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Western Reserve Academy

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Western Reserve Academy
Location
Map
Hudson
,
OH

USA
Information
TypePrivate Boarding and Day
MottoLux Et Veritas (Light and Truth)
Religious affiliation(s)None
Established1826
HeadmasterDr. Henry Flanagan
Facultyapprox. 69 [1]
Enrollmentapprox. 406 [1]
Average class size12 [1]
Student to teacher ratio6:1 [1]
Color(s)Hunter Green and White
Athletics23 interscholastic [2]
MascotPioneer
Websitehttp://www.wra.net
The Chapel
The gates at Chapel Street
Sidewalk along Brick Row
A lacrosse tournament held at the school

Western Reserve Academy (also known as 'WRA' or 'Reserve') is a private, mid-sized, coeducational boarding and day college preparatory school located in Hudson, Ohio.

History

Western Reserve Academy was established in 1826 as the Western Reserve College and Preparatory School in Hudson, Ohio on a 180-acre (728,000 m²) plot of land set aside via charter. In 1882 the college moved north to Cleveland, Ohio and became Western Reserve University, later merging with the Case Institute of Technology.

Loomis Observatory, on the Academy campus, was constructed in 1837 and still stands today. It is the second-oldest observatory in the United States and houses its original instruments inside.

Western Reserve Academy remained open for another twenty-one years, until 1903, when it was forced to close due to financial problems. In 1916, however, the school reopened due to the graces of benefactor James Ellsworth, a former student and Hudson, Ohio resident who had returned after making millions of dollars in the coal industry.

The "Ellsworth Era" was marked by significant construction, namely Seymour Hall (the newly appointed academic building), the Bicknell Gymnasium, and Ellsworth Hall, a dormitory and dining hall.

In 1922, Western Reserve Academy became an all-boys institution, which it remained for fifty years, until 1972, when girls were once again admitted.

In the late 1990s and into the early 21st century, Western Reserve Academy again underwent a major construction period, eclipsing even the growth of the "Ellsworth Era." During this time the following projects were completed:

  • Renovation of computer lab in Seymour Hall (1998)
  • Expansion/ Construction of the Metcalf Center (1999)
  • Renovation of Wood House (2000-2002)
  • Construction and expansion of athletic facilities, including the Murdough Athletic Center (2001-2004)
  • Renovation of Bicknell Gymnasium into Bicknell House (2004)
  • Construction of the John D. Ong Library (2000)
  • Renovation of Wilson Science Hall (2001)
  • Construction of Long House Dormitory (2000)
  • Renovation of Nathan P. Seymour Guest House (1998)

In 2000, Western Reserve Academy was recognized by US News and World Report as one of the top boarding schools in the country [citation needed].

About the school

A boarding school, Western Reserve Academy is largely a residential campus, though 30% of the students live off-campus as "day-students." There are nine dormitories, in which about 290 boarding students reside during the school year.

Boys Dormitories

  • North Hall
  • The Athenaeum (The A)
  • Nathaniel Wood House
  • Bicknell Dormitory
  • Long House

Girls Dormitories

  • Cutler House
  • Cartwright Hall (Garden)
  • Ellsworth Hall
  • Hobart House

In recent years, Reserve has gained a reputation as one of the top high school lacrosse teams in the United States. In 2005, the school finished 16th in the US according to LaxPower.com's high school lacrosse team rankings. In 2006, Reserve's team won the Midwest Championship. In addition, the track and cross-country teams under the legendary Frank Longstreth, also the Latin department head, achieved extraordinary success from the 1940s through the 1980s, winning many Interstate League championships, with the Cross Country team at one time boasting a streak of 179-1.

More than half of the faculty have advanced degrees. Approximately 90% of the faculty members reside on campus in either faculty homes or dormitory apartments.

Reserve participates in an annual summer exchange program with the Caterham School in Surrey, England.

File:IMG 3122.jpg
A Typical Reserve Male Dorm Room
File:IMG 3123.jpg
The Athenaeum Dormitory

Other facts:

  • The school consists of approximately 406 students, of whom 266 are boarders [3].
  • The school's student body consists of 57% male students and 43% female students.
  • The school's student body has members from 24 states and 19 countries.
  • The student-teacher ratio at the school is 6:1.
  • The average class size is 12 students.
  • Tuition fees are $35,800 per annum for boarding students and approx. $30,000 per annum for day students.
  • The school offers 21 AP courses.
  • The school offers a wide variety of sports, including soccer, football, golf, cross country, field hockey, volleyball, swimming and diving, basketball, wrestling, riflery, ice hockey, baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, and lacrosse (which, headed by Skip Flanagan, finished 27th in the nation in 2006).

Renowned Alumni

Politics, Government and Law

Literature and Journalism

The Arts

Business

Science

  • John Strong Newberry - Geologist, physician, explorer
  • Scott E. Forbush '20 - Physicist, discovered the Forbush decrease
  • K. Frank Austen, M.D. '45 - Research physician, President of American Academy of Allergy
  • Lee M.E. Morin '70 - NASA astronaut
  • Kathryn Clark '76 - NASA Chief Scientist for the Human Exploration & Development of Space Enterprise

Asterisk: did not graduate

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Western Reserve Academy - Visitors - WRA at a Glance Retrieved 29 November, 2006.
  2. ^ Western Reserve Academy - Athletics - Statement of Principles Retrieved 29 November, 2006.
  3. ^ Western Reserve Academy - Visitors - WRA at a Glance Retrieved 29 November, 2006.
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