Harpeth Hall School

Last updated

Harpeth Hall School
Harpeth Hall.jpg
Address
Harpeth Hall School
3801 Hobbs Road, Green Hills

Nashville
,
Tennessee
37215

United States
Coordinates 36°6′3.07″N86°50′24.79″W / 36.1008528°N 86.8402194°W / 36.1008528; -86.8402194
Information
Former nameWard Belmont Seminary
Type Private, college-preparatory school
Motto Latin: Mentem spiritumque tollamus
(Let us lift up the mind and spirit)
Established1951 (1951) (Ward Seminary: 1865)
Sister school Montgomery Bell Academy
NCES School ID 01296378 [1]
Head of schoolJess Hill
Teaching staff81.6 (on an FTE basis) [1]
Grades5–12
Gender Girls
Enrollment689 (2017–2018) [1]
Student to teacher ratio8.4 [1]
Campus size40 acres (16 ha)
Campus typeSuburban
Color(s)Magnolia green and silver gray   
MascotHoneybear & Bear
NewspaperLogos
YearbookMilestones
Website www.harpethhall.org

Harpeth Hall School is a private, college-preparatory school for girls in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Its beginning dates back to 1865 as a seminary for young ladies. After various mergers and name changes, the antecedent school closed in 1951, leading to the founding of the present school. The campus consists of a middle school and high school on a 40-acre (16 ha) site.

Contents

History

With the scheduled closing of Nashville's Ward-Belmont College's high school pending about 1950, a group of concerned citizens organized to ensure that a college-preparatory school for girls would continue in the city. This group purchased a 26-acre tract of land known as the P.M. Estes estate in southwest Nashville at the corner of Estes Road and Hobbs Road. One of the building committee members, Mary Elizabeth Cayce, suggested the name of the new school be "Harpeth Hall", because of the proximity to the Harpeth River and that the words sounded "euphonius" [2]

In the fall of 1951, the Ward-Belmont college-preparatory division reopened on a new campus and with a new name—the Harpeth Hall School. Harpeth Hall began the new school term with 161 students in grades 9 through 12, almost all of whom had transferred from Ward-Belmont. [3] A Nashville historical marker at the 3801 Hobbs Road site commemorates the event. [4] The first head of school, Mrs. Susan S. Souby, had previously headed the high school department at Ward-Belmont. The first administrators of Harpeth Hall and all but two members of the faculty were former members of the Ward-Belmont staff. [5] The existing house on the newly acquired property served as Harpeth Hall's first school building, later named Souby Hall. Within the next year, the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools accredited the school. [6] It rapidly gained membership in the National Association of Independent Schools, the Southern Association of Independent Schools, and the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools.

During Harpeth Hall's first decade, the facilities were expanded to include additional classroom space, an auditorium, gymnasium and cafeteria. In 1968, under the leadership of school head Idanelle McMurry, the Daugh W. Smith Middle School opened.

In 1998, a strategic plan was developed to address future faculty, program and facility needs. In 2000, a five-year, $42 million capital campaign entitled the "Campaign for Harpeth Hall" was launched to address these needs. By 2005, significant improvements to facilities were completed including a new library, a track and soccer complex, a visual arts center, and a middle school. In addition, the following facilities were renovated: the Jack C. Massey Center for Mathematics and Science, George N. Bullard Gymnasium, Frances Bond Davis Theatre, Marnie Sheridan Gallery, and Souby Hall. In 2007, the Hortense Bigelow Ingram Upper School completed major renovations on multiple buildings. A new Athletic and Wellness Center was completed in 2014.

Diversity

When Nashville public schools were desegregated in September 1970, it was a time of turbulence in public education, for fear of the uncertain effects of court-ordered busing of students to achieve racial balance. [7] Thirteen of Nashville's established private schools, including Harpeth Hall, saw an increase in enrollment after the court decision. [8] The IRS was ordered to deny tax-exempt status of any private school with a racially discriminatory admissions policy, but found no such discrimination even though many private schools had no black students. MBA headmaster Francis E. Carter told The Tennessean that black students were welcome, but that none had ever applied, which was typical of private schools in Nashville. [9] Harpeth Hall developed an active program to increase diversity in its student body. In 1979, Harpeth Hall's first black student was Cezanne Gray, who stated, "I like breaking barriers and being the first". [10] In 2015, ethnic and racial minority students comprised 13% of the student body; as of 2018, 16% of the student body received need-based financial grants. [11] According to the school's website, for the school year of 2020–2021 the average per aid grant is $18,568. [12]

Campus facilities

Harpeth Hall School is located in the residential Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville. The nucleus of the campus is Souby Hall, which is the administration building and is the original structure present when the land was purchased. Souby Hall has been extensively remodeled, but retains its original classic facade. As of 2016, there are 11 additional buildings including the upper school complex, a middle school, a library, a gymnasium, a theater, a gallery, a mathematics and science center, a visual arts center, a center for arts and athletics, a track and soccer complex, and an athletic and wellness center. The school has a field house, an eight lane track and two softball fields. In 2007, the school installed AstroTurf, a synthetic playing surface which is used for soccer and lacrosse, a first for a girls school in Tennessee. [2]

In 2000, Harpeth Hall introduced a "laptop initiative" into the curriculum, creating a 1:1 student-to-computer ratio. Each student is given a laptop computer which is provided on a lease and maintained by the school's technology department. [2] A campus network links students and teachers for projects, homework and assignments. [13]

Harpeth Hall collaborates with Montgomery Bell Academy, a school for boys located nearby. Both schools have a strong tradition of single-gender education, but have agreed to participate in joint drama and music programs, community service projects, sharing of athletic field space, and transportation to athletic competitions. [14]

Academics

In 2009, Harpeth Hall became one of the founding members of the Online School for Girls, a program that allows students to take advanced placement classes not offered by their own school. [15] Harpeth Hall students participated in the inaugural year of the Online School, taking classes in Multivariable Calculus, Differential Equations, Computer Programming and Genetics. Eventually the program will allow any girl to enroll in courses, whether she is in public school or home schooled. [16]

In 2011, the school opened a "Center for STEM Education for Girls". The letters stand for "Science, Technology, Engineering and Math", subjects that have stereotypically belonged to boys. The purpose of this program is to increase the number of young women pursuing college degrees and careers in the STEM fields. The program is funded through an Edward E. Ford Foundation Leadership Grant and other donors. [17]

Harpeth Hall has received the National Service-Learning School award. [18] In 2011, the school created a strategic partnership with a rural village in Western Kenya's Lwala Province to support girls' education there and to provide service opportunities for Harpeth Hall students. An example is providing uniforms for sixth-grade African girls. [19]

Timeline

The following table is adapted and condensed from All-Girls Education from Ward Seminary to Harpeth Hall, 1865 to 2015. [2]

YearEvent
1951Ward-Belmont closes; Harpeth Hall founded
1951Susan Souby is first head of school
1953Bullard Gymnasium opens
1954Original Wallace Educational Building opens
1964Idanelle "Sam" McMurry becomes head of school
1966Allison Library opens
1968Middle School opens
1973School uniforms adopted; Winterim program begins
1976New theater, gallery and gymnasium completed
1980David E. Wood becomes head of school
1985Center for Mathematics and Science opened
1991Leah Rhys becomes head of school
1991Kirkman house becomes residence for school head
1997Campus-wide internet network established
1998Ann Teaff appointed head
2001New library replaces existing library
2002Laptop computers for every student
2003Visual arts center opens; track and soccer complex opens
2004Upper school renovated, renamed
2009Harpeth Hall founder of Online School for Girls
2015Stephanie Balmer becomes head of school
2018Stephanie Balmer dies [20]
2018Jess Hill becomes head of school

Notable alumnae

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fisk University</span> Historically black university in Nashville, Tennessee, US

Fisk University is a private historically black liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its 40-acre (16 ha) campus is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lipscomb University</span> Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee, US

Lipscomb University is a private Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville; it also maintains one satellite location called "Spark" in Downtown Nashville to serve the business community. Total student enrollment for the fall 2022 semester was 4,704, which included 2,955 undergraduate students and 1,749 graduate students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belmont University</span> Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee, US

Belmont University is a private Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee. Descended from Belmont Women's College, founded in 1890 by schoolteachers Ida Hood and Susan Heron, the institution was incorporated in 1951 as Belmont College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moravian University</span> Private liberal-arts college in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, US

Moravian University is a private university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The institution traces its founding to 1742 by Moravians, descendants of followers of the Bohemian Reformation under John Amos Comenius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montgomery Bell Academy</span> Private all-male college-preparatory school in Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) is a preparatory day school for boys in grades 7 through 12 in Nashville, Tennessee. The school is located in the Whitland Area Neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muskingum University</span> Private college in New Concord, Ohio, US

Muskingum University is a private university in New Concord, Ohio. Chartered in 1837 as Muskingum College, the institution is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). New Concord is located in far eastern Muskingum County, which derives its name from the Muskingum River. Muskingum offers more than 60 academic majors. Graduate programs are offered in education and management information systems, strategy and technology. Muskingum's campus consists of 21 buildings, a football stadium, and a small lake which all sit atop 225 acres (0.91 km2) of rolling hills overlooking New Concord. Alumni are referred to as the "Long Magenta Line" and students are known simply as "Muskies" while its athletic teams are called the "Fighting Muskies".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellevue, Tennessee</span> Neighborhood in Davidson, Tennessee, United States

Bellevue is a neighborhood of Nashville, situated about 13 miles southwest of the downtown area via Interstate 40. It is served by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. The 2016 population estimate for Bellevue's two main zip codes was 77,862.

Ward–Belmont College was a women's college located in Nashville, Tennessee. It formed from the merger of the Ward Seminary for Young Ladies andBelmont College for Young Women in 1913. The college was located on the grounds of the Belmont Mansion, the antebellum estate of Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham. It was the first junior college in the South to receive full accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The college was sold for financial reasons in 1951. Its grounds were used to create Belmont College.

Williston Northampton School is a private, co-educational, day and boarding college-preparatory school in Easthampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1841.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brophy College Preparatory</span> Private, school in Phoenix, Arizona

Brophy College Preparatory is a Catholic high school in Phoenix, Arizona, United States founded in 1928. The school has an all-male enrollment of approximately 1,400 students. It is operated independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Luther College</span> Private liberal arts college in New Ulm, Minnesota, United States

Martin Luther College (MLC) is a private Lutheran college in New Ulm, Minnesota. It is operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). Martin Luther College was established in 1995, when Northwestern College (NWC) of Watertown, Wisconsin, combined with Dr. Martin Luther College (DMLC) of New Ulm on the latter's campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland Park Country School</span> Private, day, college-prep school in Baltimore, MD, United States

Roland Park Country School (RPCS) is an independent all-girls college preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It serves girls from kindergarten through grade 12. It is located on Roland Avenue in the northern area of Baltimore called Roland Park. It has prominent alumni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Ground Academy</span> School in Franklin, Tennessee, United States

Battle Ground Academy (BGA) is an independent college-preparatory school for pre-K through 12th grade. BGA is located in Franklin, Tennessee, US. Founded in 1889, the school was originally located in part on the site of the Battle of Franklin in the American Civil War. BGA has two campuses and a separate location for its pre-K program. The Harpeth Campus is located on Franklin Road in the historic Cox House and is home to grades K-4. The Glen Echo campus is centered on historic plantation house Glen Echo and is located off Mack Hatcher Parkway and is home to grades 5 to 12. The Early Learning Center, BGA's pre-K program, is located at First Presbyterian Church of Franklin, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Ghost Preparatory School</span> School in Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States

Holy Ghost Preparatory School is a Catholic college-preparatory high school for young men in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, United States. Congregation of the Holy Spirit missionaries founded the school in 1897.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rye Country Day School</span> Independent school in Rye, New York, United States

Rye Country Day School, also known as Rye Country Day or RCDS, is an independent, co-educational college preparatory school located in Rye, New York. Its Upper School, Middle School (5–8), and Lower School (Pre-Kindergarten-4) enroll a total of 886 students on its 35-acre campus. Rye Country Day attracts students from over 40 school districts in the tri-state area. The School's $5.9 million financial aid budget provides significant tuition grants to the families of 143 students (16%) in the school. 35% of RCDS students self-identify as people of color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's High School (Annapolis, Maryland)</span> Private school in Annapolis, Maryland, United States

St. Mary's High School is a small, co-educational, college-preparatory Catholic high school located in downtown Annapolis, Maryland. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore. St. Mary's is accredited by AdvancED, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and is recognized and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Willard School</span> Private school in Troy, New York, US

Emma Willard School, originally called Troy Female Seminary and often referred to simply as Emma, is an independent university-preparatory day and boarding school for young women located in Troy, New York. Located on Mount Ida, it offers grades 9–12 and postgraduate coursework.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tilton School</span> School in Tilton, New Hampshire, United States

Tilton School is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory school in Tilton, New Hampshire, serving students from 9th to 12th grade and postgraduate students. Founded in 1845, Tilton's student body in the 2021-22 academic year consisted of 61 day students and 129 boarding students. The typical student enrollment includes representation from 15-20 states and 10-15 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Road Academy</span> Private school in Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Franklin Road Academy (FRA) is a private co-educational Christian school for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 located in Oak Hill, Tennessee. The school was founded in 1971 and originally affiliated with the First Christian Church before it became a separate incorporated organization in 1982. FRA has been described as a segregation academy, like other schools established after a court ordered Nashville public schools to expand desegregation busing.

The Ensworth School is a private school located on two separate campuses in Nashville, Tennessee.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for HARPETH HALL SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences . Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Pethel, Mary Ellen (2015). All-Girls Education from Ward Seminary to Harpeth Hall, 1865–2015. Charleston, South Carolina: History Press. ISBN   978-1-62619-762-6.
  3. ↑ "Harpeth Hall Dedicated to Training Women in Tradition of Ward-Belmont". The Nashville Tennessean: 2. December 10, 1951.
  4. ↑ "Historical Markers-Nashville Sites". nashville.gov. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Dedication, Open House Set at Harpeth Hall Sunday". The Nashville Tennessean: 54. December 7, 1951. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Harpeth Hall College Accredited by SACSS". The Nashville Tennessean: 51. December 4, 1952.
  7. ↑ Donsky, Paul (October 4, 1998). "Reflections from an era under court order". Vol. 94, no. 277. Tennessean. p. 2D. Retrieved November 7, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Ohara, Jim (August 23, 1971). "Private School Enrollments Up Sharply". Vol. 66, no. 117. Tennessean. p. 1. Retrieved November 5, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Jost, Kenneth (August 21, 1970). "Private Schools see Clear way in Tax Ruling". The Tennessean. p. 1.
  10. ↑ Ivey, Sandra; Crowe, Adell (August 6, 1980). "Private Schools nearly white". The Tennessean. p. 5. Retrieved November 4, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Harpeth Hall School". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Harpeth Hall School/Tuition and Financial aid". harpethhall.org. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Admission-Affording-2015-2016 Tuition and Fee Summary". harpethhall.org. Harpeth Hall School. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ "HH and MBA Collaboration". harpethhall.org. Harpeth Hall School. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Online School for Girls". onlineschoolforgirls.org. Online School for Girls. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  16. ↑ Sarrio, Jaime (June 29, 2009). "Harpeth Hall staffers design Online School for Girls". Vol. 105, no. 180. The Tennessean. p. 1–B. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Center for STEM Education for Girls". stemefg.org. Center for STEM Education for Girls. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  18. ↑ "National Service—Learning Leader School Award Winners". capitol words.org/date/2000/06/15. Sunlight Foundation. June 15, 2000. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Meet our Lwala Sisters". harperthhall.org. The Harpeth Hall School. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Harpeth Hall head of school dies at 50". nashvillepost.com. Southcomm. February 18, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  21. 1 2 3 "Harpeth Hall/Ward-Belmont Distinguished Alumna Award". Harpeth Hall School. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Notable Girls' School Alumnae".
  23. ↑ "In Conversation with #1 NYTimes author V.E. Schwab '05".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.