The Hill School

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The Hill School (sometimes referred to as "The Hill" or "Hill School") is a historic American boarding and college preparatory school for grades nine through twelve, and is one of the most prestigious secondary schools in the United States. The Hill also offers a "postgraduate" curriculum for high school graduates who would like additional preparation for college. Most of Hill's graduates go on to the Ivy League or other "elite" colleges and universities. The Hill School is located in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Philadelphia.

The Hill is part of an organization known as the The Ten Schools Admissions Organization. This organization was founded more than forty years ago on the basis of a number of common goals and traditions. Member schools include The Hill, Choate Rosemary Hall, Deerfield Academy, The Lawrenceville School, The Taft School, The Hotchkiss School, St. Pauls School, The Loomis Chaffee School, Phillips Exeter Academy, and Phillips Andover Academy.

Contents
1 History
2 Traditions
3 Athletics
4 Notable Alumni

4.1 Years not listed

5 External Links
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History

The Hill was founded in 1851 by the Revered Matthew Meigs as "The Family Boarding School." The Hill was the first school in the country to have students live with faculty on the school's campus rather than in a boarding house nearby. At the conclusion of the American Civil War in 1865 The Hill adopted school colors of Blue and Grey to symbolize the re-unification of the United States. School alumni fought on both sides of the conflict.

For nearly its entire history The Hill has maintained 500 students per year from which the school song "A Thousand Hands," is drawn. The school's motto is "Whatsover Things Are True", an excerpt from Philippians 4:8.

Owing to its age, The Hill has a campus rich with historic architecture. The School's all wood-paneled Dining Hall houses a valuable collection of N.C. Wyeth's paintings which were given to the school as part of a gift.

Founded as an all-boys school, The Hill went co-ed during the 1998-1999 school year.


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Traditions

Unlike many other boarding schools, The Hill continues to maintain its "jacket and tie" dress-code for students, requires all students to attend twice-weekly nondenominational chapel services, and participate in seated family-style meals with faculty in the dining hall.

Unlike other schools where students use grade terminology such as "Freshman" or "Sophomore", The Hill uses the traditional English term "forms":

  • Third Form = 9th Grade / Freshman
  • Fourth Form = 10th Grade / Sophomore
  • Fifth Form = 11th Grade / Junior
  • Sixth Form = 12th Grade / Senior

Students at the school enjoy competing in J-Ball, short for "Javelin Ball." J-Ball was created in 1955 by Sidney Wood, a fourth former who was also The Hill's tennis champion. Similar to baseball, J-Ball is played with a tennis ball and racquet, but only one player on the fielding team is allowed to use a glove.

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Athletics

The Hill competes in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League. The Hill's teams are called the "Blues" or the "Rams". The Hill's arch-rival is The Lawrenceville School of Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The rivalry is celebrated annually on the first or second weekend of November. The festivities alternate between the two schools each year, and it is the 5th oldest school rivalry in the nation.

Other schools in the league are Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, The Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, Mercersburg Academy Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey, and Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey.

Some of the schools that The Hill also competes against include St. Andrews in Middletown, Delaware, Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut, Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts; and Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut.

All students are required to participate at some level of athletics, whether it be at the varsity or intramural level. Interscholastic sports include cross country, football, field hockey, soccer, tennis, water polo, swimming, basketball, ice hockey, wrestling, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and track.

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Notable Alumni

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Years not listed

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External Links

Retrieved from "http://wikipedia.cas.ilstu.edu/index.php/The_Hill_School"
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