Indian Springs School: Difference between revisions
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| type=Private | | type=Private | ||
| grades=8-12 | | grades=8-12 | ||
| head-type= | | head-type=Head of School | ||
| principal= | | principal=Scott Schamberger | ||
| enrollment= | | enrollment=325 | enroll-year=2022 | ||
| colors= | | colors=maroon & gray | mascot=none | ||
| address=190 Woodward Drive | | address=190 Woodward Drive | ||
| city=Indian Springs Village | | city=Indian Springs Village | ||
| website=[http://www.indiansprings.org/ www.indiansprings.org] | | website=[http://www.indiansprings.org/ www.indiansprings.org] | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Indian Springs School''' is an 8th-12th grade boarding and day school at 190 [[Woodward Drive]], at the base of [[Oak Mountain]] in [[Indian Springs Village]], [[Shelby County]]. As of [[ | '''Indian Springs School''' is an 8th-12th grade boarding and day school at 190 [[Woodward Drive]], at the base of [[Oak Mountain]] in [[Indian Springs Village]], [[Shelby County]]. As of [[2017]] the school has 307 students. [[Scott Schamberger]] is Head of School. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Indian Springs School was founded in [[1952]] by Birmingham businessman [[Harvey G. Woodward]], who left the funds and instructions for creating the school in his will at his death in [[1930]]. | Indian Springs School was founded in [[1952]] by Birmingham businessman [[Harvey G. Woodward]], who left the funds and instructions for creating the school in his will at his death in [[1930]]. | ||
Woodward wanted to make the school available to both Alabama's elite and rural poor (though he stipulated that only white male gentiles should be admitted). These restrictions have all been challenged and abolished. | Woodward wanted to make the school available to both Alabama's elite and rural poor (though he stipulated that only white male gentiles should be admitted). These restrictions have all been challenged and abolished. He also instructed that the school should champion a holistic approach to learning (the school's motto is "''Discere Vivendo'''," or "Learning Through Living"). During its first years, students tended to the 350-acre working farm on the property when not in class. Though the farmwork was soon eliminated from the curriculum, the concept of integrated learning remains central to the school's mission. | ||
The first buildings were designed by [[Warren, Knight & Davis]]. The school opened with ten staff members and 60 students. The first director of the school was [[Louis E. Armstrong]]. He made several changes to Woodward's original plans for the school, most notably reversing Woodward's request that the school not be preparatory. History teacher [[MacDonald Fleming]], still teaching in [[2007]], was part of the original faculty. | |||
By [[1960]] the school had 130 students, all aged 9 to 12. Tuition at the time was $2,000 per year for boarding students. That fall, physics teacher [[Richard Jones]] won approval to construct a tilting demonstration classroom which he called a "[[Truth House]]". In [[1963]] basketball, volleyball and track coach [[Ray Woodard]] reintroduced the sport of [[soccer]] to Alabama with his first team, which had to travel out-of-state to find opponents. | |||
By the 1970s, the school had grown to include equal numbers of day students and boarders. An 8th grade was added, and the school became coeducational in [[1975]]. | By the 1970s, the school had grown to include equal numbers of day students and boarders. An 8th grade was added, and the school became coeducational in [[1975]]. | ||
Indian Springs School was the first boarding school in the | Indian Springs School was the first boarding school in the United States to be recognized by the Malone Family Foundation, which provided a $2-million grant to underwrite tuition and other expenses for gifted students whose families could not otherwise afford an independent school. | ||
In [[ | In [[2012]] the school's board of governors approved a major overhaul of the campus, designed by Lake/Flato of San Antonio, Texas in association with Birmingham's [[ArchitectureWorks]]. The first phase of work involved constructing new art studios and classrooms. The [[Leo Kayser Jr Academic Center]], housing advising offices, a technology center, library and research services, was named in recognition of a $2 million gift from the estate of alumnus and former board member [[Leo Kayser Jr]]. | ||
The title of "Director" was changed to "Head of School" with the hiring of [[Sharon Howell]] to succeed [[Gareth Vaughan]] in [[2016]]. | |||
In [[ | In January [[2017]], Indian Springs School had 307 students from 13 states and eight countries, 72% of whom were day students and 28% of whom were boarding. There were 155 boys and 152 girls. | ||
Indian Springs School was a major inspiration for the novel ''[[Looking For Alaska]]'' by alumnus [[John Green]]. | |||
In June [[2019]] the chair of Indian Springs' Board of Governors, [[Alan Engel]], sent a letter addressed to the "Indian Springs School Community" to report on the findings of an investigation by the Portsmouth, New Hampshire law firm Jackson Lewis into reports of "educator sexual misconduct" occurring at the school over several decades. The investigation found evidence that at least five former faculty members— including [[Marvin Balch]], [[Tim Thomas]] and [[Lee Watkins]]— had participated on ongoing sexual misconduct with students. None of those named in the letter were still associated with the school. | |||
* [[ | |||
* [[ | Indian Springs student [[Jordyn Hudson]] developed a diversity and inclusion initiative which was adopted into the school's constitution in [[2021]]. The initiative provides for an annual student orientation program covering race, bi-monthly diversity symposia, and the establishment of cultural societies and affinity spaces to support students. Her efforts were recognized with a 2021 Princeton Prize in Race Relations. | ||
* [[ | |||
* [[ | In December [[2022]] the school completed a new $13.5 million, 12,000 square-foot [[Kayser-Samford Community Commons]] on the site of its former dining hall. | ||
* [[ | |||
===Heads of School=== | |||
* [[Louis E. Armstrong]], 1952–1972 | |||
* [[Joseph Jackson (Indian Springs)|Joseph Jackson]], 1972–1986 | |||
** [[MacDonald Fleming]] (interim), 1986–1987 | |||
* [[Douglas Jennings]], 1987–2002 | |||
* [[Mel MacKay]], 2002–2007 | |||
* [[Lee Pierson]] (interim), 2007–2008 | |||
* [[Gareth Vaughan]], 2008–2016 | |||
* [[Sharon Howell]], 2016– | |||
** [[Don North]] (interim), 2019–2020 | |||
* [[Scott Schamberger]], 2020– | |||
==Notable faculty== | |||
* [[Clay Colvin]] | |||
* [[MacDonald Fleming]] | |||
* [[John Lusco]] | |||
* [[Cordray Parker]] | |||
* [[Stephen Rolfe Powell]] | |||
* [[Diane Sheppard]] | |||
* [[Hugh Thomas]] | |||
* [[Ray Woodard]] | |||
==Notable alumni== | ==Notable alumni== | ||
* [[Daniel | * [[Daniel Alarcón]] (1995), author | ||
* [[John Badham]] (1957), motion picture director | * [[John Badham]] (1957), motion picture director | ||
* [[Jim Burke]] (1969), president of [[Jim Burke Automotive]] | * [[Jim Burke]] (1969), president of [[Jim Burke Automotive]] | ||
* [[Mark Gitenstein]] (1964) U. S. Ambassador to Romania | * [[Howard Cruse]] (1962), cartoonist and author of ''[[Stuck Rubber Baby]]'' | ||
* [[Mark Gitenstein]] (1964) U.S. Ambassador to Romania | |||
* [[Mike Goodrich]] (1963), CEO of [[BE&K]] | * [[Mike Goodrich]] (1963), CEO of [[BE&K]] | ||
* [[John Green]] (1995), author | * [[John Green]] (1995), author | ||
* [[Carole Griffin]] (1978), baker, singer, restaurateur | |||
* [[Alan Heldman]] (1980), cardiologist | * [[Alan Heldman]] (1980), cardiologist | ||
* [[Rob Henrikson]] (1965), CEO of MetLife, Inc. | * [[Rob Henrikson]] (1965), CEO of MetLife, Inc. | ||
* [[Donald Hess]] (1966), former CEO of [[Parisian]] | * [[Donald Hess]] (1966), former CEO of [[Parisian]] | ||
* [[George | * [[George LeMaistre]], Alabama Civil Rights activist | ||
* [[Henry Sprott Long Jr]], architect | |||
* [[Elaine Luria]] (1993), U.S. Representative | |||
* [[Michael McCullers]] (1989), screenwriter and director | * [[Michael McCullers]] (1989), screenwriter and director | ||
* [[Tennant McWilliams]] (1961), | * [[Tennant McWilliams]] (1961), historian and dean of [[UAB School of Social and Behavioral Sciences]] | ||
* [[Sally Nemeth]] (1977), playwright and novelist | * [[Sally Nemeth]] (1977), playwright and novelist | ||
* [[David Oh]] (1987), NASA flight director | * [[David Oh]] (1987), NASA flight director | ||
| Line 63: | Line 88: | ||
* [[Benjamin Russell]] (1957), CEO of [[Russell Lands]] | * [[Benjamin Russell]] (1957), CEO of [[Russell Lands]] | ||
* [[Glennon Threatt]] (1974), defense attorney | * [[Glennon Threatt]] (1974), defense attorney | ||
* [[James | * [[James White III]], founder of [[Porter, White & Company]] | ||
* [[Stuart Whitehurst]] (1979), rare book and manuscript appraiser | * [[Stuart Whitehurst]] (1979), rare book and manuscript appraiser | ||
* [[Russell Williams]] (1973), Adobe Photoshop developer | * [[Russell Williams]] (1973), Adobe Photoshop developer | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* | * "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/p4017coll2/id/963 Will of Harvey G. Woodward again before Supreme Court]" (June 17, 1947) {{BPH}} - via {{BPLDC}} | ||
* Stillman, Jack (October 18, 1960) "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19601017&id=CiQsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FJ4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=949%2C5297664 'Truth House' To Be Built]" ''Florence Times'' | |||
* Buzzard, Clyde E. (1999) ''Harvey G. Woodward will; A Man’s Will, Harvey G. Woodward & Indian Springs School.'' unpublished manuscript | |||
* Jones, Pam (Summer 2005) "Where There's a Will: The Story of Indian Springs School." ''Alabama Heritage'' Magazine, Number 77, pp. 26-33 | |||
* Taylor, Kelli Hewett (March 17, 2007) "Indian Springs school director, MacKay, resigns." {{BN}} | * Taylor, Kelli Hewett (March 17, 2007) "Indian Springs school director, MacKay, resigns." {{BN}} | ||
* Badham, Tom (October 2010) "The School For Eggheads The Origins of Indian Springs School." ''Jefferson County Historical Association Newsletter'', p. 2 | |||
* Kennedy, Veronica (August 5, 2012) "Indian Springs School to get campus renovation." {{BN}} | * Kennedy, Veronica (August 5, 2012) "Indian Springs School to get campus renovation." {{BN}} | ||
* Hardison, Jonathan (December 5, 2019) "New revelations about alleged sexual misconduct at Indian Springs School and Birmingham church." WBRC.com | |||
* Stewart, Kelly & Hudson Munoz (December 9, 2019) "We Went to the Real Culver Creek. It Was a Great School — With A Systemic Sexual Abuse Problem." ''Medium'' | |||
* Cook, Anthony (July 9, 2021) "Birmingham’s Jordyn Hudson awarded Princeton Prize in Race Relations." ''Alabama NewsCenter'' / {{BT}} | |||
* Rebman, Stephanie (December 12, 2022) "Indian Springs School opens $13.5M addition." {{BBJ}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* [http://www.indiansprings.org/ Indian Springs School] website | * [http://www.indiansprings.org/ Indian Springs School] website | ||
* [http://fly.hiwaay.net/%7Emdsmith/iss.htm Indian Springs pages] compiled by M. D. Smith (Class of 1959) | * [http://fly.hiwaay.net/%7Emdsmith/iss.htm Indian Springs pages] compiled by M. D. Smith (Class of 1959) | ||
* [https://www.springssurvivors.org/ Spring Survivors] website | |||
[[Category: | [[Category:Indian Springs School|*]] | ||
[[Category:Warren Knight & Davis buildings]] | |||
[[Category:1952 buildings]] | [[Category:1952 buildings]] | ||
[[Category:1952 establishments]] | [[Category:1952 establishments]] | ||
[[Category:Woodward Drive]] | [[Category:Woodward Drive]] | ||
Latest revision as of 13:36, 14 March 2024
| Indian Springs School | |
| |
| Established | 1952 |
|---|---|
| School type | Private |
| District | N/A |
| Grades | 8-12 |
| Head of School | Scott Schamberger |
| Enrollment | 325 (2022) |
| Colors | maroon & gray |
| Mascot | none |
| Location | 190 Woodward Drive Indian Springs Village |
| Website | www.indiansprings.org |
Indian Springs School is an 8th-12th grade boarding and day school at 190 Woodward Drive, at the base of Oak Mountain in Indian Springs Village, Shelby County. As of 2017 the school has 307 students. Scott Schamberger is Head of School.
History
Indian Springs School was founded in 1952 by Birmingham businessman Harvey G. Woodward, who left the funds and instructions for creating the school in his will at his death in 1930.
Woodward wanted to make the school available to both Alabama's elite and rural poor (though he stipulated that only white male gentiles should be admitted). These restrictions have all been challenged and abolished. He also instructed that the school should champion a holistic approach to learning (the school's motto is "Discere Vivendo'," or "Learning Through Living"). During its first years, students tended to the 350-acre working farm on the property when not in class. Though the farmwork was soon eliminated from the curriculum, the concept of integrated learning remains central to the school's mission.
The first buildings were designed by Warren, Knight & Davis. The school opened with ten staff members and 60 students. The first director of the school was Louis E. Armstrong. He made several changes to Woodward's original plans for the school, most notably reversing Woodward's request that the school not be preparatory. History teacher MacDonald Fleming, still teaching in 2007, was part of the original faculty.
By 1960 the school had 130 students, all aged 9 to 12. Tuition at the time was $2,000 per year for boarding students. That fall, physics teacher Richard Jones won approval to construct a tilting demonstration classroom which he called a "Truth House". In 1963 basketball, volleyball and track coach Ray Woodard reintroduced the sport of soccer to Alabama with his first team, which had to travel out-of-state to find opponents.
By the 1970s, the school had grown to include equal numbers of day students and boarders. An 8th grade was added, and the school became coeducational in 1975.
Indian Springs School was the first boarding school in the United States to be recognized by the Malone Family Foundation, which provided a $2-million grant to underwrite tuition and other expenses for gifted students whose families could not otherwise afford an independent school.
In 2012 the school's board of governors approved a major overhaul of the campus, designed by Lake/Flato of San Antonio, Texas in association with Birmingham's ArchitectureWorks. The first phase of work involved constructing new art studios and classrooms. The Leo Kayser Jr Academic Center, housing advising offices, a technology center, library and research services, was named in recognition of a $2 million gift from the estate of alumnus and former board member Leo Kayser Jr.
The title of "Director" was changed to "Head of School" with the hiring of Sharon Howell to succeed Gareth Vaughan in 2016.
In January 2017, Indian Springs School had 307 students from 13 states and eight countries, 72% of whom were day students and 28% of whom were boarding. There were 155 boys and 152 girls.
Indian Springs School was a major inspiration for the novel Looking For Alaska by alumnus John Green.
In June 2019 the chair of Indian Springs' Board of Governors, Alan Engel, sent a letter addressed to the "Indian Springs School Community" to report on the findings of an investigation by the Portsmouth, New Hampshire law firm Jackson Lewis into reports of "educator sexual misconduct" occurring at the school over several decades. The investigation found evidence that at least five former faculty members— including Marvin Balch, Tim Thomas and Lee Watkins— had participated on ongoing sexual misconduct with students. None of those named in the letter were still associated with the school.
Indian Springs student Jordyn Hudson developed a diversity and inclusion initiative which was adopted into the school's constitution in 2021. The initiative provides for an annual student orientation program covering race, bi-monthly diversity symposia, and the establishment of cultural societies and affinity spaces to support students. Her efforts were recognized with a 2021 Princeton Prize in Race Relations.
In December 2022 the school completed a new $13.5 million, 12,000 square-foot Kayser-Samford Community Commons on the site of its former dining hall.
Heads of School
- Louis E. Armstrong, 1952–1972
- Joseph Jackson, 1972–1986
- MacDonald Fleming (interim), 1986–1987
- Douglas Jennings, 1987–2002
- Mel MacKay, 2002–2007
- Lee Pierson (interim), 2007–2008
- Gareth Vaughan, 2008–2016
- Sharon Howell, 2016–
- Don North (interim), 2019–2020
- Scott Schamberger, 2020–
Notable faculty
- Clay Colvin
- MacDonald Fleming
- John Lusco
- Cordray Parker
- Stephen Rolfe Powell
- Diane Sheppard
- Hugh Thomas
- Ray Woodard
Notable alumni
- Daniel Alarcón (1995), author
- John Badham (1957), motion picture director
- Jim Burke (1969), president of Jim Burke Automotive
- Howard Cruse (1962), cartoonist and author of Stuck Rubber Baby
- Mark Gitenstein (1964) U.S. Ambassador to Romania
- Mike Goodrich (1963), CEO of BE&K
- John Green (1995), author
- Carole Griffin (1978), baker, singer, restaurateur
- Alan Heldman (1980), cardiologist
- Rob Henrikson (1965), CEO of MetLife, Inc.
- Donald Hess (1966), former CEO of Parisian
- George LeMaistre, Alabama Civil Rights activist
- Henry Sprott Long Jr, architect
- Elaine Luria (1993), U.S. Representative
- Michael McCullers (1989), screenwriter and director
- Tennant McWilliams (1961), historian and dean of UAB School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Sally Nemeth (1977), playwright and novelist
- David Oh (1987), NASA flight director
- Charles Plosser (1966), economist, president of Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
- Gray Plosser (1963), architect, president of KPS Group
- Stephen Rolfe Powell (1970), glass artist
- Benjamin Russell (1957), CEO of Russell Lands
- Glennon Threatt (1974), defense attorney
- James White III, founder of Porter, White & Company
- Stuart Whitehurst (1979), rare book and manuscript appraiser
- Russell Williams (1973), Adobe Photoshop developer
References
- "Will of Harvey G. Woodward again before Supreme Court" (June 17, 1947) Birmingham Post-Herald - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Stillman, Jack (October 18, 1960) "'Truth House' To Be Built" Florence Times
- Buzzard, Clyde E. (1999) Harvey G. Woodward will; A Man’s Will, Harvey G. Woodward & Indian Springs School. unpublished manuscript
- Jones, Pam (Summer 2005) "Where There's a Will: The Story of Indian Springs School." Alabama Heritage Magazine, Number 77, pp. 26-33
- Taylor, Kelli Hewett (March 17, 2007) "Indian Springs school director, MacKay, resigns." The Birmingham News
- Badham, Tom (October 2010) "The School For Eggheads The Origins of Indian Springs School." Jefferson County Historical Association Newsletter, p. 2
- Kennedy, Veronica (August 5, 2012) "Indian Springs School to get campus renovation." The Birmingham News
- Hardison, Jonathan (December 5, 2019) "New revelations about alleged sexual misconduct at Indian Springs School and Birmingham church." WBRC.com
- Stewart, Kelly & Hudson Munoz (December 9, 2019) "We Went to the Real Culver Creek. It Was a Great School — With A Systemic Sexual Abuse Problem." Medium
- Cook, Anthony (July 9, 2021) "Birmingham’s Jordyn Hudson awarded Princeton Prize in Race Relations." Alabama NewsCenter / The Birmingham Times
- Rebman, Stephanie (December 12, 2022) "Indian Springs School opens $13.5M addition." Birmingham Business Journal
External links
- Indian Springs School website
- Indian Springs pages compiled by M. D. Smith (Class of 1959)
- Spring Survivors website