UNIVERSITY SCHOOL - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL, a private college preparatory school for boys, was
founded in 1890. Founder Newton M. Anderson, dissatisfied with the prevailing
classical education, believed that young men who would become leaders of
industry needed firsthand experience with machines. In addition to traditional
classrooms, Univ. School contained a machine shop, forge shop, carpenter shop,
swimming pool, and gymnasium. It had 100 applications for admission even before
a building could be erected. This original structure, designed by CHAS. F. SCHWEINFURTH, was located at Hough and Giddings
Ave. (E. 71st St.), at the time an almost rural area. It became the first
country day school in the Midwest, if not in the entire U.S. Originally the
school trained boys from grades 5-12, adding lower grades a few years later.
Despite the emphasis on manual training, college preparation was still a primary
consideration. The pattern of placing graduates in the best colleges, especially
Ivy League ones, has been consistent in the school's history. Univ. School's
success has been due in large part to its headmasters. Probably the one who most
clearly defined Univ. School was HARRY A. PETERS†, who
began teaching at the school in 1902 and was headmaster from 1908-47. In 1926 he
oversaw the school's move to Claythorne & Brantley Rds. in SHAKER HTS. During World War II, classes were offered in
navigation and engine mechanics. The racial barrier was broken in 1963 when Carl
Stokes's son was accepted. Uniform requirements were lessened. Coeducation was
considered, but after lengthy discussion University reaffirmed its all-boys
status in 1991. In 1970, with enrollments increasing, a second campus for grades
9-12 was added at 2785 SOM Center Rd. in HUNTING
VALLEY; in 1990 the Wean Research Library was added to the Hunting Valley
campus. In 1995 Univ. School was the only all-male independent school in the
Cleveland area. It was also a member of the Cleveland Council of Independent
Schools, which also included Hawken, Hathaway Brown, and Laurel schools. The
headmaster in 1995 was Richard Hawley and enrollment for grades K-12 was over
800.
Paige, Roy C. The U.S. Story: 75th Anniversary (1965).
Hawley, Richard. Hail University! A Century of University School Life
(1990).
Molten, Donald C. We are U.S.! A 100 Year Athletic History
(1990).
Last Modified: 08 Jul 2003 08:58:43 AM
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