<p>The Hill School</p>
<p>St. Mark's</p>
<p>Great scool -- famous originally for educating VERY rich Episcopalians.
Since it was only founded in 1926, and the founding head stayed for like 40+ years, the fact that they've had 4 heads isn't that big a deal.</p>
<p>Miss Porters</p>
<p>Oh. and the other BS weren't? Actually, I understand that the founder of Brooks came from Groton to form the school for those kids/parents who did not have the means to afford such BS as Groton.
I reiterate that having a headmaster at the helm for a long period does speak well of a school and its character. Surely a school with a revolving door of headmasters is not a good sign.</p>
<p>My understanding is that Brooks was founded by Endicott Peabody, who also founded Groton and Middlesex. Originally Brooks was supposed to look like both of those campuses, brick, Georgian buildings. However, Brooks was planned, and built around the Depression,in the 1920's, which is why it has white clapboard buildings instead of the brick. Brick was too expensive at the time. Personally I feel that the architecture at Brooks is what gives it such a New England village feel, even the new buildings were built to fit in to the same look, it is beautiful.</p>
<p>Peabody had no hand in the founding of Middlesex, a big reason that it is not an "Episcopal" school. </p>
<p>In effect, Brooks has had two heads since 1973, which truly is impressive.</p>
<p>any school but salisbury and taft :p</p>
<p>Shouldn't you be in class?</p>
<p>I'll leave the taffies to deal with you! (smile, I haven't mastered the faces)</p>
<p>Middlesex FYI
In 1901, Frederick Winsor opened his school in Concord. Middlesex, named for the Massachusetts county in which it is located, was to be different from the other academies and "church schools" of the day. Mr. Winsor wanted his school to be non-denominational, where students from different religious backgrounds could learn together. From the very beginning, his mission was "to find the promise that lies hidden" in every student.</p>
<p>The design for Middlesex's campus was created by the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, the greatest landscape architect of the 19th century and the designer of New York's Central Park, Boston's Emerald Necklace and Stanford University. The architect for the main buildings was the noted Boston firm of Peabody & Stearns, and much of the campus that seems so familiar today was built largely by 1925.</p>
<p>One of Winsor's greatest achievements was the creation of the National Scholarship Program, the first of its kind at any secondary school. These scholarships brought students from every corner of the country and made Middlesex a truly national institution. This broad representation has been a hallmark of Middlesex and continues today, with current Middlesex students representing 22 states and 11 foreign countries.</p>
<p>From the School's earliest days, Middlesex enjoyed a close affiliation with Harvard University and, indeed, for many years the majority of Middlesex graduates attended Harvard. Today, Middlesex graduates matriculate at a large number of the country's finest colleges and universities; the largest numbers of graduates of the last four years now attend Brown, Harvard, Cornell, Tufts and Trinity.</p>
<p>Music and drama have always had a central role in the life of the School. For nearly 50 years, Middlesex was renowned for its performances of Gilbert & Sullivan musicals. The youngest boys in the School were cast in the female roles! Today, almost one quarter of the student body sings in one of the choruses; large numbers of students take instrumental lessons and play in musical groups; and the theatrical productions (usually one major drama and one musical each year) are of a quality not usually seen at the high school level.</p>
<p>Athletics, too, have always been a hallmark of Middlesex. In the earliest years, faculty often suited up for games alongside the students! For the better part of six decades, the athletic offerings were simple: nearly all of the boys played football in the fall and ice hockey in the winter, and had a choice of baseball or crew in the spring. Over the years, more sports were added and the roster has grown considerably. Middlesex now fields 24 varsity sports, and has achieved an unusually successful record for a school of its small size. in 2003, Middlesex teams won league championships in football and field hockey, and three Middlesex seniors were honored as Boston Globe All-Scholastic Award winners in their sports (football, field hockey, and girls' soccer).</p>
<p>Among Middlesex's many traditions, one has remained virtually unchanged since the first graduate received his diploma in 1904: every graduate has carved a plaque that permanently adorns a wall of one of the School's main buildings. Students have always been given great latitude in the subject matter of their carvings, and the plaques are full of representations of home states, favorite sports, meaningful experiences, and even rock album covers. But carving a plaque is a graduation requirement and more than a few students over the years have spent the night before Commencement applying the final coat of varnish on their plaques!</p>
<p>In its century-long history, Middlesex has been led, remarkably, by only five individuals, and this longevity in leadership has been a great strength and hallmark. Winsor was followed by Lawrence "Monk" Terry, who served as Headmaster from 1937 to 1964. David Sheldon was a member of the Middlesex faculty when he was tapped to be the third Headmaster. During Sheldon's tenure, the School became coeducational (in 1974) and began admitting students of color. While Deirdre Ling was the fourth Head, Middlesex constructed a number of new facilities, added a non-Western language (Chinese) to the curriculum, wired the entire campus for technology, and exuberantly celebrated the School's centennial. In 2003, Kathleen Carroll Giles became fifth Head of School.</p>
<p>I applied to Brooks (and Andover) and got waitlisted. It's a nice small school, I would definitely say the academics seemed better at Andover though, but less intense at Brooks, which was appealing. Brooks seemed more laid back, despite the dress code requirement. I'm not really sure what else to say, I'm local so I sort of just applied knowing it was a reputable, good academic school.</p>
<p>Forbes magazine on prep school expense </p>
<p><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/09/private-schools-most-expensive-biz-cx_tvr_1211prep_print.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/09/private-schools-most-expensive-biz-cx_tvr_1211prep_print.html</a>
<a href="http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/09/private-schools-most-expensive-biz-cx_tvr_1211prep_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=15000%5B/url%5D">http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/09/private-schools-most-expensive-biz-cx_tvr_1211prep_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=15000</a></p>
<p>Mercersburg is definitely a prep school that doesn't get a lot of attention here but it is truly one that deserves more, especially if you live in the DC/Baltimore area and want to get your kids away from the problems of those areas and allow them to learn in a great environment. Obviously there are some awesome public and private schools in those two cities, but if you visit Mercersburg you will immediately see the difference. I think if you are in the DC/Baltimore/Pittsburg/Philly/NJ area and don't really like the things you see at your kid's school (in fact in your towns and cities), regardless of how "prestigious" those local schools seem to be to those local people (people from some of those areas have tremendous local pride ??why when people are scared to be in their downtown areas after dark or even during the day????) you really owe it to yourself and your kids to make the drive to Mercersburg. I have lived in many cities in my life up and down the east coast, and although my kid decided to go to a different prep school than Mercersburg after being accepted there, I really would encourage the people from that "bubble" to consider Mercersburg. The academics are top-notch and the facilities and faculty impressive and supportive. Anyway, it is only a 90-minute drive from many large city centers. You won't be disappointed.</p>
<p>St. Andrew's, Delaware. Top notch!</p>
<p>I second Bearcats's post. The Hill School has strong academics, a warm and welcoming atmosphere and lots of opportunities. I have a daughter at Hill who is very happy. Another daughter went to a pressure-cooker New England prep school, often mentioned here, and we are very pleased with the balance of our daughter's life at Hill. Also, the weather is better than New England.</p>
<p>I think St. Andrew's is an incredible school. Called by some 'the best small boarding school in America'. My daughter was waitlisted there two years ago. It was not one of her top choices so she was not disappointed. The thing I think may be the downside is the very high number of Episcopalian students. I can't remember the number but I'm thinking it is in the 60 to 70% range. So, if you're not an Espicopalian, is that a problem?</p>
<p>Blair Academy is an awesome school. It has great academics, clubs, sports, and college matriculation.</p>
<p>"the weather is better than in New England".</p>
<p>Yeah, but it's still in beautiful Pottstown!</p>
<p>Loomis, Salisbury and taft - The coolest and bestEST safety schools ever existed...... jk :p</p>
<p>sry i had to do this :p</p>