History
The school was founded in 1918 by the Rev. Dr. Charles W. Shreiner. Shreiner, an Episcopal clergyman, established the school in Glen Loch (now Exton) Pennsylvania, on Route 30 (Lincoln Highway), as a boarding school for boys from single parent homes, primarily those without fathers. The sons of clergy, members of the armed services, and police officers were a second focus of the school in its early days. The Rev. Dr. Shreiner, because of his strict belief in the importance of discipline and a strong work ethic, was known to the boys as the "Colonel."
Shortly after its founding, the school acquired the Benjamin Pennypacker House property. The school integrated in 1963. After The Rev. Dr. Shreiner's death in 1964, the Board of Directors placed the School under the direction of his son, Dr. Charles Shreiner, Jr., a World War II veteran, who served until retirement in 1987. The school's third headmaster, Charles "Terry" Shreiner, III, the founder's grandson, led the school from 1987 and retired in 2009. The School was then led by an interim headmaster, Thomas Rodd, Jr., who was replaced by The Rev. Mr. Edmund K. Sherrill ll, an Episcopal clergyman, in July 2009. Presently, the School's academic program is designed for boys in grades 7-12. (A "junior school" of grades 5-6 was phased out in the 1960s.) The school offers a college preparatory education, including honors and Advanced Placement classes. On average, greater than 95% of seniors attend college after graduation.
The student body has a typical enrollment of 180-190. Boarding students live in ten home-like "cottages." In 1995, the school opened its doors to day students, who now comprise 20% of the school community. The school is affiliated with the Episcopal Church, with an Episcopal clergyman ("Chaplain") leading weekly chapel services for the school community. Despite this affiliation, there is no religious restriction on admissions.
Over the first half of its history, the School's campus grew to 1700 acres, on which a large farm was operated with the help of the students. Each boy was required to work half of each school day and full time for half of each summer. This enterprise included a large dairy farm and hog raising operation and produced many crops. The agricultural activities were gradually phased out, beginning in the mid-1970s, with most of the remaining farm land being sold off to developers in the late 1990s. The proceeds from this sale resulted in a substantial increase in the School's endowment. The dairy barns and silos remain as a memorial of the agricultural era of the school's history.
Read more about this topic: Church Farm School
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