Blair Academy

Infobox School
background = #f0f6fa
border = #ccd2d9
name = Blair Academy


motto = "Venite, Studete, Discite"
("Come, Study, Learn")
established = 1848
type = Private, Boarding
religion = None, Previously Presbyterian
head_name = Headmaster
head = T. Chandler Hardwick III
city = Blairstown Township
state = NJ
country = USA
campus = Rural, convert|435|acre|km2
enrollment = 421 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 57.9 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 7.3
SAT = 620 verbal
610 math
athletics = 24 sports
colors = Blue and White
mascot = Buccaneer
homepage = [http://www.blair.edu/ School website]

Blair Academy is a private, coeducational, secondary Boarding high school with an enrollment of about 430 students for grades nine through twelve. The school has 70 faculty members. The school's campus is situated on 435 hilltop acres in Blairstown Township, approximately convert|60|mi|km west of New York City, in rural Warren County, New Jersey, United States.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 421 students and 57.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 7.3. [http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&SchoolID=00869091&ID=00869091 Blair Academy] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed August 19, 2008.]

History

The school was established by railroad magnate and noted philanthropist John Insley Blair (1802-1899) with help from the Presbyterian Church and other town fathers of Blairstown Township. Mr. Blair, The Reverend John A. Reiley, minister of the First Presbyterian Church, and Mr. John Bunnell, a local carriage maker, met on April 6, 1848 and agreed on the site for the school. Mr. Blair gave a small building (now known as Old Academy) to be called Blair Presbyterial Academy. Since the universal public education act was ten years away, Blair Academy assumed the task of educating the sons and daughters of local farmers and merchants, soon reaching beyond the surrounding community.

John I. Blair was the school’s principal benefactor for a half-century, and his gifts of land and money made the growth of the school possible, such as Locke, East and Insley Halls. Mr. Blair’s son, DeWitt Clinton Blair later provided the funds for the construction of Clinton Hall, the gymnasium, and general improvements and expansion of the campus. The original gifts of John I. Blair were made by deeds of trust, which provided for the control and management of the school. From its founding and through the deeds of trust, Blair has always been closely associated with the Presbyterian Church, specifically, the Presbytery of Newton, New Jersey.

Blair was coeducational until 1915, when it became an exclusively boys’ school under the direction of Headmaster John C. Sharpe. Coeducation was reinstated in 1970, and the female students now represent almost half of the student body.

Academics

Blair’s academic program follows the traditional four-year college-preparatory plan. Diploma requirements are governed by college entrance requirements, and they ensure that all students graduate with an exposure to a wide variety of disciplines.

The academic year is divided into two semesters. To graduate, a four-year student must successfully complete the following units (with each semester yielding 1.5 credits): English, 12; mathematics, 9; modern or classical language, 6; laboratory science, 6; world history, 3; U.S. history, 6; arts, 4.5; religion, 1.5; and health, 1.5. Electives include area studies in Africa, Asian history, politics and government, computer science, environmental science, and the philosophy of religion. A full complement of courses is offered in the visual and performing arts. In addition, for every year a student attends Blair, he or she must complete 3 units of physical education or athletics.

Blair Academy offers a broad spectrum of courses, from the introductory level through Advanced Placement.

Individual participation is encouraged in small classroom sections. Day and evening study periods are supervised by faculty members in the dormitory. Every student is assigned a class monitor who oversees his or her academic life at school. In addition, for the fall term freshmen receive help from faculty members in managing study time and prioritizing academic tasks.

Athletics

Blair primarily competes in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (which includes Blair Academy, The Peddie School, The Lawrenceville School, The Hill School, Hun School of Princeton and Mercersburg Academy). Its traditional mascot is the "Buccaneer" (with the team called the Bucs) and the school colors are navy blue and white. Blair's traditional arch-rival is The Peddie School of Hightstown, New Jersey. Since 1903, Blair and Peddie have competed in football, and the rivalry constitutes New Jersey’s oldest continuous prep football competition. Each November, the two schools vie for the coveted Kelley-Potter Cup by playing against one another in a fall sports competition involving all types of fall sports.

During the days leading up to Peddie Day, spirit abounds at Blair. The campus is bedecked with banners hanging from windows, often poking fun at Peddie's Falcon mascot (known to Blair as the Peddie Chickens). On Peddie Day “Eve,” a spirited pep rally, torch procession and stories-high bonfire pave the way for a day of athletic competition. The Bonfire at Blair in the past has been over convert|80|ft|m tall,Fact|date=February 2007 however new fire regulations prohibit such large fires now. A Peddie School football player is burned in effigy in the bonfire every year.

The most successful athletic program is wrestling. The team has won 26 consecutive National Prep Titles (from 1980-2006) Fact|date=May 2008 and produced a number of NCAA champions and Olympic gold medalist Robert B. Weaver. [http://www.lehighsports.com/info/hallfame/ Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame] , accessed November 5, 2006]

Over the past several years, Blair has developed a respected basketball program whose alums include three active NBA players: Luol Deng, Charlie Villanueva, and Royal Ivey.

Facilities

Almost all campus architecture is in the Richardson Romanesque style, and modern buildings reflect the features and themes of the older structures. At the center of the campus are the four major classroom buildings: Clinton Hall, Bogle Hall, Timken Library, and the Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts. Bogle Hall, dedicated in 1989, provides laboratories and classrooms for the math and science departments and includes a state-of-the-art computer laboratory and the 100-seat Cowan Auditorium. Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts was dedicated in 1997. The renovated Timken Library, a state-of-the-art facility that includes classrooms and a computer center, opened in 1998. Annie Hall, a girls’ dormitory, opened in fall 1999. Expanded athletic fields and a roadway system were completed in 1997, the Romano Dining Room was completed in the fall of 2000, and renovation of Insley Hall was completed in 2001. Most recently, Locke Hall, East Hall, Davies Hall, and South Cottage have been renovated. A major expansion and renovation of the school's athletic facilities and fields began on April 2007 and is nearing completion: a lighted, synthetic turf field for football and soccer, with new stands, press box, and 400 meter all-weather track; ten new tennis courts (four lighted), a new junior varsity baseball field, and expansion of the existing, natural grass fields. An expansion of the athletic center itself, to include a new student center, will begin in the fall of 2007. This facility will house the school's bookstore, canteen, four additional squash courts (total of seven) two additional gymnasiums, renovation of the third, main gymnasium, new and expanded wrestling facilities, new and larger aerobic facilities, and new locker rooms. This work is scheduled to be completed in the winter of 2008-2009.

Quick Facts

Enrollment

*Total Enrollment: 434
*Boarding: 337
*Day: 97
*Male/Female Ratio: 56:44
*Number of Post-Graduates: 12
*Percentage of Minority Students: 14%
*Number of Countries Represented: 14 (9% of student body)
*Number of States Represented: 27

Tuition

Tuition for the 2006-07 school year for Boarding is $36,900; Day student tuition is $27,300 [ [http://web.blair.edu/Admissions/ad_financial_info.shtm Financial Information] , accessed November 5, 2006] Tuition covers approximately 73% of each student’s annual expenses at Blair Academy. The remainder is provided through endowment income and the Blair Fund.

Financial Aid

*Total Amount of Financial Aid Awarded: $3,950,000
*Number of Awards: 150
*Percent of Student Body: 35%
*Average Award: $19,514
*Student Loan Program: $93,000
*Number of Loan Recipients: 52

Faculty

*Student/Faculty Ratio: 6:1

Academics

*Average Class Size: 12
*Calendar: Two semesters of classes which meet four days of the six day week.
*Class of 2005 Average SAT I Scores: 620/610

Accreditation

*Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (since 1928). [ [http://www.css-msa.org/search.php?MODE=VIEW(NJ026)&org=CSS Blair Academy] , Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Accessed November 10, 2007.]

chool Memberships

*ADVIS – Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools
*CASE – Council for Advancement and Support of Education
*NAIS – National Association of Independent Schools
*NJAIS - New Jersey Association of Independent Schools [ [http://www.njais.org/listing.html School Search] , New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. Accessed July 29, 2008.]

Endowment

*Current Market Value (approximate): $66,000,000. [ [http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/40 Blair Academy] , Boarding School Review. Accessed May 18, 2007.]

Campus

*The campus, set among 435 acres (1.3 km²) of rolling hills in the shadow of the Delaware Water Gap, is home to numerous grand old buildings and in 1992 was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its historic and architectural significance.

Interscholastic Athletics

"Fall": Boys’ Cross Country, Girls’ Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Boys’ Soccer, Girls’ Soccer, Girls’ Tennis

"Winter": Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Basketball, Ice Hockey, Boys’ Squash, Girls’ Squash, Ski Team, Swimming, Winter Track, Wrestling , B.A.D. ( Blair Academy Dancers, a student lead hip- hop group who choreographs dances for varsity basketball game performances and focuses on improving "a dancer's strength" with daily runs and workout sessions, originally developed by Kymbia Ainsworth (Columbia '11))

"Spring ": Baseball, Crew, Golf, Boys’ Lacrosse, Girls’ Lacrosse, Softball, Boys’ Tennis, Track

Miscellaneous

*Blair Academy celebrated its sesquicentennial in 1998.

Notable alumni

* John C. "Jack" Bogle (born 1929), founder of the The Vanguard Group
* John Cassavetes (1929-1989), actor
* Luol Deng (born 1985), professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/basketball/6145178.stm Deng's dedication breeds success] , BBC Sport, accessed December 6, 2006]
* Dr. J. George Franklin - Astrophysicist - NASA
* Bob Guccione - Penthouse Publisher. [ [http://www.penthouse.com/exclusives/caligula/cast_and_crew.html Bob Guccione (Producer)] , "Penthouse" "Caligula" Cast and Crew. Accessed September 20, 2007. "Coming from a conventional background--he was born in Brooklyn, raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and educated at Blair Academy--Guccione became interested in less than conventional activities after he left school."]
* James Hagerty - White House Press Secretary during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. [McQuiston, John T. [http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F10C12FC355D0C708DDDAD0894D9484D81 "JAMES C. HAGERTY, 71, DIES; EISENHOWER PRESS SECRETARY"] , "The New York Times", April 13, 1981. Accessed December 1, 2007. "After his family moved to New York City from Plattsburgh, when he was three years old, James Hagerty attended grade school in the Bronx and the Evander Childs High School before enrolling at Blair Academy, in Blairstown, N.J., for his last two years of high school."]
*Andrew R. Heinze - Scholar of American history
* Royal Ivey - Professional Basketball - Milwaukee Bucks. [ [http://www.nba.com/hawks/feature/behind_the_numbers.html Behind the Numbers: Royal Ivey] , NBA.com, accessed December 6, 2006]
* Tucker Max - Internet ingenue and New York Times best-selling author
*Steve Mocco, amateur wrestler. [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-72778711.html "Mocco captures NCAA title"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", March 23, 2003. Accessed December 1, 2007. "Mocco, a sophomore from North Bergen who competed for Blair Academy, scored a 7-3 decision over the Air Force's Kevin Hoy at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships Saturday before 16,436 at Kemper Arena."]
* Jamal Patterson (born 1974), mixed martial arts fighter
* John Sebastian - Lead singer and guitarist for the band "The Lovin' Spoonful"
* Herbert Siegel - Billionaire investor, former CEO of Chris-Craft
* Samuel S. Stratton - Congressman
*Taki Theodoracopulos - Conservative writer
* William Timken - Founder - Hambrecht & Quist
* Charlie Villanueva - Professional Basketball - Milwaukee Bucks. [ [http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/villach01.html Charlie Villanueva] , Basketball-Reference.com. Accessed November 10, 2007.]
* Alexis Wangmene - Cameroonian basketball player at the University of Texas at Austin
* Robert B. Weaver - Olympic Gold Medalist in Wrestling - 1984 Summer Olympics.

References

External links

* [http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/high-school-wrestling/2043-inside-blair-academy-wrestling.html Blair Academy Wrestling]
* [http://www.blair.edu Blair Academy Web Site]
* [http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&SchoolID=00869091&ID=00869091 Data for Blair Academy] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://libweb.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/blairfamily index of Blair Family Papers] housed at the Princeton University Library includes a brief biography and basic genealogy of the family.