Hermon P. Carpenter
Encyclopedia
Hermon Palestine Carpenter, born September 5, 1877, died August 12, 1958, was an educator and founder of Montverde Industrial School, now Montverde Academy
, in Montverde, Florida
in 1912.
, a son of James B. and Augusta Carpenter. He married on July 27, 1909 to Halcyon Parrish, who served as "lady principal" of the Montverde School. Carpenter's family was of Germanic descent, from George Zimmerman (which Anglicizes to Carpenter), who was born ca. 1720 in Switzerland
, emigrated to colonial Pennsylvania
around 1740, and settled in Rockingham County, Virginia
prior to the American Revolutionary War
.
, at London, Kentucky
, and worked his way through Kentucky Wesleyan College
, where he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1909.
of Asbury College
at Wilmore, Kentucky
, where he remained a year and then accepted the same position with his Alma Mater, Kentucky Wesleyan College
, where he also remained a year, and then became President of the Epworth Training School at South Bend, Indiana
, for a year.
Believing that there was a need for a practical type of education for American boys and girls that would "train the heart, head and hand," Carpenter went to Florida
in 1912 for the purpose of founding an institution in which students had to exert physical labor in addition to classroom labor. After making a complete survey of the state he decided to found his school at Montverde, where he purchased considerable acreage and built a small school building. Early students built some of the original buildings and furniture, planted crops, tended livestock and performed other duties in order to help pay their tuition. The Montverde School grew into one of the largest and best known boarding schools in the United States and is well known abroad. In 1958, the Montverde School's executive committee authorized construction of the first of two boys' dormitory units and voted unanimously to name it Carpenter Hall in memory of H. P. Carpenter, founder of the Montverde School and president for 35 years, who retired in 1947.
In addition to his connection with the Montverde School, Carpenter found time to successfully speculate in real estate
and farm oranges
in Montverde, earning him additional recognition as one of the outstanding men of the southern part of Lake County.
Montverde Academy
-Athletic Programs:...
, in Montverde, Florida
Montverde, Florida
Montverde is a town in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 882 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 942...
in 1912.
Personal
Carpenter was a native of Boyle County, KentuckyBoyle County, Kentucky
Boyle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Its county seat is Danville. In 2000, its population was 28,432. It was formed in 1842 and named for John Boyle , a U.S...
, a son of James B. and Augusta Carpenter. He married on July 27, 1909 to Halcyon Parrish, who served as "lady principal" of the Montverde School. Carpenter's family was of Germanic descent, from George Zimmerman (which Anglicizes to Carpenter), who was born ca. 1720 in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, emigrated to colonial Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
around 1740, and settled in Rockingham County, Virginia
Rockingham County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
prior to the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Education
Carpenter graduated from Sue Bennett Memorial School, now Sue Bennett CollegeSue Bennett College
Sue Bennett College was a private college in London, Kentucky which operated from 1897 through 1997. It was affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
, at London, Kentucky
London, Kentucky
-Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:...
, and worked his way through Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private Methodist college in Owensboro, Kentucky, a city on the Ohio River. KWC is just 40 minutes east of Evansville, Indiana, 2 hours north of Nashville, Tennessee, 2 hours west of Louisville, Kentucky, and 4 hours east of St. Louis, Missouri...
, where he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1909.
Career
After leaving college Carpenter became business managerBusiness manager
In a general context, a business manager is a person who manages the work of others in order to run a business efficiently and make a large profit...
of Asbury College
Asbury College
Asbury University, formerly Asbury College, is a Christian liberal arts institution located in Wilmore, Kentucky. Although it is a nondenominational school, the college's foundation stems from a Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. The school offers 50 majors across 17 departments. Primarily a four-year...
at Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore is a city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,134 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, where he remained a year and then accepted the same position with his Alma Mater, Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private Methodist college in Owensboro, Kentucky, a city on the Ohio River. KWC is just 40 minutes east of Evansville, Indiana, 2 hours north of Nashville, Tennessee, 2 hours west of Louisville, Kentucky, and 4 hours east of St. Louis, Missouri...
, where he also remained a year, and then became President of the Epworth Training School at South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
, for a year.
Believing that there was a need for a practical type of education for American boys and girls that would "train the heart, head and hand," Carpenter went to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1912 for the purpose of founding an institution in which students had to exert physical labor in addition to classroom labor. After making a complete survey of the state he decided to found his school at Montverde, where he purchased considerable acreage and built a small school building. Early students built some of the original buildings and furniture, planted crops, tended livestock and performed other duties in order to help pay their tuition. The Montverde School grew into one of the largest and best known boarding schools in the United States and is well known abroad. In 1958, the Montverde School's executive committee authorized construction of the first of two boys' dormitory units and voted unanimously to name it Carpenter Hall in memory of H. P. Carpenter, founder of the Montverde School and president for 35 years, who retired in 1947.
In addition to his connection with the Montverde School, Carpenter found time to successfully speculate in real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
and farm oranges
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
in Montverde, earning him additional recognition as one of the outstanding men of the southern part of Lake County.