Blair Academy

Blair Academy is a coeducational, boarding and day school for students in high school. The school serves students from ninth through twelfth grades as well as a small post-graduate class. The school's campus is situated on 463 acres (1.87 km2) in Blairstown Township, in rural Warren County, New Jersey, United States, approximately 60 miles (97 km) west of New York City.

Blair Academy
Old Academy Building
Location
Blairstown
,
Warren County
,
New Jersey

United States
Coordinates40°59′06″N 74°57′50″W
Information
TypePrivate, Boarding, Day
MottoVenite, Studete, Discite
("Come, Study, Learn")
Established1848 (1848)
NCES School ID00869091[1]
Head of schoolPeter Curran (2021-present)
Faculty85.1 FTEs[1]
Enrollment462 (as of 2017–18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio5.4:1[1]
CampusRural, 463 acres (1.87 km2)
Color(s)  Navy blue
  White
  Gray[2]
Athletics conferenceMid-Atlantic Prep League
Team nameBuccaneers[2]
RivalPeddie School
Tuition$66,500 boarding; $46,500 day (2020-21)[3][4]
Websitewww.blair.edu
Blair Presbyterial Academy
The Mill, built 1825, also part of the Blairstown Historic District
Area55 acres (22 ha)
ArchitectAddison Hutton
Architectural styleColonial Revival, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference No.89001944[5]
NJRHP No.2748[6]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJanuary 24, 1992
Designated NJRHPDecember 2, 1991

As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 462 students and 85.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 5.4:1. The school's student body was 74.5% (344) White, 13.6% (63) Asian, 4.5% (21) Black, 3.7% (17) two or more races and 3.0% (14) Hispanic.[1]

Academics

Blair's academic program follows the traditional four-year college-preparatory plan. Diploma requirements are governed by college entrance requirements.

Athletics

Blair primarily competes in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (which includes Blair Academy, The Peddie School, The Lawrenceville School, The Hill School, Hun School of Princeton and Mercersburg Academy). The school's traditional mascot is the "Buccaneer" (with the team called the Bucs) and the school colors are navy blue, white and grey.[2] Blair's traditional arch-rival is The Peddie School of Hightstown, New Jersey. Since 1903, Blair and Peddie have competed in football, and the rivalry constitutes New Jersey's oldest continuous prep football competition.[7][8] Each November, the two schools vie for the coveted Kelley-Potter Cup by playing against one another in a fall sports competition.[9]

During the days leading up to Peddie Day, spirit abounds at Blair. The campus is bedecked with banners hanging from windows, often poking fun at Peddie's Falcon mascot (known to Blair as the Peddie Chickens). On Peddie Day "Eve," a spirited pep rally, torch procession and stories-high bonfire pave the way for a day of athletic competition. The Bonfire at Blair in the past has been over 80 feet (24 m) tall, however fire regulations prohibit such large fires now. On Peddie Day held at Peddie in November 2013, Blair claimed the Kelly-Potter Cup for the fourth straight year.[8][10]

The most successful athletic program is wrestling.[11] Under previous head wrestling coach Jeff Buxton, the team won 31 consecutive National Prep Titles (from 1981–2012)[12] and produced a number of NCAA champions and Olympic gold medalist Robert B. Weaver. Most recently, Blair has produced PAC12 Champion Evan Martin Silver. He has gone on to wrestle for Stanford University after leading as wrestling team captain at Blair.[13] The academy's wrestling team is considered one of the most successful high school wrestling programs in the nation, winning 10 National Team Championships.[14]

The boys swimming team won the NJSIAA state Non-Public state championship in 1926, 1932 and 1935-1940.[15]

Blair's basketball program has developed alums including NBA players Luol Deng, Charlie Villanueva, and Royal Ivey.

Former Blair football player Dion Lewis was drafted in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He has received numerous honors in 2010 such as, Sporting News Top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidate, Top 25 Overall Players (No. 6), All America Team (first team), All-Big East, as well as ESPN.com "Big East's 25 Best" No.1.[16]

Facilities

Almost all campus architecture is in the Richardson Romanesque style, and modern buildings reflect the features and themes of the older structures. There are five major academic buildings: Clinton Hall, Bogle Science Center, Timken Library, Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts and the Chiang-Elghanayan Center for Innovation and Collaboration. Bogle Science Center, dedicated in 1989 and expanded and renovated in 2019, provides laboratories and classrooms for the science department and includes the 100-seat Cowan Auditorium. Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts was dedicated in 1997 and includes the 500-seat DuBois Theatre, the black box Wean Theatre, and practice rooms. The renovated Timken Library opened in 1998. Annie Hall, a girls' dormitory, opened in the fall of 1999. The Romano Dining Hall was completed in the fall of 2000, and renovation of Insley Hall was completed in 2001. A major expansion and renovation of the School's athletic and activities facilities and fields occurred between 2006 and 2009: a lighted, synthetic turf field for football, field hockey and soccer, with new stands, press box, and 400 meter all-weather track; ten new tennis courts (five lighted), a new junior varsity baseball field, and expansion of the existing, natural grass fields. The renovation and expansion of the existing athletic center, including a new student center, concluded in March 2009. This facility, known as Hardwick Hall, houses seven squash courts, three gymnasiums, wrestling facilities, aerobic space, a fitness center, a training room, and locker rooms, and also includes Blair Commons, home of the School's bookstore, The Black Canteen, and college counseling offices. Blair's athletic facilities also include a nine-hole golf course. The School's pedestrian campus was completed in 2010, making the center of campus vehicle-free. In 2015, the School opened Kathryn Hall, an upper-school girls' dormitory, and Lakeside Hall, an upper-school boys' dormitory, each of which includes three faculty apartments. The Chiang-Elghanayan Center for Innovation and Collaboration, a modern, technology-rich academic facility was completed in 2017 and serves as home to Blair's technology and fine arts departments. Also in 2017, Weber Hall was renovated to best facilitate the teaching of math.[10] In 2018, Blair added the J. Li Golf Training Center and seasonal winter sports complex to its athletic facilities.

Statistics

Enrollment

Characteristics of the student body:[3]

  • Total Enrollment: 460 (80% boarding / 20% day)
  • Male/Female Ratio: 49% / 51%
  • Number of postgraduate students: 8
  • Number of countries represented: 26 (17% of student body)
  • Number of states represented: 25

Tuition and fees

For the 2020–2021 academic year, Blair charges $66,500 for tuition, room and board. Day students are charged $46,500, which covers tuition, study rooms, and meals at school.[3][17]

In rankings based on tuition, room and board and required fees for the 2013–14 school year, Business Insider ranked the school as the 29th-most-expensive boarding school in the United States.[18] The school was 26th-most expensive based on the publication's rankings based on 2012-13 data.[19]

Faculty
  • Student/Faculty Ratio: 6:1
  • Head of School: Christopher Fortunato[20]

Accreditation

School memberships

Endowment
  • Current Market Value (approximate): $101 million as of August 28, 2018.[23]

Campus
  • The campus, set among 463 acres (1.87 km2) of rolling hills in the shadow of the Delaware Water Gap, is home to numerous grand old buildings and in 1992 was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its historic and architectural significance.[24]
  • In the 1960s and 1970s, the campus was used in the summer by Camp Racquet, a tennis camp run by Charlie Lundgren, then the coach of the tennis team at Upsala College.

Notable alumni

References
  1. School data for Blair Academy, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2020.
  2. Blair Academy, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. Blair at a Glance, Blair Academy. Accessed June 22, 2017.
  4. Tuition and Financial Aid, Blair Academy. Accessed September 24, 2020.
  5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  6. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Warren County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. August 17, 2017. p. 1.
  7. Staff. "Hill-Hotchkiss, Peddie-Blair Battles Head Important Schoolboy Football Card Today", The New York Times, November 13, 1936. Accessed June 26, 2011. "The Blair-Peddle contest at Hightstown. NJ. will extend the oldest prep school rivalry in New Jersey. Blair and Peddle will meet for the thirty-fourth time since their uninterrupted series began in 1903."
  8. "Peddie Day". Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  9. Tatu, Christina. "Peddie School takes top prize at annual Peddie Day tradition", New Jersey Herald, January 23, 2009. Accessed June 26, 2011. "Not the chilly weather, the spitting rain or the four-hour drive from his home in Annapolis, Md., could keep 89-year-old Art Richmond from Blair Academy's 105th annual Peddie Day, a day of sporting events between its rival the Peddie School in Hightstown."
  10. "Blair Academy Website".
  11. "Blair Wrestling".
  12. BA. "Blair at the Preps Year-by-Year". Blair Wrestling website. Archived from the original on September 6, 2009. Retrieved February 17, 2009.
  13. "Evan Silver Bio". gostanford.com. Stanford University. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  14. Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame Archived January 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Accessed November 5, 2006.
  15. NJSIAA Boys and Girls Team Swimming History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2020.
  16. "Dion Lewis". University of Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  17. Tuition & Financial Aid, Blair Academy. Accessed June 22, 2017.
  18. Stanger, Melissa; and Jacobs, Peter. "The 50 Most Expensive Boarding Schools In America", Business Insider, September 30, 2013. Accessed August 11, 2015. "We've rounded up the 50 most expensive boarding schools in the U.S., looking at total costs including tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees (including one-time fees where applicable) for the 2013-2014 school year."
  19. Stanger, Melissa. "The 50 Most Expensive Boarding Schools In America", Business Insider, October 16, 2012. Accessed August 11, 2015.
  20. Head of School's Welcome, Blair Academy. Accessed August 11, 2015.
  21. Blair Academy, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed September 24, 2020.
  22. List of Member Schools, New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. Accessed August 10, 2017.
  23. "Endowment - Blair Academy". www.blair.edu. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  24. Trumbull, Rebecca (January 24, 1992). "NRHP Nomination: Blair Presbyterial Academy". National Park Service. Cite journal requires |journal= (help) "Accompanying 68 photos". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  25. Staff. "Anne Demarest Nelson Plans Bridal", The New York Times, March 31, 1970. Accessed December 11, 2017. "Mr. Apgar is the son of Mr. Apgar 3d of Ridgewood, N. J., and Mrs. Dorothea Tipper Apgar of Baltimore.... The future bridegroom, a graduate of Blair Academy and Dartmouth College, where he was a Rufus Choate Scholar, studied at Magdalen College of Oxford University and received an M.B.A. degree from Harvard."
  26. Dahle, Stephanie. "Get Briefed: Jack Bogle", Forbes, January 12, 2009. Accessed May 10, 2011. "Bogle, who in 2004 was named one of Time magazine's 100 most powerful and influential people, serves on the board of trustees at his high school alma mater, Blair Academy, and has served on the advisory board for the Millstein Center for Corporate Governance and Performance at the Yale School of Management."
  27. Walker, Paul. Speaking of science fiction: the Paul Walker interviews, p. 209. Luna Publications, 1978. ISBN 9780930346010. Accessed November 26, 2018. "Young John was educated at Blair Academy in Jersey, at M.I.T., and received a degree in physics from Duke University."
  28. "Deng's dedication breeds success", BBC Sport. Accessed December 6, 2006.
  29. Scruton, Bruce A. "Lawmaker hears environmental concerns at Sierra Club forum", New Jersey Herald, March 22, 2017. Accessed December 11, 2017. "Timothy Eustace isn't a long-tenured, name-recognized veteran of the state Assembly, but he does chair that body's Environmental and Solid Waste Committee.... Asked about public transportation, or the lack of it in Sussex County, he said he remembers when he was a student at Blair Academy in Blairstown and needed to go home to Bergen County."
  30. Frassinelli, Mike. "Chaplain did it his way and leaves a lasting impression" Archived August 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, copy of article from The Star-Ledger, May 24, 2007. Accessed May 10, 2011. "Rising Canadian singer-songwriter Christine Evans, a Blair junior who last month won the Album of the Year honor in Vancouver, opened the service with a moving version of her song, It's Up to You."
  31. Hudson, Beth. "Easton's Souders upsets nation's No. 1 119-pounder", The Morning Call, January 22, 2006. Accessed May 10, 2011. "He used a second period reversal to beat Sidney's Josh Moore and then topped Blair's Reid Fliehr, the son of professional wrestler Ric Flair..."
  32. "Caligula: Special 20th Anniversary - Cast and Crew of Caligula". Penthouse. Archived from the original on January 24, 2001. Coming from a conventional background--he was born in Brooklyn, raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and educated at Blair Academy--Guccione became interested in less than conventional activities after he left school.
  33. Staff. "84 Blair Graduates Receive Diplomas; John Reiley Guthrie Gets Two of Major Awards", The New York Times, June 14, 1938. Accessed September 14, 2018. "John Reiley Guthrie of Phillipsburg received two of the prizes, the McDonald Trophy for the highest all-round achievement in the senior class and the John F. Dumont Prize for the highest rank in English."
  34. Staff. "John Reiley Guthrie '42", Princeton Alumni Weekly, October 7, 2009. Accessed September 14, 2018. "John R. Guthrie, a four-star U.S. Army general, died May 25, 2009. Jack came to Princeton from Blair Academy. He joined Key and Seal, received honors in history, and was a major in ROTC."
  35. McQuiston, John T. "James C. Hagerty, 71, Dies; Eisenhower Press Secretary", The New York Times, April 13, 1981. Accessed December 1, 2007. "After his family moved to New York City from Plattsburgh, when he was three years old, James Hagerty attended grade school in the Bronx and the Evander Childs High School before enrolling at Blair Academy, in Blairstown, N.J., for his last two years of high school."
  36. Ledin, Loren. "Boys Basketball Notebook: Max Heidegger turns Oaks Christian into a prime contender", Ventura County Star, February 7, 2016. Accessed November 15, 2020. "Heidegger didn't even play a year ago while attending Blair Academy in New Jersey. Before that, he played as a freshman and sophomore for Crespi High in Encino."
  37. Staff. "Writers, Teachers, Historians" Archived March 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Blair Bulletin, Spring 2005, p. 5. Accessed May 10, 2011. "Though they graduated three years apart, Scott Rohrer '76 and Andrew Heinze '73 have at least four things in common. They are, obviously, both Blair graduates, they love history, they love to write and they teach. Scott received his B.A. in history and journalism and later an M.A. in American history. Andrew holds a B.A., an M.A. and a Ph.D. in history."
  38. , SNY.tv, June 4, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2019. "The Knicks are reportedly close to finalizing a deal to make Royal Ivey an assistant coach on David Fizdale's staff next season, per ESPN's Ian Begley"
  39. Behind the Numbers: Royal Ivey, NBA.com. Accessed September 14, 2018. "'In high school I wore number 12,' says Ivey, who led Cardozo HS in Queens to their first-ever New York PSAL title during his senior year before doing a post graduate year at Blair Academy in New Jersey."
  40. Martin, Douglas. "George P. Jenkins, a MetLife Chairman, Dies at 94", The New York Times, October 16, 2009. Accessed May 10, 2011. "George Pollock Jenkins was born in Clarksburg, W.Va., on Feb. 24, 1915. He graduated from the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J.; from Princeton as a Phi Beta Kappa economics major; and from Harvard Business School."
  41. International Motion Picture Almanac, p. 173. Quigley Publications, 1951. Accessed September 14, 2018. "Lasky, Jr., Jesse... e. Blair Academy, Hun School of Princeton, Grand Central School of Art, U. of Dijon"
  42. Davis, Ken. "Dion Lewis, Noel Devine ready to take Big East, nation by storm", Sports Illustrated, August 6, 2010. Accessed March 22, 2011. "Even though Lewis played in Albany, N.Y., the heart of Big East territory, he didn't receive any scholarship offers until he transferred to New Jersey's Blair Academy and averaged 12.3 yards per carry there. Even then, Lewis had to send videotapes to 20 schools before Pitt actually took notice. His parents were ready to pay his tuition to give him the opportunity to become a walk-on when Pitt assistant coach Jeff Hafley noticed Lewis as he was recruiting another player at Blair Academy."
  43. "Former CNN Executive Focused on Politics & Journalism at Skeptics" Archived January 10, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Blair Academy, March 22, 2013. Accessed May 7, 2013. "On Tuesday, March 26, Blair welcomed Stuart Loory '50, former vice president at CNN and executive vice president of Turner Broadcasting in Russia, as he returned to campus to address the Society of Skeptics."
  44. Ziment, Dan. "Serving Up Some New Hell with Tucker Max" Archived September 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Emory Wheel, September 24, 2009. Accessed May 10, 2011. "Before he decided to devote his time only to his stories, Max built a very impressive resume. After graduating from Blair Academy, a prep school in New Jersey, he attended the University of Chicago, where, despite the school's prestigious academic reputation, the parties were simply not up to his standards."
  45. Staff. "Mocco captures NCAA title", The Record, March 23, 2003. Accessed May 10, 2011. "Mocco, a sophomore from North Bergen who competed for Blair Academy, scored a 7-3 decision over the Air Force's Kevin Hoy at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships Saturday before 16,436 at Kemper Arena."
  46. Justin Robinson, London Lions (basketball). Accessed September 14, 2018. "Graduated from Blair Academy to get to Rider after learning his trade at Brixton Basketball Club under the legendary Jimmy Rogers."
  47. Kania, Joe. "Wrestling: Blair's Ed Ruth claims 86 kilogram World Team spot", The Star-Ledger, June 2, 2014. Accessed September 14, 2018. "Ed Ruth, three-time NCAA champ for the Nittany Lions and former Blair standout, took the 86 kilogram title at the World Team Trials on Sunday in Madison, Wisconsin and will represent the United States at the World Championships in Uzbekistan in September."
  48. Albert Greig Rutherford, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed March 22, 2011.
  49. Davis, Jeff. "Rozelle: Czar of the NFL", p. 143, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2007. ISBN 0-07-147166-9. Accessed May 10, 2011. "'I went to a school called Blair Academy, in Blairstown, New Jersey, near Princeton,' Ed Sabol said. 'I spent two years at the school. I was on the swimming team there and set a world scholastic record for the 100-yard freestyle.'"
  50. Blagden, Nellie. "Talk About a Steady Job—Miss Ellen Has Toiled at Blair Academy for 69 Years", People (magazine), September 26, 1977. Accessed March 22, 2011. "Other Blair graduates of the Miss Ellen era include Stewart Cort, retired chairman of Bethlehem Steel, class of 1930, Bob Guccione of Penthouse, 1948, and John Sebastian of the rock group Lovin' Spoonful, 1962."
  51. Shull, Joseph Horace, (1848 - 1944), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 14, 2018. "Shull, Joseph Horace, a Representative from Pennsylvania; born at Martins Creek, Northampton County, Pa., August 17, 1848; attended the public schools and Blair Hall, Blairstown, N.J."
  52. Simon, William E., American National Biography. Accessed September 14, 2018. "Young William attended secondary school at the Blair Academy and the Newark Academy but was an undistinguished student, preferring sports to academics."
  53. Staff. "Speedy Backs and Sturdy Line Factors in Army's Success; Cadets Unbeaten In Three Starts", The New York Times, October 13, 1943. Accessed September 10, 2017. "Joe Stanowicz, a Hackettstown, N. J., boy who later went to Blair Academy, where he starred as fullback, has been remolded into a tackle, giving the Cadets two 215-pounders at theses important slots, while McCorkle is a converted end."
  54. Samuel Studdiford Stratton, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed March 22, 2011.
  55. Satterfield, Lem. "Fighting sports homophobia", The Baltimore Sun, June 16, 2011. Accessed March 12, 2012. "As a high school wrestler, Taylor attended the prestigious Blair Academy, in Blairstown, N.J., where he started as a 152-pound sophomore, a 171-pound junior and a 189-pound senior, winning National Preps crowns each of those seasons."
  56. Staff. "Taki Speaks at Skeptics" Archived July 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Blair Academy, April 9, 2008. Accessed May 10, 2011. "Taki Theodoracopulos '55 was the featured Society of Skeptics speaker on April 8 and addressed the topic, 'On the Evils of the Press.' He joked that after re-thinking the focus of his presentation, originally billed, 'On the Freedom of the Press,' he felt compelled to revise the title. Taki also shared some amusing tales of his student years at Blair."
  57. Rodriguez, Justin. "Tobey living boyhood dream", Times Herald-Record, March 19, 2014. Accessed September 14, 2018. "Before Virginia, Tobey played for prep power Blair Academy, N.J., averaging 21 points and seven rebounds as a senior."
  58. Charlie Villanueva, Basketball-Reference.com. Accessed November 10, 2007.
  59. Duarte, Joseph. "Texas All-American Durant to declare for NBA draft", Houston Chronicle, April 10, 2007. Accessed March 22, 2011. "Barnes has signed three recruits for next season, headlined by Gary Johnson, a 6-7 power forward Aldine. The Longhorns also will welcome Alexis Wangmene, a 6-8 power forward from Blair Academy in New Jersey and Clint Chapman, a 6-10 forward from Canby, Ore."
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