independent School magazine
- Boarding School Review
- The Association of Boarding Schools