Todd Seminary for Boys
Encyclopedia
The Todd Seminary for Boys, later the Todd School for Boys was located in Woodstock, Illinois
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Reverend R.K. Todd moved to Woodstock Illinois from Vermont in 1847 to be pastor of a newly formed Presbyterian Church. In 1848 he opened a day school in the parsonage, for both boys and girls. This parsonage school continued to 1859, the student population ranged between 6 and 15 students. During this time Reverend Todd also served as the School Superintendent for McHenry County from 1849-1855.
In 1858 the plans for the Parsonage Institute were announced in the Woodstock Sentinel to form a boarding school. The Parsonage Institute grew in students until, in 1861, the Woodstock University was incorporated by the state legislature. In 1864, the title of the school was again changed, this time to become the Woodstock Collegiate Institute. At this time the student body consisted of between 80 and 149 students, mostly from the McHenry County area.
In 1867 the school underwent "extensive improvements" at which time it became exclusively a seminary for boys, and became known as the Woodstock Institute. It held this name until 1873 when it became known as the Todd Seminary for Boys. The final name change occurred in 1930 when it became the Todd School for Boys.
Noble Hill joined the institution in 1888 as Reverend Todd's assistant. Hill resigned a year later due to differences in opinions with Todd . A year later Hill returned with a promise from Todd that he would have his full support. Reverend Todd's wife died during the winter of 1891 and the Reverend now in his 70s went to live with his son who was a professor at the University that would become Stanford University.
In June, 1892 Noble Hill arranged to purchase the Seminary from Reverend Todd, at a cost of $20,000. Noble Hill was headmaster at the school until he passed the school to his children in 1930.
Main buildings on the campus included Wallingford Hall, Clover Hall, Rogers Hall, Grace Cottage, the Gymnanisium, Headmasters' Cottage, West Cottage, Cozy Cottage, and North Cottage. The school also had an airstrip located to the east of the campus, where Marian Central Catholic High School is now located
From 1912, the school operated a summer camp in Onekama Township, Michigan
called Camp Tosebo
.
There was also a winter campus on Marathon Key, FL they called "Todd Island".
Following graduation from Todd, Welles was awarded a Harvard scholarship. He chose instead to travel and study art at the Chicago Art Institute. He returned frequently to Woodstock to direct Todd student productions.
Northwest Herald July 10, 1987
Time, March 9, 1942
Northwest Herald July 10, 1987
Woodstock, Illinois
Woodstock is a far northwest suburb of Chicago in McHenry County, Illinois. The population was 20,151 at the 2000 census. The 2010 Census shows 24,770 residents. It is the county seat of McHenry County...
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History
The Todd School for Boys was an independent school founded by Reverend Richard K Todd who brought from his native Vermont the New England philosophy of "plain living and high thinking, and in harmony with Puritan traditions"Reverend R.K. Todd moved to Woodstock Illinois from Vermont in 1847 to be pastor of a newly formed Presbyterian Church. In 1848 he opened a day school in the parsonage, for both boys and girls. This parsonage school continued to 1859, the student population ranged between 6 and 15 students. During this time Reverend Todd also served as the School Superintendent for McHenry County from 1849-1855.
In 1858 the plans for the Parsonage Institute were announced in the Woodstock Sentinel to form a boarding school. The Parsonage Institute grew in students until, in 1861, the Woodstock University was incorporated by the state legislature. In 1864, the title of the school was again changed, this time to become the Woodstock Collegiate Institute. At this time the student body consisted of between 80 and 149 students, mostly from the McHenry County area.
In 1867 the school underwent "extensive improvements" at which time it became exclusively a seminary for boys, and became known as the Woodstock Institute. It held this name until 1873 when it became known as the Todd Seminary for Boys. The final name change occurred in 1930 when it became the Todd School for Boys.
Noble Hill joined the institution in 1888 as Reverend Todd's assistant. Hill resigned a year later due to differences in opinions with Todd . A year later Hill returned with a promise from Todd that he would have his full support. Reverend Todd's wife died during the winter of 1891 and the Reverend now in his 70s went to live with his son who was a professor at the University that would become Stanford University.
In June, 1892 Noble Hill arranged to purchase the Seminary from Reverend Todd, at a cost of $20,000. Noble Hill was headmaster at the school until he passed the school to his children in 1930.
Todd School Campus
In 1937 the Todd School Campus consisted of an area of Woodstock that was bound by McHenry Ave, Seminary Ave, Northampton St and Mansfield Avenue. In addition the school purchased in 1904 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of woods one mile (1.6 km) north of the school grounds. These woods were commonly referred to as the "Seminary Woods" in school publications.Main buildings on the campus included Wallingford Hall, Clover Hall, Rogers Hall, Grace Cottage, the Gymnanisium, Headmasters' Cottage, West Cottage, Cozy Cottage, and North Cottage. The school also had an airstrip located to the east of the campus, where Marian Central Catholic High School is now located
From 1912, the school operated a summer camp in Onekama Township, Michigan
Onekama Township, Michigan
Onekama Township is a civil township of Manistee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,514 at the 2000 census.- Communities :* The Village of Onekama is located within the township on the northeast side of Portage Lake...
called Camp Tosebo
Camp Tosebo
Camp Tosebo, on the south shore of Portage Lake in Onekama Township, Michigan, was established in 1912 by Noble Hill, the headmaster of the Todd Seminary for Boys in Woodstock, Illinois, as one of the first summer camps in the United States...
.
There was also a winter campus on Marathon Key, FL they called "Todd Island".
Famous alumni
- Orson WellesOrson WellesGeorge Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
entered the school at the age of 11 in 1926, until his graduation in 1931. While attending Todd he was an active member in the Todd Troupers, a traveling dramatics group, and served as the group's artistic director at the age of 13. Welles collaborated with Headmaster Roger Hill to write the Everybody's Shakespeare series of plays that provided a simple adaptation for high school student's Shakespeare productions. Between 1932-1942 over 100,000 copies of these plays were sold
Following graduation from Todd, Welles was awarded a Harvard scholarship. He chose instead to travel and study art at the Chicago Art Institute. He returned frequently to Woodstock to direct Todd student productions.
Northwest Herald July 10, 1987
Time, March 9, 1942
Northwest Herald July 10, 1987