Emerson Preparatory School
| Emerson Preparatory School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
1718 Connecticut Ave NW 20009 United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent College Preparatory School |
| Established | 1852 |
| Closed | 2021 |
| Enrollment | 55-75 (grades 9-12) |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color(s) | Burgundy and gold |
| Mascot | Owl |
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
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
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]
Academics
Emerson's model placed strong emphasis on small class sizes, typically never larger than 10 students, as well as its use of the term system. The school's academic year was modelled after the British System and had two terms per year rather than two semesters. Courses were completed in full during each 4.5 month term. Each term's schedule of classes included four 90-minute class periods per day, five days per week, along with a one-hour lunch period every day.
The structure allowed students to complete a four-year high school education in as few as four semesters at Emerson. Courses taught included English literature, mathematics, history, politics and languages. In general, the school attracted gifted teenagers.[4]
Student body
During its early history, Emerson had sports and drama teams.[5][dead link]
Locations
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).[6][better source needed]
Notable alumni
 | This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (November 2022) |
- Brian Baker, guitarist and founding member of Minor Threat
- Brendan Canty, drummer for Fugazi[7]
- James M. Cutts, Medal of Honor recipient
- William F. Gibson, noted science fiction writer and "noir-prophet" of cyberpunk
- 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[8]
- Bruce Magruder, U.S. Army major general[9]
- Cat Marnell, socialite and writer
- John Sirica, United States district judge famous for role in Watergate (attended)
References
- ^ 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 19, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
{{cite news}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; April 20, 2022 suggested (help) - ^ "John Julian Humphrey Sr. Dies at Age 84". Washington Post. March 11, 1999. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "Margot Walsh Obituary". Washington Post. Jan. 23, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Emerson Preparatory School". Academic Kids Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "Emerson Institute Dramatic Club at Washington Post Archives". 1895-05-14. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
- ^ "Vibrant Location". EmersonPrep.org. Washington, DC: Emerson Preparatory School. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ "D.C.'s venerated Emerson school shuttered after 168 years amid pandemic pressures". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. October 31, 2021.
- ^ "The Battles of Our Youth". Into the Wild. 1 March 2015. VyRT.
- ^ "College Cadets Salute Magruder for Last Time". The News & Observer. Raleigh, NC. May 27, 1936. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
