Types of Schools

Does the term 'military school' conjure up images of a place where you send troubled young men or boys who can't keep their hands off a gun? Well, if it does, you are wrong. America's military prep schools carry on a proud tradition of academic and personal excellence which has withstood the assaults of negative media attention and changing fashions in education. Furthermore, many military schools are now co-ed reflecting the changes in the role of women in our armed forces at the national level.

A military school education embraces stucture, team work, and a solid focus on self-discipline. And they are not just for men either. Several schools are co-educational. Technology plays a major role in military schools these days, reflecting the enormous changes technology has wrought across the entire defense spectrum in America today.

Military school graduates have gone on to be our nation's leaders. They have paid the price for defending our freedom.

Proudly you gathered, rank on rank, to war
As who had heard God’s message from afar;
All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave,
To save mankind—yourselves you scorned to save.

Stanza II from O Valiant Hearts by John S. Ark-wright

• Admiral Farragut Academy
• American Military Academy
• Army and Navy Academy
• Benedictine High School
• Benedictine Military School
• Camden Military Academy
• Carson Long Military Institute
• Chamberlain-Hunt Military Academy
• Culver Military Academy
• Fishburne Military School
• Florida Air Academy
• Fork Union Military Academy
• Georgia Military College
• Hargrave Military Academy
• Howe Military School
• Lyman Ward Military Academy

What's private school really like? Find out from people who have been there. Lorene Cary's Black Ice makes compelling reading. She was one of the first African-Americans to attend an elite private school. It was a different world from the one she grew up in back in Philadelphia. The classic novel is J.D.Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. As fresh today as it was when written back in 1951, Catcher opens on Holden's last day in prep school. Fast forward a few years and Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep sits atop the New York Times Best Seller List. These books are well worth a read. Enjoy!

Academy X by Andrew Trees
ISBN-13: 978-1596911772

From the publisher:

"The Nanny Diaries meets Lucky Jim in this devilish satire of the culture of power and privilege at a New York City private school.

John Spencer, an English teacher at the elite Academy X, is struggling through the final weeks of the spring semester. But keeping his students focused on the genius and wit of Jane Austen is the least of his problems. His crush on the sexy librarian is beginning to warp his judgment. An unexpected promotion leaves him drowning in a sea of academic intrigue. Pushy parents demanding higher grades lurk behind every corner and a favorite pupil suddenly reveals a cunning and sophistication far beyond her years. With each bumbling effort to keep everyone happy (and get his girl!), John digs himself deeper into trouble, until his very career is at stake.

The oldest American private school is Collegiate School in Manhattan founded in 1628. Not surprisingly, the oldest schools are concentrated in the east in what were the original thirteen colonies. Most of the founders of these early schools were principled men and women with lofty ideals and purposes. Take John Phillips, for example.

"The founder of Phillips Exeter Academy defined its mission more than two centuries ago. 'Above all,' John Phillips stated, 'it is expected that the attention of instructors to the disposition of the minds and morals of the youth under their charge will exceed every other care; well considering that though goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble, yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous, and that both united form the noblest character, and lay the surest foundation of usefulness to mankind.' ....Academy Mission Statement

The Ursuline Academy was founded in New Orleans in 1727 because the Sisters of the Order of Saint Ursula were "Convinced that the education of women was essential to the development of a civilized, spiritual and just society." These schools established so long ago are a lasting tribute to the vision of these early founders. Here then in their own words are the oldest schools.

1628 - Collegiate School

"Collegiate School, a day school for boys, is the oldest independent school in the United States. Tracing its origins to 1628, the school was established by the Dutch West India Company and the Classis of Amsterdam, the parent ecclesiastical body of the

Schools for the artistically gifted child are in short supply. If you have a daughter inclined to things thespian or a son who sings, then you ought to consider a school which makes the arts its raison d'etre, a place where the arts are not just a pleasant extracurricular activity.

These specialist private schools arrange their academic day around serious time for the arts. Plenty of rehearsal time is a must. Exciting recital and performance opportunities abound. Expert instruction is de rigeur. This short video explains why arts are important.

Here are descriptions of the schools in their own words. Be sure to click on the links to read more about each school on this list.

Adda Clevenger Junior Prep & Theater School, San Francisco

"All students of the school are members of the Adda Clevenger Youth Chorus of San Francisco under the direction of Alexis Murphy-Egri. In addition to a well-rounded musical education including music theory, vocal coaching and dramatic interpretation, it is essential that choristers also have many opportunities to perform. The repertoire consists of a wide range of genres including classical, sacred, folk, theater, and current popular music."

The Conservatory, Baltimore Actors' Theatre, Baltimore

"The Conservatory, Baltimore Actors' Theatre, is Maryland's first and only accredited College Preparatory School of the Arts, for students from grades pre-one to 12. Established in 1979, The Conservatory has garnered a reputation for the excellence

Disclaimer: My eldest daughter attended the Waldorf School of Garden City back in the 70s. We liked the gentle approach that allowed children to explore and learn to think critically. ~Rob Kennedy

Waldorf schools offer a well-thought-out approach to K-12 education. Unlike Montessori schools, which focus on the primary grades, Waldorf schools cover all the grades. The Waldorf movement got its start with the writings and philosophy of Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925). Pictured on the right, Steiner was an Austrian-born philosopher who founded a movement known as anthroposophy.

One of the key aims of our method of educating is to help the child toward developing the faculty of free imagination. So, for example, we generally tell stories without offering printed pictures. Our words provide the raw materials. The child has to “clothe” the story with his or her own images. (Mt Barker Waldorf School Parent Association 2001)

This video from the Spring Garden Waldorf Schools gives an overview of a Waldorf education.

The essence of the Waldorf approach to education is its emphasis on developing a child's imagination and creative side. The Waldorf pedagogues prefer that young children never be exposed to popular entertainment such as television, popular music, and computers. Competition is replaced with cooperation. Eurythmy, an expressive music cum dance art form, plays a central role in developing a child's artistic expression. The whole child is engaged