The Circle, Middlesex School, Concord, Massachusetts

Clay Centennial Center, Middlesex School, Concord, Massachusetts

Middlesex School is an independent preparatory school for grades 9 - 12 located in Concord, Massachusetts, USA. Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school (usually abbreviated to preparatory school, college prep school, or prep school Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It was founded in 1901 by Frederick Winsor, who headed the school until 1937. Frederick Albert Winsor, originally Friedrich Albrecht Winzer (1763 Braunschweig, Germany – 11 May 1830 Paris) was a German inventor one of the pioneers Formerly an all-boys' school, Middlesex became coeducational in 1974.

The school was named for the county Middlesex in which it stands, mentioned in the poem "Paul Revere's Ride": "So, Revere’s cry of alarm / To every Middlesex village and farm, / A cry of defiance and not of fear". Middlesex County is a County located in the US state of Massachusetts.

From the school's earliest days, Middlesex enjoyed a close affiliation with Harvard University, and for many years the majority of Middlesex graduates attended Harvard. Today, the largest numbers of graduates of the last four years now attend Brown University, Harvard University, Cornell University, and Tufts University. Brown University is a highly esteemed private University located in Providence, Rhode Island and is a member of the Ivy League.

Middlesex is a member of the Independent School League. History Charter members of the Private School League were Belmont Hill, Brooks, Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N The

History

From its inception, Middlesex was intended to be different from the other academies and "church schools" of the day. Frederick Winsor, a Roxbury Latin School alumnus who founded Middlesex in 1901, wanted the school to be non-denominational, where students from different religious backgrounds could learn. Roxbury Latin School is the oldest school in North America in continuous existence From the very beginning, his mission was "to find the promise that lies hidden" in every student.

The design for Middlesex's campus was created by the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, arguably the greatest landscape architect of the 19th century and the designer of New York's Central Park, Boston's Emerald Necklace and Stanford University. Frederick Law Olmsted ( April 25, 1822 &ndash August 28, 1903) was an American landscape designer and father of American Central Park is a large public Urban park in New York City, with about twenty-five million visitors annually The Emerald Necklace consists of an 1100-acre chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline Massachusetts. Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in The school's main buildings, which surround The Circle, were designed by noted Boston firm, Peabody & Stearns. Peabody and Stearns was a premier architectural firm in the eastern United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century Completed in 2003, The Clay Centennial Center is the newest addition to The Circle. The building hosts science and math classrooms as well as an observatory with an 18-inch (460 mm) research grade telescope. An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial and/or celestial events

One of Winsor's greatest achievements was the creation of the National Scholarship Program, the first of its kind at any secondary school. These scholarships brought students from across the country and made Middlesex a truly national institution. This broad representation continues today, with current Middlesex students representing 27 states and 11 foreign countries.

Plaques

Among Middlesex's many traditions, one has remained virtually unchanged: every member of Class I (senior) since the first graduating class of 1904 has carved a plaque, which is displayed permanently on a wall of one of the school's main buildings. Students have always been given great latitude in the subject matter of their carvings. Common subjects include students' places of origin, favorite sports, interests in music, and meaningful experiences. The process is time intensive, usually taking between 20 and 30 hours. Carving a plaque is a graduation requirement, and more than a few students over the years have spent the night before Commencement applying the final coat of varnish to their plaques.

Campus

Most of the major campus buildings face The Circle, the School’s most enduring and familiar feature. It was exacted as part of the original campus design by the Olmsted Brothers. The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted (1852-1920 and Frederick

• Eliot Hall - The main academic and administration building, in which most English, history, and foreign language classes are held. Eliot also houses the Terry Room, a social space for students and waiting room for prospective applicants.
• Clay Centennial Center - Completed in 2003, it houses state-of-the art laboratories and most science and math classes classrooms. The observatory features a Centurion18, an eighteen-inch, reflective optic, research-grade telescope, accompanied by a rooftop observation deck with seven computer-controlled telescopes.
• Ware Hall - the School’s dining hall and administration building. The main dining room features flags from every nation represented by a Middlesex student. Ware also houses the Cruz Health Center and the school store. The Student Center (or, “Stu-Fac,” as it is called) is a lounge where students congregate between classes and after study hours.
• Memorial Chapel - A non-denominational chapel, originally dedicated to the Middlesex graduates who had died during World War I, though later rededicated to also honor those graduates who had given their lives in World War II. Renovated in 2003, the Chapel also features a choral practice space and a new pipe organ. The school congregates here to receive a speech by a different senior each week.
• Warburg Library - Contains more than 37,000 volumes and 100 periodicals. The library is a popular place among students to study throughout the day and during evening study hours. Ongoing exhibits, book talks, and film festivals are held in the Library throughout the year. Students can also borrow DVDs and videos from the Library’s collection.
• Cornelius Ayer Wood ’13 Arts Building - home to Middlesex’s 408-seat theatre, where drama productions and biweekly all-school assemblies are held. The building also features two drawing studios, space for set-building, pottery and photography studios, black box theatre, exhibition gallery, and a woodworking studio, where students carve their plaques. The black box theater is a relatively recent innovation consisting of a simple somewhat unadorned Performance space usually a large square room with black walls and a flat
• Orr Gymnasium - Houses a fitness center, wrestling room, dance studio, eight international squash courts, three recreational squash courts, Pratt Rink and Atkins Cage, which features two basketball courts. In the Spring, Pratt Rink is converted into four indoor tennis courts. The Middlesex Athletic Hall of Fame is also here.
• Athletic Fields - Among the finest among secondary schools in the northeast. They are meticulously cared for, and are of such high quality that they have often been used by Boston-area college teams as well as several countries’ national teams, including the U. S. men's soccer team. All of the fields are contiguous so that spectators can move easily from one contest to another on game days.
• Bateman’s Pond - Body of water that stretches half a mile from end to end. The crews’ lower boats use the pond for their practices. Student also use the pond for swimming, fishing, and canoeing. Walking trails and bike paths surround the pond and extend into Estabrook Woods.

There are four boys’ dorms and five girls’ dorms. Two or three faculty members live with their families in apartments within the buildings. All dorm rooms are wired for telephone and internet access, and each dorm has a common room equipped with a television and DVD player.

Athletics

Boys' Lacrosse (2005)

Athletics have always been a defining characteristic of Middlesex. In the earliest years, faculty often suited up for games alongside the students. For the better part of six decades, the athletic offerings were simple: nearly all of the boys played football in the fall, ice hockey in the winter, and had a choice of baseball or crew in the spring. Over the years, more sports were added and the roster has grown considerably. Middlesex now fields 24 varsity teams.

Underclassmen are required to play three seasons of competitive sport each year. Although upperclassmen's requirements are progressively more lenient, students still participate beyond the minimum sporting requirement.

A founding member of the sixteen-school Independent School League (ISL), Middlesex boasts an unusually successful record for a school of its size. History Charter members of the Private School League were Belmont Hill, Brooks, Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N The In the 2005-2006 academic year alone, football, girls' cross country, and girls' crew won New England championships; golf and boys' lacrosse won Independent School League championships; and boys' soccer, boys' hockey, and girls' field hockey each advanced to play in the postseason. History Charter members of the Private School League were Belmont Hill, Brooks, Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N The In recent years, Middlesex athletes have earned Boston Globe All-Scholastic, All-New England, and All-America honors. The Boston Globe (and Boston Sunday Globe) is the most widely circulated daily Newspaper in Boston and in New England, An All-American "team" is an honorary Sports team composed of outstanding Amateur players those considered the best players of a specific season for Many graduates go on to play at Division I and Division III colleges. Division I (or D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States Division III (or DIII) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the United States. In the fall of 2007 senior Henry Harding became the first Middlesex student ever to win the Boys' New England Cross Country Championship.

St. George's School in Newport, Rhode Island is Middlesex's traditional rival. Brunei St George's School Brunei Canada St George's School of Montreal in Quebec St Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence Three times a year athletes from the visiting school travel two hours by bus to compete against rival teams. The schools alternate each year to host the games, which conclude each regular, athletic season.

(*) -- Denotes Co-ed teams (|) -- Denotes separate boys and girls teams

Music and drama

Into the Woods (2005)

For nearly 50 years, Middlesex was renowned for its performances of Gilbert & Sullivan musicals. Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W The youngest boys in the school were cast in the female roles. Today, the school performs at least one major drama and one musical each year. Between major productions, students direct and perform one-act plays. In addition, underclassmen are required to take a semester-long drama course. Recent graduates have attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and Carnegie-Mellon University's prestigious acting program.

Almost one sixth of the student body sings in one of the choruses. The Chapel Chorus, which does not require its members to audition, is the school's largest vocal group. The smaller male group, Bateman's Bullfrogs, and female group, MxOlydians, audition members from the larger Chapel Chorus, and together constitute the Small Chorus. Middlesex a cappella groups typically participate in the Wick Choral Festival each February and produce a CD of their work each year. A cappella (Italian or Latin "From the chapel/choir" Music is Vocal music or Singing without instrumental Accompaniment

The Middlesex Jazz Orchestra plays jazz of various eras and composes its own pieces, which are then played at school functions. Work is recorded and produced on a CD each year.

Freedom of Speech is a student-run club that organizes regular concerts of mostly contemporary music featuring students.

"Rank by Rank" (Hymn 26) is the school's official hymn. However, "Jerusalem" (Hymn 110), in spite of its obvious religious undertones, is the school's preferred hymn. It is sung at the conclusion of nearly every chapel meeting.

Middlesex School also is the site for Middlesex School Summer Arts (MSSA), a summer arts camp for children ages 9-16.

Recent Theatrical Productions

• The Seagull (Fall 2004)
• Into the Woods (Spring 2005)
• A Flea in Her Ear (Fall 2005)
• Bat Boy (Spring 2006)
• Les Liaisons dangereuses (Fall 2006)
• Les Miserables (Spring 2007)
• Our Town (Fall 2007)
• City of Angels (Spring 2008)

Heads of School

The Terry Room, Eliot Hall

In its century-long history, Middlesex has been led by only five individuals. The Seagull ( Russian: "Чайка" ("Chayka" written in 1895 is the first of what are generally considered to be Anton Chekhov's Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. A Flea in Her Ear (La Puce à l'oreille is a 1907 play by Georges Feydeau written at the height of the Belle Époque. Bat Boy The Musical is an Off-Broadway and West End musical. The Weekly World News story about a half-boy half- Bat Les Liaisons dangereuses ( Dangerous Liaisons) is a French Les Misérables (pronounced /le miːzeʁabl(ə translated variously from French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched Our Town is a three act play by Thornton Wilder which is perhaps the most frequently produced play by an American playwright City of Angels is a Musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Larry Gelbart. Frederick Winsor, founded the School in 1901 and served as Head until 1937. Winsor was followed by Lawrence "Monk" Terry, who headed the school until 1964. David Sheldon was a member of the Middlesex faculty when he was tapped to be the third Head. Under Sheldon's stewardship, the School became coeducational (in 1974) and began admitting students of color. Deirdre Ling became the first female Head in 1990. During her tenure, Middlesex constructed a number of new facilities, added a non-Western language (Chinese) to the curriculum, wired the campus for the Internet, and celebrated the School's centennial. In 2003, Kathleen C. Giles became the fifth Head.

Estabrook Woods Controversy

Estabrook Woods

The Estabrook Woods

The Estabrook Woods is a wild tract of more than 1,200 acres (4. The Estabrook Woods is a wild tract of more than of woodland hills ledge and swamp two miles (3 km north of the Town of Concord. 9 km²) of woodland, hills, ledge, and swamp two miles (3 km) north of the Town of Concord. Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. ^[1] It is the largest contiguous and undeveloped woodland within thirty miles of Boston. ^[2] However, the woods have a history of human disturbance dating back to the Algonquin Native Americans who used controlled burning to clear tracts of land. The Algonquins (or Algonkins) are an aboriginal North American people speaking Algonquin, an Anishinaabe language. ^[3] Later, colonists cleared much of Estabrook for agriculture and pastures, although vegetation has since rejuvenated. ^[4]

Henry David Thoreau is intimately associated with this area, which he called Easterbrooks Country. In his October 20, 1857 journal entry, one of several on the woodland, he writes: “What a wild and rich domain that Easterbrooks Country! Not a cultivated, hardly a cultivatable field in it, and yet it delights all natural persons. ”^[5] The woods are also home to the Estabrook Road, which Minutemen used at the start of the Revolutionary War. Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial militia during the American Revolutionary War. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" ^[6]

Though accessible to the public, most of Estabrook is privately owned by Harvard University (672 acres) and Middlesex School (180 acres).

Estabrook Site Plan (2004)

The Controversy

In the early 1990s, Middlesex announced plans to develop Parcel A, a 40 acre tract in Estabrook, half of which is protected wetland. Over the course of 15 years, Concord residents and a group of Middlesex students and alumni have resisted efforts by the school to develop this land. Middlesex argues that the campus needs more athletic fields and tennis courts to compete favorably with rival schools. The school currently has four indoor courts and no outdoor courts for six tennis teams, which typically have 60 to 65 members. ^[7] Middlesex says that the fields are needed to ensure that three field hockey teams do not have to practice on the same field at the same time. ^[8]

Middlesex Graduates for Estabrook and Common Sense, a student group, counter that the intrinsic value of Estabrook outweighs the benefits of developing the land. In particular, they point to a 1963 article in the Middlesex Alumni Bulletin in which then-president Lawrence "Monk" Terry considers the educational resources that the Estabrook Woods offers, especially for biology students. ^[9] Furthermore, according to a 2000 survey conducted by Common Sense, most Middlesex students oppose the project. ^[10]

In June 2005, after a $1 million process to gain approval, Middlesex began construction in Estabrook, to be completed in 2007. ^[11] It will include 8 tennis courts, 2 artificial turf fields, sports shelter, and waterless toilets and will be connected to the main campus by a 300-foot (91 m) bridge over protected wetlands. In all, roughly 11 acres will be developed. ^[12]

Middlesex trustees previously turned down a $4. 5 million offer to fund a joint environmental studies program in Estabrook with Harvard University. Middlesex felt that their share of the offer ($1. 8 million) would not be sufficient to fund the program. ^[13]

In 2017, a conservation restriction on Parcel B (another 40 acre tract of land) will expire. Middlesex has not announced plans to develop Parcel B. ^[14]

Notable alumni

Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.

• Conrad Aiken - Pulitzer Prize-winning author, poet ("Silent Snow, Secret Snow")
• Steve Carell - Actor, screenwriter (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Little Miss Sunshine, The Office)
• Joseph S. Clark - U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, Mayor of Philadelphia
• Phillip Dunne - Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, film director (David and Bathsheba)
• Matthew Von Ertfelda - Runner-up contestant, Survivor: The Amazon
• James L. Halperin - Numismatist, author (The Truth Machine)
• Martin R. Hoffmann - U.S. Secretary of the Army
• Chris Van Hollen - U.S. Congressman from Maryland
• William Hurt - Academy Award-winning actor (Kiss of the Spider Woman)
• Peter Parker- the first Protestant medical missionary to Chin
• Joseph Kahn - Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
• Anthony Lake - National Security Advisor in the Clinton Administration
• Mills Lane - Judge, boxing referee, and television personality
• Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. - U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1960

• John Davis Lodge - Governor of Connecticut, ambassador to Spain, Argentina, and Switzerland
• Bill Middendorf - U. Henry Cabot Lodge Jr ( July 5, 1902 &ndash February 27, 1985) was a Republican United States Senator from Massachusetts Conrad Potter Aiken (August 5 1889 &ndash August 17 1973 was a Pulitzer Prize -winning American novelist and poet born in Savannah Georgia, whose work includes The Pulitzer Prize, ˈpʊlɨtsɚ PULL-it-sər is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in Newspaper journalism, "Silent Snow Secret Snow" (1934 is Conrad Aiken 's best-known Short story, often included in anthologies of classic American horror Steven John "Steve" Carell (born August 16, 1962) is a Golden Globe - and Screen Actors Guild Award -winning American The 40-Year-Old Virgin is a 2005 Comedy film written and directed by Judd Apatow and co-written by the film's lead Little Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American Comedy-drama film and the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Joseph Sill Clark Jr ( October 21, 1901 &ndash January 12, 1990) was a U This is a chronological listing of the United States Senators from Pennsylvania. The Mayor of Philadelphia is the chief executive of the government of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as stipulated by the Charter of the City of Philadelphia Philip Dunne could refer to Philip Russell Rendel Dunne (1904-1965 MC (1943 Unionist M "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. David and Bathsheba is a 1951 historical Epic film about King David made by 20th Century Fox. Matthew von Ertfelda (born July 24 1969 in Hong Kong) is known as a former contestant on the TV game show Survivor. Survivor The Amazon was the sixth incarnation of the popular television Reality show Survivor. James L Halperin (born October 31, 1952 in Boston Massachusetts) is an American author and businessman The Truth Machine ( 1996) is a Science fiction Novel by James L Martin Richard Hoffmann (born April 20, 1932) is a US administrator. The United States Secretary of the Army is a civilian office within the Department of Defense with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen Jr (born January 10 1959) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. William M Hurt (born March 20, 1950) is an Academy Award - and BAFTA Award -winning American Actor. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Kiss of the Spider Woman ( O Beijo da Mulher Aranha) is a 1985 Brazilian American Drama film Peter Parker is the name of Peter Benjamin Parker or Spider-Man a Marvel comic book superhero Peter Parker (British businessman (1924&ndash2002 Joseph Kahn (born 19 August, 1964 in Boston Massachusetts) is an American journalist who currently serves as deputy foreign editor of The Pulitzer Prize, ˈpʊlɨtsɚ PULL-it-sər is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in Newspaper journalism, Anthony Lake (born April 2, 1939) is an American diplomat, political figure, and academic. The United States Presidency of Bill Clinton, also known as the Clinton Administration, was the executive branch of the Federal Mills Bee Lane III (born November 12 1936 is a legendary boxing referee, and also a former boxer, Judge, and Television personality Henry Cabot Lodge Jr ( July 5, 1902 &ndash February 27, 1985) was a Republican United States Senator from Massachusetts This is a chronological listing of the United States Senators from Massachusetts. The United States Ambassador to the United Nations (full title Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status The Vice President of the United States is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death John Davis Lodge ( October 20, 1903 – October 29, 1985) United States Republican politician was governor of Connecticut Colonial governors See also List of colonial governors of Connecticut Governors of the State of Connecticut 1776&ndashpresent Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation John William Middendorf II (born September 22 1924 in Baltimore, Maryland) was a Republican United States Diplomat S. diplomat, U.S. Secretary of the Navy
• Robin Moore - Writer ("Ballad of the Green Berets"), co-creator of the comic strip, Tales of the Green Beret
• Arden Myrin - Comedian, actress
• Bill Richardson - Governor of New Mexico, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. Secretary of Energy, 2008 presidential candidate
• Bret Stephens - Writer and Editorialist
• Cass Sunstein - Professor at the University of Chicago Law School, author
• Gabriel Traversari- TV personality, actor
• William Weld - Governor of Massachusetts

Popular culture

• Between 1975 and 1977 the positions of Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy were both held by Middlesex alumni. The United States Secretary of the Navy ( SECNAV) is the Civilian head of the Department of the Navy. Robert Lowell "Robin" Moore Jr ( October 31 1925 - February 21 2008) was an American Writer who is most "Ballad of the Green Berets" is a patriotic song in the ballad style about the Green Berets, an elite special force in the U Tales of the Green Beret is a Comic strip created by Robin Moore and Joe Kubert. Arden Myrin ( born December 10, 1973) is an American comedian and actress known for her role on the television show MADtv. William Blaine "Bill" Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is the current Governor of New Mexico and was a candidate for the 2008 Governors Governors of New Mexico Territory Governors of New Mexico The United States Ambassador to the United Nations (full title Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status The United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fifteenth in the Bret Louis Stephens is a writer and news commentator for the Wall Street Journal. Cass R Sunstein (born 1954 is an American preeminent legal scholar particularly in the fields of constitutional law administrative law environmental law and The University of Chicago Law School, having recently celebrated its centennial in the 2002-2003 school year has established itself as a high profile part of the University of Gabriel Traversari (born Gabriel Augusto Traversari Debayle on September 7, 1963) is a Nicaraguan American Actor, William Floyd Weld (born July 31, 1945, in Smithtown New York) was the Republican Governor of Massachusetts from 1991 The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The United States Secretary of the Army is a civilian office within the Department of Defense with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States The United States Secretary of the Navy ( SECNAV) is the Civilian head of the Department of the Navy.
• School Ties (1992), starring Brendan Fraser, Chris O'Donnell, and Matt Damon, was filmed at Middlesex. School Ties is a 1992 film directed by Robert Mandel that launched the acting careers of Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck
• Featured in The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach
• One of five elite boarding schools collectively known as St. Grottlesex
• A member of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship program
• Ranked #2 private high school in greater-Boston area, behind Phillips Academy, Andover, by Boston Magazine (September 2006)^[15]

Notes

External links

• Middlesex School Website
• Middlesex School Admissions Video on SchoolFair.tv
• Profile on Boarding School Review.com
• Biography of Frederick Winsor
• Middlesex Graduates for Estabrook Homepage
• Two Middlesex Alumnae Protest Development of Estabrook
• Boston Magazine ranks area-high schools for September 2006 issue
• Middlesex School Summer Arts Website