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{{Infobox Secondary school
{{Infobox school
| name = Emerson Preparatory School
| name = Emerson Preparatory School
| logo =
| image =
| motto =
| image_size =
| established = 1852
| address = 1718 Connecticut Ave NW
| type = Independent coeducational secondary; preparatory
| city = [[Washington, D.C.]]
| affiliations =
| zipcode = 20009
| director = Margot Ann Walsh
| country = USA <!-- Do not link per [[WP:SEAOFBLUE]] -->
| founder = Charles B. Young
| type = [[Independent school|Independent College Preparatory School]]
| chaplain =
| established = 1852
| chairman =
| closed = 2021
| enrollment = 60-100
| enrollment = 55-75 (grades 9-12)
| grades = 9-12
| mascot = Owl
| colours = Burgundy and Gold
| campus = Urban
| campus_type = [[Urban area|Urban]]
| colors = Burgundy and gold <br> {{color box|maroon|border=silver}}{{color box|gold|border=silver}}
| city = 1324 18th Street, NW [[Washington, D.C.]]
| state =
| country = [[United States]]
| website = [http://www.emersonprep.net/ http://www.emersonprep.net/]
}}
}}
'''Emerson Preparatory School''' is a small [[private school|private]] [[high school]] in Northwest [[Washington, DC]], founded in [[1852]] as the Emerson Institute. It is Washington's oldest [[co-ed]] [[college]] [[University-preparatory school|preparatory school]]. A student can typically complete an entire four-year high school education in as few as two and a half years at Emerson.


'''Emerson Preparatory School''' (also known as Emerson) was a small [[independent school|private]] [[high school]] in Northwest [[Washington, D.C.]], founded in 1852 as the Emerson Institute. It was Washington's oldest [[co-ed]] [[College-preparatory school|college preparatory school]]. The school closed at the end of the 2020-21 school year.
The diversity of students includes the exceptionally [[gifted]] and the children of [[Ambassador (diplomacy)|ambassador]]s who want their offspring to get an American high school education in the limited time they are stationed in Washington. Emerson also welcomes students dissatisfied with larger schooling environments. The school serves students from [[Maryland]], DC, and [[Virginia]].


The school was located inside the Clocktower Building in [[Dupont Circle]]. Emerson had occupied that location since 2019, after moving from a temporary location in the [[Twelfth Street YMCA Building]]. Before 2017, Emerson spent eighty years in their own building across from the [[American Enterprise Institute]]. Most students used [[WMATA]] to get to and from school.
The school is located at 1324 [[18th Street NW]], near [[Dupont Circle]] and [[Embassy Row]]. Emerson has occupied its present location since 1937.


Emerson Preparatory School was a member of the [[Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools]] (AIMS).
== History ==


==History==
Emerson was founded in [[1852]] by Charles B. Young as a school to prepare young boys exclusively for [[Harvard]]. It was named for Dr. [[George Barrell Emerson]], a noted [[New England]] educator, author, and Harvard graduate. After the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] the school started sending students to other colleges and universities, and, in [[1920]], became Washington's first [[coeducational]] preparatory school.
Emerson was founded in the District of Columbia in 1852 by Charles Bedford Young, Ph.D., as a school to prepare Washington area boys for entrance to [[Harvard]]. It was named for [[George Barrell Emerson]], a noted [[New England]] educator, author, and Harvard graduate. After the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] the school's graduates began to attend other colleges and universities, and, in 1920, Emerson became Washington's first [[coeducational]] preparatory school.


Emerson's school seal featured an image of the U.S. Capitol dome and the date 1852. The school mascot is the owl, symbolizing wisdom.
It is thought by some who know the school that [[John Wilkes Booth]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/education/sadker7/education_challenge.htm|title=Sadker.com on John Wilkes Booth's attending Emerson| accessmonthday = February 12 | accessyear=2007}}</ref> may have attended Emerson. All that is verifiable is that he attended a preparatory school in the Washington area in the mid-[[19th century]], and Emerson was one of the few at that time. The school has a number of Abraham Lincoln busts and paintings.


In the two years leading up to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Emerson moved locations twice, later under the guidance of a new Head of School. Much of the teaching staff was let go as the school adopted an online model in response to the pandemic. The school closed at the end of the 2020-21 school year, stating that conditions were not conducive to operating Emerson in a financially sustainable manner.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moyer |first=Justin |date=October 31, 2021 |title=D.C.'s venerated Emerson school shuttered after 168 years amid pandemic pressures |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/emerson-preparatory-school-dc-closed-pandemic/2021/10/29/5798aaa0-073e-11ec-ba15-9c4f59a60478_story.html |location=Washington, DC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220420011937/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/emerson-preparatory-school-dc-closed-pandemic/2021/10/29/5798aaa0-073e-11ec-ba15-9c4f59a60478_story.html |archive-date=April 20, 2022 |access-date=April 19, 2022}}</ref>
Emerson graduates include actor [[Jared Leto]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nndb.com/people/438/000026360/ |title=Jared Leto bio page |accessmonthday = January 30 | accessyear=2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/nov05/privateschoolguidepart2.php |title=Bethesda Magazine Guide to Private Schools |accessmonthday = January 31 | accessyear=2007}}</ref> (class of 1989). Science fiction author [[William F. Gibson]], graduated from Emerson School in 1970. [[John Sirica|Judge John "Maximum John" Sirica]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2002/06/11/AR2005112200807_pf.html |title=John Sirica Obituary |accessmonthday = January 31 | accessyear=2007}}</ref> of Watergate fame attended Emerson circa 1920. [[Buck Grant|Buck]] and [[Jesse Root Grant]], the sons of President [[Ulysses S. Grant]], attended Emerson Institute during his White House years, 1869-1877.


==Staff and faculty==
Emerson's school seal features an image of the U.S. Capitol dome and the date 1852. The school mascot is the owl, symbolizing wisdom.


John Julian Humphrey Sr. became principal of Emerson's evening school in 1939, subsequently becoming headmaster at Emerson for 55 years, although his tenure was interrupted by [[World War Two]].<ref>{{cite news |title=John Julian Humphrey Sr. Dies at Age 84 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1999/03/11/john-julian-humphrey-sr-dies-at-age-84/91500943-298c-44c6-a583-de1668da96ff/ |access-date=14 May 2023 |agency=Washington Post |date=March 11, 1999}}</ref> He also taught law, U.S. history and government, continuing to tutor students until his death.
{{portalpar|American Civil War|Battle flag of the US Confederacy.svg}}


A graduate of Emerson, Margot Walsh served as director of the school from 1999. She filled various roles at Emerson for almost 50 years, including as registrar.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 23, 2009 |title=Margot Walsh Obituary |work=Washington Post |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/washingtonpost/name/margot-walsh-obituary?n=margot-walsh&pid=123158284 |access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>
== Academics and Faculty ==


==Student body==
Emerson achieves its rapid graduation (typically within two and a half to three years) through very small class sizes, typically never larger than ten students,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dc.localschooldirectory.com/private_schools_info.php/school_id/5277 |title=Emerson at D.C. Local School Directory |accessmonthday = February 12 | accessyear=2007}}</ref> and the use of the term system. The school requires student applicants to submit three letters of recommendation, participate in a personal interview, and take two placement exams, one in English and one in mathematics.
During its early history, Emerson had sports and drama teams.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/279368022.html?dids=279368022:279368022&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=MAY+14%2C+1895&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Emerson+Institute+Dramatic+Club.&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001030441/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/279368022.html?dids=279368022:279368022&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=MAY+14,+1895&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Emerson+Institute+Dramatic+Club.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 1, 2007 |title=Emerson Institute Dramatic Club at Washington Post Archives | access-date = 2007-02-01 | date=1895-05-14}}</ref>


==Locations==
The school's academic year is modeled after the British System and has two terms per year rather than two semesters. Courses are completed during each four-and-a-half month term. A summer session is offered from late June through early August (six weeks). Each term schedule includes four ninety-minute classes per day, five days per week. During the forty-minute lunch period, from 11:20 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., students are allowed to leave the school grounds and buy lunch in the Dupont Circle area. Apart from the traditional curriculum, private tutors are available for advanced level and non-standard courses.
[[File:Emerson Preparatory School - Dupont Circle.JPG|thumb|Emerson's former location near Dupont Circle, where it was located for eighty years]]
Emerson first opened at 914 14th Street Northwest Washington DC near Franklin Square between K and I Streets. In 1928, Emerson moved to a new building at 1740 P Street NW between Massachusetts and New Hampshire Avenues. In 1933, Emerson moved to 1525 16th Street NW near Stead Park between Q and Church Streets. In 1937, Emerson moved to 1324 18th Street NW near [[Dupont Circle]] between Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues. In 2017, Emerson moved to a temporary location, the fourth floor of the [[Twelfth Street YMCA Building|Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage]]. In 2019, Emerson moved to the fourth floor of the Clocktower Building in [[Dupont Circle]] (1718 Connecticut Avenue NW).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.emersonprep.org/location |title=Vibrant Location |website=EmersonPrep.org |publisher=Emerson Preparatory School |location=Washington, DC |access-date=January 11, 2021}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=November 2022}}


==Notable alumni==
Emerson has approximately ten to fifteen teachers, and most teach on a part-time basis. Some Emerson teachers only teach one class or a one-to-one tutorial. A typical classload for an instructor is two to three 90-minute classes per day.
<!-- DO NOT include the Notable alumni link from EmersonPrep.org, primary sources are not reliable -->
{{alumni|date=November 2022}}
*[[Brian Baker (musician)|Brian Baker]], guitarist and founding member of [[Minor Threat]]
*[[Brendan Canty]], drummer for [[Fugazi]]<ref name="refuge">{{cite news |date=October 31, 2021 |title=D.C.'s venerated Emerson school shuttered after 168 years amid pandemic pressures
|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/emerson-preparatory-school-dc-closed-pandemic/2021/10/29/5798aaa0-073e-11ec-ba15-9c4f59a60478_story.html/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |location=Washington, DC}}</ref>
*[[James M. Cutts]], [[Medal of Honor]] recipient
*[[William Gibson|William F. Gibson]], noted science fiction writer and "noir-prophet" of [[cyberpunk]]
*[[Jesse Root Grant (politician)|Jesse Root Grant]], youngest son of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] (attended)
*[[Ulysses S. Grant Jr.]], second son of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] (attended)
*[[Evan Johns]], [[Grammy]] nominated rockabilly guitarist
*[[Jared Leto]], [[Academy Award]] winning actor and vocalist of the alternative rock band [[30 Seconds To Mars]]<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Battles of Our Youth |series=[[Into the Wild (TV series)|Into the Wild]] |network=[[VyRT]] |date=1 March 2015}}</ref>
*[[Bruce Magruder]], U.S. Army major general<ref name="Salute">{{cite news |date=May 27, 1936 |title=College Cadets Salute Magruder for Last Time |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58158857/salute-magruder/ |work=[[The News & Observer]] |location=Raleigh, NC |page=16 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
*[[Cat Marnell]], socialite and writer
*[[John Sirica]], [[United States district judge]] famous for role in [[Watergate scandal|Watergate]] (attended)


==References==
These administrative policies contribute to the excellent character and quality of the teachers, who form the backbone of the faculty. Any given school year has a core group of teachers who have been with the school for more than three years. Several of the current core group have taught at the school for five or more years.
{{reflist}}


{{Commons category|Emerson Preparatory School}}
Emerson draws many of its teachers from among the disciplines in which they actually work: it is not unusual for scientists, writers, economists, language scholars, lawyers, and historians to work as teachers. Some Emerson teachers are mid-career in their fields, others are retired, and still others are early-career or in the final stages of their masters' or doctorate degree programs.


{{DC High Schools}}
Teachers are drawn to Emerson because it gives them the freedom to structure creative curricula, design unique and advanced level courses, and set their own classroom rules. Some Emerson classes are run strictly while others are more relaxed. One instructor currently incorporates periods of relaxation and meditation techniques into ongoing lessons, while another has been known to assign as many as sixteen books in a single term, teaching at a level of rigor comparable to advanced undergraduate work. The students themselves are the primary quality-control device; they select many of their classes and can request certain teachers.

Emerson course offerings have included:

Advanced Topics in Science (or as it came to be known, "Advanced Spaceships");<br />
Biography: [[Sigmund Freud]], [[Charles Darwin]] and [[Karl Marx]];<br />
Cultural Anthropology;<br />
Twentieth Century American Cultural History (nicknamed "That Seventies Class" by students);<br />
Issues in Science II: [[Zoology]] and [[Oceanography]];<br />
Art History; <br />Vocabulary Skills: The Story of English;<br />
an American Literature class with a curriculum based on the rivers and landscapes of North and South America;<br />
[[Irish Literature]];<br />
Theory of Knowledge/Intro to Philosophy;<br />
Astronomy;<br />
International Relations;
and Intro to Law.

Many of these classes were requested by students, or designed by teachers on the basis of discussions and interests revealed by faculty and students in a previous term. Students often participate in the planning of a class, although final course selections are determined by the school director in accordance with the overall needs of the student body during a given term.

Classes for the spring term of 2007 include one on military history entitled War and Peace-20th Century Foreign Policy, Economics, a Comparative Literature class that examines lyric and narrative modes embracing conventional metric poetry, music, film, and fiction; and a creative writing class that focuses on narrative and includes a unit centered on Shakespeare's tragedy [[King Lear]]Core academics such as Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, English Composition, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, U.S. History, American Government, and Foreign Languages are offered each term.

Emerson's daily ninety-minute class periods provide teachers with time to structure their classes to include more discussion, in-depth individual or team work, and extended lessons in a single day. Many teachers use the extra time for multimedia presentations like movies or music relevant to the course.

== Student Body ==

Emerson has a diverse student body, with students as young as 11 years old and as old as 19 or 20 years old, and students from all parts of the world. The Emerson environment is casual and friendly. It is not uncommon for students to leave larger schools because of social or academic issues, come to Emerson and quickly find themselves able to manage what was too hard before. Emerson is welcoming and flexible. Each new student is hand-picked, so Emerson is able to select students based on more than just transcripts and reports. Emerson admits many teenagers who have done poorly in other school settings, when they are confident that the student will be able to succeed in the unusually nurturing and manageable Emerson environment.

Although Emerson does not offer a specific number of formal scholarships or financial aid, these factors are examined in concert with families of prospective students when financial limitations exist. Emerson admits students from a wide variety of racial, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds.

Emerson had successful sports, drama,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/279368022.html?dids=279368022:279368022&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=MAY+14%2C+1895&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Emerson+Institute+Dramatic+Club.&pqatl=google |title=Emerson Institute Dramatic Club at Washington Post Archives |accessmonthday = February 1 | accessyear=2007}}</ref> and chess teams under Dean Humphrey, the school's headmaster from 1939-1999, but since 1945 Emerson's main focus and strength has been on academics and preparing students for college level work. Emerson's single extracurricular activity is Lord Wellington's Beef Trapeze, the [[FIRST Vex Challenge|Vex Robotics Team]].

== Location ==
{{portalpar|Washington, D.C.|Dcstub icon.png}}

Emerson owns two conjoined townhouses in the Dupont Circle area of downtown DC. The building has 10 classrooms, a science laboratory, and a library/computer room where students can study or use the computers to do research on the web. The school also has wireless internet, which is great for students who prefer to bring their own laptops to school. There is an attractive and private courtyard behind the school building. During the Spring, Summer and early Fall, some teachers will hold an occasional class in the courtyard. The Emerson Automaton Society uses the courtyard as a safe place to use power tools.

== External links ==
{{portalpar|Education|Nuvola apps bookcase.png}}
{{portalpar|Schools|School.svg}}
* [http://www.privateschoolreview.com/school_ov/school_id/5822 Emerson at Private School Review]
{{Geolinks-US-buildingscale|38.908416|-77.041875}}

== Reference ==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
* [http://www.emersonprep.net/ Emerson Preparatory School] - Emerson official website
* [http://burrville.webresident.net/guide_details.cfm?gid=2428 Entry at Burrville.com]


[[Category:Dupont Circle]]
[[Category:Dupont Circle]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1852]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1852]]
[[Category:Embassy Row]]
[[Category:Private high schools in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:High schools in the District of Columbia]]
[[Category:Preparatory schools in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Preparatory schools in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:1852 establishments in Washington, D.C.]]

Latest revision as of 07:01, 8 January 2025

Emerson Preparatory School
Address
Map
1718 Connecticut Ave NW

Washington, D.C.
20009

United States
Information
TypeIndependent College Preparatory School
Established1852
Closed2021
Enrollment55-75 (grades 9-12)
Campus typeUrban
Color(s)Burgundy and gold
  
MascotOwl

Emerson Preparatory School (also known as Emerson) was a small private high school in Northwest Washington, D.C., founded in 1852 as the Emerson Institute. It was Washington's oldest co-ed college preparatory school. The school closed at the end of the 2020-21 school year.

The school was located inside the Clocktower Building in Dupont Circle. Emerson had occupied that location since 2019, after moving from a temporary location in the Twelfth Street YMCA Building. Before 2017, Emerson spent eighty years in their own building across from the American Enterprise Institute. Most students used WMATA to get to and from school.

Emerson Preparatory School was a member of the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS).

History

[edit]

Emerson was founded in the District of Columbia in 1852 by Charles Bedford Young, Ph.D., as a school to prepare Washington area boys for entrance to Harvard. It was named for George Barrell Emerson, a noted New England educator, author, and Harvard graduate. After the Civil War the school's graduates began to attend other colleges and universities, and, in 1920, Emerson became Washington's first coeducational preparatory school.

Emerson's school seal featured an image of the U.S. Capitol dome and the date 1852. The school mascot is the owl, symbolizing wisdom.

In the two years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Emerson moved locations twice, later under the guidance of a new Head of School. Much of the teaching staff was let go as the school adopted an online model in response to the pandemic. The school closed at the end of the 2020-21 school year, stating that conditions were not conducive to operating Emerson in a financially sustainable manner.[1]

Staff and faculty

[edit]

John Julian Humphrey Sr. became principal of Emerson's evening school in 1939, subsequently becoming headmaster at Emerson for 55 years, although his tenure was interrupted by World War Two.[2] He also taught law, U.S. history and government, continuing to tutor students until his death.

A graduate of Emerson, Margot Walsh served as director of the school from 1999. She filled various roles at Emerson for almost 50 years, including as registrar.[3]

Student body

[edit]

During its early history, Emerson had sports and drama teams.[4]

Locations

[edit]
Emerson's former location near Dupont Circle, where it was located for eighty years

Emerson first opened at 914 14th Street Northwest Washington DC near Franklin Square between K and I Streets. In 1928, Emerson moved to a new building at 1740 P Street NW between Massachusetts and New Hampshire Avenues. In 1933, Emerson moved to 1525 16th Street NW near Stead Park between Q and Church Streets. In 1937, Emerson moved to 1324 18th Street NW near Dupont Circle between Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues. In 2017, Emerson moved to a temporary location, the fourth floor of the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage. In 2019, Emerson moved to the fourth floor of the Clocktower Building in Dupont Circle (1718 Connecticut Avenue NW).[5][better source needed]

Notable alumni

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Moyer, Justin (October 31, 2021). "D.C.'s venerated Emerson school shuttered after 168 years amid pandemic pressures". Washington, DC. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  2. ^ "John Julian Humphrey Sr. Dies at Age 84". Washington Post. March 11, 1999. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  3. ^ "Margot Walsh Obituary". Washington Post. January 23, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  4. ^ "Emerson Institute Dramatic Club at Washington Post Archives". May 14, 1895. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2007.
  5. ^ "Vibrant Location". EmersonPrep.org. Washington, DC: Emerson Preparatory School. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  6. ^ "D.C.'s venerated Emerson school shuttered after 168 years amid pandemic pressures". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. October 31, 2021.
  7. ^ "The Battles of Our Youth". Into the Wild. March 1, 2015. VyRT.
  8. ^ "College Cadets Salute Magruder for Last Time". The News & Observer. Raleigh, NC. May 27, 1936. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
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