The Albany Academy

'''The Albany Academy''' is an independent [[college preparatory]] [[day school]] for boys in [[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[New York]], USA, enrolling students from Preschool (age 3) to Grade 12. It was established in 1813 by a charter signed by Mayor Philip Schuyler Van Rensselaer and the city council of Albany. In July 2007, the administrative teams of The Albany Academy and [[Albany Academy for Girls]] merged into [[The Albany Academies]]. Both schools retain much of their pre-merger tradition and character and each continues to give diplomas under its own name. ==History== The Albany Academy is the oldest boys day school in the New York [[Capital District|Capital Region]], chartered in March 1813 to educate the sons of Albany's political elite and rapidly growing merchant class. In the [[Largest Cities in the United States by Population by Decade#1810|Census]] three years prior, Albany was the tenth-largest city in the United States, and would remain so through the 1850s due to the prominence of the [[Erie Canal]]. [[File:Albany Academy 1907.jpg|thumb|left| Old Academy Building]]Classes began within months after the charter was granted, offering a college preparatory track (including intensive study of Ancient Greek, and Latin) and an arithmetic-based track to prepare young men for Albany's role as a center of commerce. Two years later, in 1815, a purpose-built building was completed in present day Academy Park, adjacent to the [[New York State Capitol]]. The [[Federal architecture|Federal-style]] building, now known as the Old Academy and headquarters of the City School District of Albany, was designed by renowned Albany architect [[Philip Hooker]]. The building is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] for its architectural significance and role as home to scientist [[Joseph Henry|Joseph Henry's]] laboratory. [http://www.nationalhistoricalregister.com/NY/Albany/state.html] In 1870, in response to a lack of military preparation institutions in the north during the [[American Civil War]], the Albany Academy adopted the [[Battalion]] Leadership Program, instructing the "cadets" in military procedure and the art of leadership. In 2005 the school ended compulsory involvement in the program in favor of a House-based leadership program commonly found in English [[Preparatory school (UK)|preparatory schools]]. The four houses, named for prominent historical Academy figures ([[Theodric Romeyn Beck|Beck]], [[Merrill Edwards Gates|Gates]], [[Joseph Henry|Henry]], and [[Frederic P. Olcott|Olcott]]), compete against one another in the fields of academics, athletics, [[community service]], and [[extracurricular]] involvement for honor and special privileges awarded to the leading house. [[File:Albany Academy Cupola.jpg|thumb|left|The Academy's cupola rises above the main building and is topped with a fish and pumpkin.]]In 1931, the school moved from its original downtown building in present day Academy Park to its current location on the corner of Hackett and Academy Roads, in the University Heights section of Albany. Designed by Marcus T. Reynolds in the [[Georgian architecture|neo-Georgian style]], the building incorporates many elements of the Old Academy building, namely the main entryway and cupola. The school stands approximately two miles from the city center, allowing students access to the resources of the [[State University of New York at Albany]], [[Russell Sage College]], [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]], the [[New York State Capitol|state capitol]], and the [[New York State Museum|state museum]] and [[New York State Library|library]]. The red-brick Academy building's marble cornerstone was laid by the then Governor and future [[President of the United States|President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. All grades enrolled in The Albany Academy are housed under the same roof, a point of pride for the Academy Community. The Board of Trustees announced that The Albany Academy and Albany Academy for Girls would merge into The Albany Academies in July 2007. [[Single-sex education|Single-gender]] education will continue under the present form in Lower and Middle Schools, while Upper School students may continue to cross-register for coed classes and certain extracurricular activities. On July 1, 2009, the Board of Trustees announced the appointment of [[Douglas M. North]] AA'58, President of [[Alaska Pacific University]], to the position of Head of School of [[The Albany Academies]], effective July 2010.[http://www.albanyacademies.org/news/news_full.cfm?ID=223] ==Facilities== [[File:Albany Academy.jpg|thumb|Current Academy Building]] The main Academic building houses 40 classrooms, two [[libraries]], [[Mac OS|Mac]] and [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] computer labs, the [[cafeteria]] (called the Buttery), the school book store, the [[auditorium]] (known as Caird Chapel), the Wellness Center, the Black Box Theater, a [[darkroom]], the [[Joseph Henry]] Science Wing, student and faculty lounges, board rooms, art and music studios, the school's archives, and various administrative offices. The school's athletic facilities include 11 team locker-rooms, 2 soccer/lacrosse fields, 2 [[baseball field|baseball diamonds]], 2 football fields, the 400-meter Robison Track, the Robison Hockey Arena, 6 outdoor [[tennis courts]], the 6-lane, {{convert|25|yd|sing=on}} Standish Pool, the Rea Fitness Center, 2 indoor gymnasiums, conference rooms, long- and high-jump pits, a discuss court, and a shot-put court. Other on-campus facilities include the [[Head of School]]'s Residence (known as the Leonard House) which has since been used to house the admissions department. ==Student body== Drawn predominately from a six-county area and from within a radius of {{convert|65|mi|km}}, the student body is ethnically, religiously, and economically diverse. The total 2005–06 school population is 340 boys, including 82 in the Lower School, 71 in the [[Middle School]], and 187 in the Upper School. There is a total of six countries represented in the school. Students are encouraged to actively participate in all aspects of school life; they are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and treat each other and their teachers with respect. Students are responsible for upholding school rules. The Albany Academy adheres to a school-wide honor code. Student Council members, especially seniors, occupy important leadership positions at Albany Academy. Its Leadership Development Program prepares students to hold leadership positions at school and beyond by providing formal classes on [[leadership]], advising/student mentoring, community service, and involvement in co-curricular programs—all within the structure of a British-modeled [[House System]]. ==Mission statement== The Albany Academies -- Albany Academy for Girls & The Albany Academy -- are Preschool-Grade 12 independent college-preparatory single-gender schools committed to developing the potential of the whole individual by building a community that fosters scholarship, leadership, character, service and integrity. The schools' core values include responsibility, self-discipline, compassion, ingenuity, respect, service, integrity and perseverance. ==Accreditation and memberships== The Albany Academies are accredited by the [[New York State Association of Independent Schools]] and recognized by the [[Regents of the State of New York]]. The Albany Academies are a member of the following associations: the [[College Board]], the [[Cum Laude Society]], the [[National Association of Independent Schools]], the [[Educational Records Bureau]], the [[Capital Region Independent Schools Association]], the [[Association of Boys' Schools]], the [[Secondary Schools Admission Test Board]], and the [[New England Prep School Athletic Association]]. ==Alumni== Noted alumni include nine [[U.S. Representative|U.S. Congressmen]], five [[Professional sports|Professional Athletes]], three [[Chancellor (education)|College Presidents]], two [[poet laureate|Poet Laureates]], one [[U.S. Supreme Court Justice]], and one [[Medal of Honor]] recipient: ===Government, Law, & Public Policy=== *[[John W. Causey]], [[United States Representative]] from [[United States congressional delegations from Delaware|Delaware]] *[[E. Harold Cluett]], [[U.S. Representative]] from [[NYCongDel|New York]] *[[Verplanck Colvin]], lawyer, author, illustrator, and topographical engineer involved in the creation of the [[Adirondack Park]] *[[Edwin Corning]], businessman, [[Lieutenant Governor of New York]], father of Erastus Corning 2nd. *[[Erastus Corning II]], [[Mayor of Albany]] from 1942 to 1983; held the record for longest serving Mayor *[[Parker Corning]], [[U.S. Representative]] from [[NYCongDel|New York]] *[[Frederick A. Conkling]], [[U.S. Representative]] from [[NYCongDel|New York]] *[[Learned Hand]], Justice of the U.S. District Court and [[U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] *[[Abraham Lansing]], lawyer, [[New York State Treasurer]], and [[New York State Senator]] *[[Stephen P. Nash]], lawyer, president of the [[New York City Bar Association]] *[[Frederic P. Olcott]], banker, stock broker, and [[New York State Comptroller]] *[[Rufus Wheeler Peckham]], [[U.S. Supreme Court Justice]] (1895–1909) *[[Wheeler Hazard Peckham]], lawyer, [[U.S. Supreme Court]] nominee *[[John Van S. L. Pruyn]], [[U.S. Representative]] from [[NYCongDel|New York]] *[[Charles Emory Smith]], U.S. Minister to Russia (1890–1892), [[U.S. Postmaster General]] (1898–1902) *[[Peter G. Ten Eyck]], [[U.S. Representative]] from [[NYCongDel|New York]] *[[John Boyd Thacher II]], [[Mayor of Albany]] from 1926 to 1941 *[[Charles Tracey]], [[U.S. Representative]] from [[NYCongDel|New York]] *[[Henry Waldron]], [[U.S. Representative]] from [[United States congressional delegations from Michigan|Michigan]] ===Academia=== *[[John Seiler Brubacher]], author, educational philosopher, [[Yale University]] professor *[[Andrew Sloan Draper]], jurist, author, and President of the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]] *[[William Durden]], President of [[Dickinson College]] *[[Douglas M. North]], President of [[Alaska Pacific University]] and [[Prescott College]], and [[Head of School]] of [[The Albany Academies]] *[[Martin Seligman]], psychologist at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] known for his work on [[learned helplessness]] and [[positive psychology]] *[[Horace Silliman]], businessman, philanthropist, namesake of [[Silliman University]] *[[Howard Townsend]], physician and medical professor. ===Literature & Journalism=== *[[Gordon Ackerman]], journalist, writer, and photographer *[[Stephen Vincent Benét]], poet laureate, two-time winner of the [[Pulitzer Prize]] (1929, 1944) *[[William Rose Benét]], poet laureate, winner of the [[Pulitzer Prize]] (1942) *[[Herman Melville]], author of [[Moby-Dick]] *[[Andy Rooney]], author, journalist, and commentator for [[60 Minutes]] ===Science & Technology=== *[[John Bogart]], civil engineer and [[New York State Engineer and Surveyor]] *[[Benjamin Boss]], astronomer and editor of the ''[[Astronomical Journal]] *[[Joseph Henry]], natural philosopher, telegraphy pioneer, first Curator of the [[Smithsonian Institution]] *[[Henry Ramsay (NY engineer)|Henry Ramsay]], civil engineer and [[New York State Engineer and Surveyor]] ===Arts, Sports, & Entertainment=== *[[Raymond Castellani]], actor, Los Angeles philanthropist *[[Christopher Cuomo]], Emmy Award-winning television journalist for [[ABC News]] *[[Craig Darby]], NHL/AHL Hockey Player *[[Stephen Hannock]], landscape painter *[[Craig Hatkoff]], co-founder of the [[Tribeca Film Festival]] and Tribeca Film Institute *[[Ashton Holmes]], film and television actor best known for the role of Jack Stall in ''[[A History of Violence (film)|A History of Violence]] *[[Kevin Leveille]], professional lacrosse player for the [[Chicago Machine]] and the [[Chicago Shamrox]] *[[Mike Leveille]], lacrosse player, 2008 [[Tewaaraton Trophy]] winner, member of the [[Chicago Machine]] *[[Dion Lewis]], running back for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] of the [[National Football League]], the [[Pitt Panthers]] football team, 2009 [[Big East]] freshman of the year and offensive player of the year *[[Marcus T. Reynolds]], architect and author *[[Steve Wulf]], executive editor at ''[[ESPN The Magazine]]'' *[[Merrick Thomson]], professional lacrosse player for the [[Toronto Nationals]] and the [[Philadelphia Wings]] ===Military=== *[[Theodore Roosevelt Jr.]], [[U.S. Army]] [[Brigadier General]] and [[Medal of Honor]] recipient *[[Jeff Sharlet (Vietnam antiwar activist)|Jeff Sharlet]], [[Vietnam Veteran]], leader of the GI resistance movement during the [[Vietnam War]] *[[Charles Dwight Sigsbee]], Admiral in the [[U.S. Navy]], Captain of the [[USS Maine (ACR-1)|USS Maine]] when it exploded, igniting the [[Spanish-American War]] *[[Egbert Ludoricus Viele]], [[Brigadier_general_(United_States)|Brigadier General]] in the [[Union Army]], military governor of [[Norfolk, Virginia]]; [[U.S. Representative]] from [[NYCongDel|New York]] ===Theology=== *[[Angus Dun]], 4th [[Bishop]] of the [[Episcopal Diocese of Washington]] in Washington, DC *[[John Loughlin (bishop)|John Loughlin]], 1st [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn|Bishop of Brooklyn]], New York (1853–1891) *[[Clarence A. Walworth]], attorney, writer, Roman Catholic priest, and missionary ==Faculty/Administration== Noted former faculty and administration include inventors, politicians, and seven [[Chancellor (education)|College Presidents]], including four Presidents of [[Amherst College]]: *[[George W. Atherton]], President of the [[Pennsylvania State University]] *[[Simeon Baldwin]], Mayor of [[New Haven, CT|New Haven]], [[Connecticut]], [[U.S. Representative]], Justice on the Superior Court of Connecticut *[[Theodric Romeyn Beck]], [[forensic medicine]] pioneer *[[William H. Campbell]], President of [[Rutgers University]] *[[John Chester (university president)|John Chester]], the second president of [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]] *[[George Hammell Cook]], chemistry professor and surveyor *[[Merrill Edwards Gates]], President of [[Amherst College]] and [[Rutgers University]] *[[Julian Gibbs]], President of [[Amherst College]] *[[Joseph Henry]], natural philosopher, [[telegraphy]] pioneer, first Curator of the [[Smithsonian Institution]] *[[Albert Hull]], physicist, inventor of the [[magnetron]] and [[dynatron]] *[[Alexander Meiklejohn]], President of [[Amherst College]], Dean of [[Brown University]], winner of the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] *[[David Murray (educator)|David Murray]], [[People of the United States|American]] educator and government adviser in [[Meiji period]] [[Japan]] *[[George Olds]], President of [[Amherst College]] *[[Charles Emory Smith]], U.S. Minister to Russia (1890–1892), [[U.S. Postmaster General]] (1898–1902) *[[Frederick Townsend]], Union officer in the [[American Civil War]], Adjutant General of the State of New York (1857–1861, 1880) ==External links== {{commons category}} *[[NRHP]] nomination for the original Albany Academy building: {{cite web |last=Waite |first=Diana S. |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Joseph Henry Memorial (Albany Academy) |url=http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=449 |date=January 1970|accessdate=2011-07-31 |publisher=[[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]}} ''See also:'' [http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=447 ''Accompanying one exterior photo from 1962] *[http://www.albanyacademies.org/ The Albany Academies] *[http://www.petersons.com/PSchools/code/IDD.asp?orderLineNum=598197-1&inunId=56&typeVC=instvc&sponsor=1 Petersons.com School Profile] {{Portal bar|Architecture|Capital District|New York|Schools}} {{National Register of Historic Places in New York}} {{coord missing|New York}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Albany Academy}}