St. James School

St. James School is a private, Episcopal boarding and day school located in Hagerstown, Maryland, near the Antietam National Battlefield and Washington County, Maryland. The school was founded in 1842 by William Rollinson Whittingham, the first Bishop of Maryland, and is affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. St. James School is a member of the Eight Schools Association and the Association of Boarding Schools, and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The school's mission is to provide a rigorous academic program, guided by the principles of Christianity, and to foster a sense of community and social responsibility among its students, who come from diverse backgrounds, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

● History

The history of St. James School dates back to the mid-19th century, when it was founded by William Rollinson Whittingham, who was influenced by the Oxford Movement and the Cambridge Movement. The school's early years were marked by a strong emphasis on Classics, Mathematics, and Theology, and it quickly gained a reputation as one of the premier Episcopal schools in the United States. During the American Civil War, the school was closed, and its buildings were used as a hospital for soldiers wounded in the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, the school reopened, and it continued to grow and thrive, with notable headmasters including James McCosh, who later became the president of Princeton University, and Woodrow Wilson, who later became the President of the United States. The school's history is also closely tied to that of the Episcopal Church, and it has been influenced by notable figures such as John Henry Hobart, William Augustus Muhlenberg, and Phillips Brooks.

● Campus

The campus of St. James School is situated on a hill overlooking the Hagerstown, Maryland, and it features a mix of modern and historic buildings, including the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, which was designed by Richard Upjohn, and the Library of Congress-style Carruth Memorial Library. The campus is also home to a number of athletic facilities, including the St. James School Stadium, which hosts National Collegiate Athletic Association-sanctioned events, and the Hagerstown Suns baseball team, which is affiliated with the Washington Nationals. The school's campus is located near a number of historic sites, including the Antietam National Battlefield, the Harper's Ferry National Historical Park, and the Gettysburg National Military Park, which are all part of the National Park Service. The campus is also close to the C&O Canal Towpath, which is a popular destination for hiking and biking, and the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine.

● Academics

The academic program at St. James School is rigorous and well-rounded, with a focus on Liberal Arts and Sciences. The school offers a range of courses, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes, as well as programs in Fine Arts, Music, and Theater. The school's faculty includes experienced teachers and mentors, many of whom have degrees from top universities such as Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University. The school's academic program is also supported by a number of resources, including the Carruth Memorial Library, which has a collection of over 20,000 volumes, and the St. James School Computer Lab, which features state-of-the-art technology and software. The school's students have gone on to attend top colleges and universities, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and University of Oxford, and have pursued careers in fields such as Medicine, Law, and Business, at companies like Google, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs.

● Student Life

Student life at St. James School is vibrant and diverse, with a range of extracurricular activities and clubs, including the St. James School Debate Team, which has competed in tournaments at Oxford University and Cambridge University, and the St. James School Choir, which has performed at Carnegie Hall and the National Cathedral. The school's students are also actively involved in community service, with programs such as the St. James School Volunteer Program, which partners with organizations like the American Red Cross and the Habitat for Humanity, and the St. James School Environmental Club, which focuses on issues like Climate Change and Sustainability. The school's athletic teams, known as the St. James School Saints, compete in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference and have won championships in sports such as Soccer, Basketball, and Lacrosse, with athletes going on to compete at the NCAA level at schools like University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Virginia.

● Notable Alumni

St. James School has a long list of notable alumni, including Francis Scott Key, who wrote the lyrics to The Star-Spangled Banner, and Roger Taney, who served as the Chief Justice of the United States. Other notable alumni include John Jacob Astor IV, who was a member of the Astor family and a Titanic survivor, and William F. Buckley Jr., who was a prominent Conservative author and commentator, and founder of the National Review. The school's alumni have also included notable figures in the fields of Politics, such as Nelson Rockefeller, who served as the Vice President of the United States, and John Foster Dulles, who served as the Secretary of State, as well as Business, such as J.P. Morgan, who was a financier and banker, and Andrew Carnegie, who was a philanthropist and industrialist, and Arts and Entertainment, such as Orson Welles, who was a film director and actor, and Katharine Hepburn, who was an actress and winner of the Academy Award. The school's alumni have attended top universities, including Princeton University, Yale University, and Harvard University, and have gone on to pursue careers at top companies, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft.

Category:Private schools in Maryland