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Milton Academy
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Milton Academy is a private, preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts. The original Milton Academy was founded in 1798 but operations ceased decades later; the institution was re-established in 1884 by John Murray Forbes and other progressive philanthropists. Up until 1980, the school was split into boys and girls schools. Milton's athletic program competes in the Independent School League (ISL) with schools such as Milton's historic rival, Noble & Greenough School.
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Milton Academy is a private, preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts. The original Milton Academy was founded in 1798 but operations ceased decades later; the institution was re-established in 1884 by John Murray Forbes and other progressive philanthropists. Up until 1980, the school was split into boys and girls schools. Milton's athletic program competes in the Independent School League (ISL) with schools such as Milton's historic rival, Noble & Greenough School. Milton's $195 million endowment and 125-acre (0.5 km²) campus serve about 680 upper school students as well as about 125 students in grades 68 and 160 in K5. In late 2007, the Wall Street Journal identified Milton Academy as one of the world's top-50 schools for its success in preparing students to enter top American universities. Famous alumni of Milton include T. S. Eliot, James Taylor, Deval Patrick, Buckminster Fuller, and Robert F. Kennedy.
Students and faculty
There are 680 Upper School students at Milton, of whom 320 live on campus. There are 127 students in the Middle School, serving grades 68, and 160 children in the Lower School, serving grades K5. There is now a single K8 Division. In the spring of 2007, the status of the Lower School was placed under review by the Board of Trustees, but, following an outpouring of support by parents, alumni, and current and former faculty, administrators, and trustees, the Board reaffirmed its commitment to Milton as a K12 school. The male-to-female ratio is 5050. Milton's Upper School has 128 faculty members, 84% of whom have postgraduate degrees, and 15% holding doctorates. The Middle School and Lower School have 25 and 28 faculty members respectively. The average class size is 11.
Milton offers several off-campus programs. Some students take a school year abroad in France, Italy, Spain or China; others go on semester programs such as Chewonki Maine Coast Semester, The Mountain School, or CityTerm. For the last few weeks of school, seniors often do "Senior Projects" instead of taking classes. Past senior projects have included: recording an album, writing a play, designing a golf course, constructing a sailboat by hand, engineering go-carts, directing a film, intensively studying a culture/language, and performing a Shakespearean play.
Clubs and organizations
There are over 10 different publications on campus, from news to literary magazines. There are several music groups, including the Chamber Singers, Miltones, Chamber Orchestra,jazz combos and four a cappella groups, which have performed throughout the United States, as well as Europe, Asia and Africa. Milton Academy is also home to a large jazz program, focused on small combos, that tours South Africa every other year. Beatnik Cafι, an independently run exhibition of student performances (such as jazz, improvisational skits, poetry readings, and singing), occurs three times a year. About ten theatrical productions are put on each year. Smaller plays at the school are called "1212 plays", which are held in Wigg Hall. Also, a student choreographed Dance Concert is put up once a year. There is also a campus radio station, WMAR, located in the basement of the old Science Building.
There are over 30 different clubs that meet after school from 3:00 to 3:30. Ethnic clubs at Milton include GASP (Gay And Straight People), Onyx (black student group), the Asian Society, MSA (Muslim Student Association), South Asian Society, Latin Association, JSU (Jewish-Student Union), and Caribbean Club. Students at the academy can start their own clubs if they have a faculty sponsor. The Free Tibet Club - the Milton Academy chapter of the Students for a Free Tibet. Founded in 2003, Milton's Free Tibet Club currently sponsors two Tibetan refugee children as part of a five year commitment and has donated over three hundred dollars in school supplies to Tibetan Schools. Another club, Invisible Hand, is Milton's Capitalist Club. In addition to sponsoring weekly discussions pertaining to Capitalism and Economics, Invisible Hand has taken trips to Harvard Business School and lent $500 worth of microloans via Kiva.org.
In addition, Milton Academy has a large and highly successful speech and debate team that competes in the Massachusetts Forensic League (MFL), National Catholic Forensic League (CFL or NCFL), and National Forensic League (NFL).
The school also has many political groups, including the Young Republicans and F.L.A.G. (Forward-looking Liberal Action Group).
Milton offers both 15 interscholastic sports for boys and girls each and nine intramural teams. Milton is a member of both the Independent School League and the New England Schools Sailing Association division of the Interscholastic Sailing Association. Since 1886, Milton's traditional rival has been the Noble and Greenough School of Dedham. Recently, the ultimate team was ranked seventh in the nation and the varsity football team "entered the 2005 season with the best ten year record of all ISL prep programs". In the past five years, Milton has won 17 ISL Championships and most recently the boys' tennis team won New England's. The boys' tennis team has won four New England titles in a row. The coed sailing team has won multiple national chamionships. Milton's boys' hockey team has had several players go on to successful professional careers, most notably 12-year NHLer Marty McInnis and current Ottawa Senator Josh Hennessy.
Publications
Milton Academy maintains several publications using school facilities. The Milton Measure, the oldest and official bi-weekly publication of the school, is entering its 113th year. The Milton Paper, the school's unofficial newspaper, operates on donations but is still subject to school oversight. The Milton Paper has been operating for over twenty years and publishes issues weekly. La Voz ("The Voice"), the school's Spanish language student newspaper, is published quarterly and allows students to write in Spanish about issues that involve the Spanish-speaking community. Milton's latest publication, M^3 (read "M Cubed"), short for Milton Music Magazine, is a music/pop-culture based magaizine that covers news in the national and global music world as well as on-campus artists and events.
Academic and student life facilities
Straus Library In the 1950s, Straus was the Academy's main library. Today it serves as a familiar and beloved gathering space for formal and informal events. Straus is also home to Milton's college counseling office.
Apthorp Chapel Constructed in 1921, Apthorp Chapel hosts the non-denominational chapel program for boarding students every Sunday evening during the school year. The program often includes guests, students and faculty reflecting on issues affecting the School community, the nation and the world.
Kellner Performing Arts Center Opened in 1992, Kellner is a teaching center for the performing arts and music departments. It includes a large dance studio; classrooms for speech and debate training; classrooms and practice rooms for work in chorus, orchestra and jazz; a "black box" studio theater; fully equipped scene construction and costume shops; Pieh Commons, where student art work is often exhibited; and the Ruth King Theatre.
Ruth King Theatre A gift of novelist Stephen King, in memory of his mother, King Theatre is equipped with a stage adaptable to thrust or apron configurations and is a 20th century adaptation of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
William Coburn Cox Library Given by William Coburn Cox '24 and his wife, Jessie Bancroft Cox, the library's resources serve students, faculty and staff. Its collection includes 46,000 volumes. Library staff members help students learn research strategies, using the cataloguing system and online resources. In the basement of the library, Milton students are entitled to extra academic help in the Academic Skills Center.
Health and Counseling Center Registered nurses, school physicians and counselors at the Health Center help students who need physical or emotional care. The Health Center also provides overnight accommodations for students requiring additional attention while not feeling well. The Health Center staff also manages programs that involve students in promoting healthy lifestyles and in responding to those with emotional or physical needs. The Health Center was recently moved from its original location on West Campus to the former boy's dorm, Faulkner, on East Campus.
Ayer Observatory Astronomy students use the Ayer Observatory to observe and study celestial objects. The observatory's 12-foot dome houses a five-inch Clark refractor for general classroom use; its smaller dome houses a nine-inch Takahashi reflector. The observatory is open to all students on the first Friday of every month and for any unique celestial occurrences.
Schwarz Student Center The Schwarz Student Center offers a single space that is part of daily campus life for all students and adults at Milton, enhancing opportunities to build relationships. The center includes a common area for students to gather outside of class; a snack bar and recreation area with ping-pong and foosball tables; a school bookstore with a wide array of necessities; student activities offices; a computer center; and spaces for faculty-student meetings. It links Warren Hall and Wigglesworth Hall for easy travel between the three.
Ware Hall Originally built as the Girls' School schoolhouse, Ware Hall is now home to classical language, modern language and mathematics classrooms; a language laboratory; and Milton's Middle School offices and classrooms.
Warren Hall Built in 1885 and renovated in 2002, Warren Hall includes the English department, deans' offices and the Office of Admission in a building sensitively restored to provide state-of-the-art teaching areas within an environment that honors its early role as "the old schoolhouse."
Wigglesworth Hall Affectionately known as Wigg Hall, this building is home to the history department where students and faculty gather around oval Harkness tables that promote stimulating discussion in an environment where everyone including the teacher is an equal and important participant.
Athletic and Convocation Center Opened in 1998, the "ACC" includes two field houses that provide opportunities for student athletes of different skill levels to participate in a wide range of sports. The south field house, also the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center (FCC), includes three basketball courts, convocation capacity for the School, and an indoor track. The north field house includes a hockey rink, which, when de-iced, becomes four tennis courts or space for indoor practice of field sports. The second floor of the ACC features the Esther and Herbert G. Stokinger '24 Fitness Center, coaches offices, and training rooms.
Caroline Saltonstall Building The Caroline Saltonstall Building includes the business office, the alumni and development office and one gymnasium. The building stands on the original Milton Girls' School campus.
Robert Saltonstall Gymnasium Once the major boys' gymnasium at Milton, the Robert Saltonstall Gym now houses the H. Adams Carter '32 Climbing Wall where students can learn to rock climb. Art students studying sculpture, ceramics and woodworking learn and practice here as well. The "RSG" also houses Milton's two wrestling mats.
Pritzker Science Center Milton's new science center is scheduled for completion in 2010, with groundbreaking on November 8, 2008. The new state-of-the-art building will feature common lab space for each of the four disciplines in science (physics, chemistry, biology and environmental), in addition to integrated classroom-lab space for each class meeting. In the mean time, pending construction to be completed, students and faculty work in interim trailers.
Visual Arts Center Milton's new visual arts center is currently on hold due to financial/budget issues. When completed, it will feature state-of-the-art studios for 2D art and 3D art, including specialized areas such as photography, architecture and woodwork. The new building will also feature the Academy's acclaimed Nesto Gallery, where several famous Boston-area and national artists have displayed their works.
Residential facilities
Approximately half of the Upper School student body consists of boarders. Each of Milton's eight, single-sex residential "houses" has unique traditions, such as holiday caroling, pumpkin carving, picnics, "pottery night" (mug painting for the dorm), Rain Soccer on East Campus before dinner on rainy days, barbecues, "flagpole runs," dodgeball, and dorm bowling to help foster friendship and support within the house. House sizes range from 31 to 48 students and students live in the same house for their entire time at Milton.
Boys
- Forbes is the second-largest house. It is named after Captain Robert Bennet Forbes, whose family crest appears on a flag outside the building. The dorm's colors are blue and white. Forbes and Wolcott share a friendly, multidisciplinary dorm rivalry. The Forbes dorm flag is the center of some rivalry, and has changed hands between Forbes and Wolcott over the years. Forbes housed the famous author, T.S. Eliot, as well as Robert and Edward Kennedy.
- Wolcott is the largest boys' house on campus, housing up to 48 boys and 5 faculty families. Completed in 1900, it is named after Roger Wolcott, a former governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (18961900). His portrait hangs in the Devens common room, one of two common rooms in the house. The Wolcott family has maintained a close tie to the house, presenting the incoming house heads with a family crest in 1984. Inscribed on this crest is the house motto: "nullius addictus iuare in verba magistri," a quote from Horace which translates to "called to swear upon the words of no teacher." James Taylor lived in Wolcott during his time at Milton. Wolcott is the only house on campus which enforces a dress code at house dinners. Traditions include "roof-ball," and house dodgeball. A strong history of house leadership has insured that Wolcott House graduates continue to excel in leadership after their Milton years. Wolcott House has won the annual softball championship in most of the years in which Records have been kept. Wells Hansen (Classics) is currently House Head of Wolcott House.
- Goodwin, previously a dorm for the girl's school, is one of the two houses on East Campus. The other East Campus house is Hathaway, which is Goodwin's sister house. Goodwin is going to face a complete make-over in the summer of 2008. Goodwin is mainly recognized for the various talents of its inhabitants. Athletes, musicians and actors are part of this house. This house is about a half mile away from main campus.
- Norris is the newest boys' house, which opened on West Campus in the 2004-2005 school year. The Norris flag hangs from the front door awning. Highlights of the year include annual pumpkin carving, the Norris Nosh (a huge potluck) and annual outings to Fire & Ice and Quincy Dynasty. Norris is the Brother dorm of Millet (formerly Centre) House. The house motto is "Probitas, Pietas, Fraternitas" ("Honesty, Respect, Brotherhood").
- Faulkner was a small boys' dorm on the eastern most part of the campus. It housed 17 boys. The dorm was known for its distinct homey atmosphere. It was in fact a family home before it turned into a dorm. The residents of the dorm were transferred to Norris after the end of the 200304 school year. The building is no longer used as a dorm.
Girls
- Hallowell, previously a boys' dorm, currently houses 40 girls and is the largest girls dorm on campus. Back when it was a boys' dorm it housed the current governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick.
- Millet (formerly Centre) is the new girls' dorm, which opened in the 200405 school year and houses up to 40 girls. The upperclassmen in this new dorm have been working hard to establish the dorm on campus, and to create traditions for future generations of girls. It is named after Frank Millet, a longtime member of the classics department known for his devotion to the subjects he teaches.
- Robbins, previously a boys' dorm, is located in the center of campus and has been a part of campus for almost as long as the school has existed. The girls in this dorm are known for being leaders as opposed to intellectuals of the Milton community.
- Hathaway is the easternmost dorm. It is the oldest girls' dorm on campus, constructed in the late 1800s. The smallest dorm on campus, housing a maximum of 30, Hathaway has traditionally provided a more home-like environment for students, and close relationships with the faculty. Traditions include a pottery night, talent night, special Christmas dinner, Halloween celebrations, and Senior wills.
Notable alumni
External links
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