Western Reserve Academy - History

History

Western Reserve Academy was established in 1826 as the Western Reserve College and Preparatory School in Hudson, Ohio, on a 190-acre (768,930 m²) plot of land set aside via charter. In 1882 the college moved north to Cleveland, Ohio, and became Western Reserve University, later merging with the Case Institute of Technology. Reserve is the 27th oldest preparatory boarding school in the United States, and the oldest outside of the Northeast.

Loomis Observatory, on the Academy campus, was constructed in 1837 and still stands today. It is the second-oldest observatory in the United States and houses its original instruments inside.

Western Reserve Academy remained open for another twenty-one years, until 1903, when it was forced to close due to financial problems. In 1916, however, the school reopened due to the graces of benefactor James Ellsworth, a former student and Hudson resident who had returned after making millions of dollars in the coal industry.

The "Ellsworth Era" was marked by significant construction, namely Seymour Hall (the newly appointed academic building), the Bicknell Gymnasium, and Ellsworth Hall, a dormitory and dining hall.

In 1922, Western Reserve Academy became an all-boys institution, which it remained for fifty years, until 1972, when girls were once again admitted.

In the late 1990s and into the early 21st century, Western Reserve Academy again underwent a major construction period, eclipsing even the growth of the "Ellsworth Era." During this time the following projects were completed:

• Renovation of computer lab in Seymour Hall (1995)
• Expansion/ Construction of the Metcalf Center (1999)
• Renovation of Wood House (2000–2002)
• Construction and expansion of athletic facilities, including the Murdough Athletic Center (2001–2004)
• Renovation of Bicknell Gymnasium into Bicknell House (2004)
• Construction of the John D. Ong Library (2000)
• Renovation of Wilson Science Hall (2001)
• Construction of Long House Dormitory (2000)
• Renovation of Nathan P. Seymour Guest House (1998)

In 2001, Western Reserve Academy was recognized by US News and World Report as one of the top boarding schools in the country.

A boarding school, Western Reserve Academy is largely a residential campus, with 249 of 391 students living on campus and the remainder attending the day program as "day-students." In that population, students matriculated from 25 states and 17 countries.

82% of the faculty hold advanced degrees. Approximately 90% of the faculty members reside on campus in either faculty homes or dormitory apartments.

Reserve formerly participated in an annual summer exchange program with the Caterham School in Surrey, England. However, the program is now on hold.