| Stuart Hall School | |
|---|---|
_Staunton_VA.jpg')) | |
| Address | |
 | |
235 W. Frederick St. , 24401 United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent Secondary, Boarding |
| Established | 1844 |
| Head of school | Michael E. Robinson |
| Grades | PK–12 |
| Average class size | 15 |
| Campus | Urban, 8 Acres |
| Color(s) | Red & White |
| Nickname | Dragons, Stu |
| Accreditation | Virginia Association of Independent Schools |
| Affiliation | National Association of Independent Schools |
| Website | Stuart Hall School |
Old Main | |
U.S. Historic district Contributing property | |
)  ) | |
| Location | 235 W. Frederick St., Staunton, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 38°9′1″N 79°4′36″W / 38.15028°N 79.07667°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74002246[1] |
| VLR No. | 132-0011 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | August 13, 1974 |
| Designated VLR | February 21, 1974[2] |
Stuart Hall School is a Staunton, Virginia, co-educational school for students from Grade 4 to Grade 12, and it offers a boarding program from Grades 8 to 12.
In 1827, Stuart Hall started as Mrs. Maria Sheffey's school which held classes in her Staunton home - Kalorama. It was called Kalorama Seminary. In 1844, they renamed the school to "Virginia Female Institute."
Old Main is a three-story, five-bay, brick Greek Revival style building completed in 1844. It features an impressive two-story, three-bay, Doric order portico with a simple heavy frieze supported by four-paneled piers. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. "Old Main" is a common nickname for Stuart Hall. It is located in the Newtown Historic District.
During the American Civil War, the school's building was used to house the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind while the latter's building was being used as a hospital. Students then attended classes in a nearby home in Staunton.
In 1992, the Middle School was opened, serving male and female day students in Grades 6 to 8. In 1999, boys were accepted as day students into the Upper School. In 2007, Stuart Hall School merged with Hunter McGuire School in Verona, VA, and again became a K-12 independent school. A prekindergarten class was added in 2008. In 2020 the school made the choice to phase out the lower grades and by 2023 will serve students in grades 6-12.
Stuart Hall boarding students come from all over the United States. Stuart Hall (known by the students as STU), also boards international students who come from several countries and continents outside the US, including Canada, Vietnam, Africa, Korea, China, and Mexico.
Gobnait Gate
During the 2019 Lent Madness event, students at Stuart Hall infamously cast thousands of false ballots for St. Gobnait. One teacher went so far as to paste small paper bees all across the campus. Fortunately for the event, the false votes were caught, and the rest of the event was free from further intervention.
Notable alumni
- Juliette Gordon Low - founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA
- Anne McCaffrey, science fiction author
- Nancy Massie Meadows, First lady of West Virginia, 1949-1953
- Nell Zink, novelist, author of "The Wallcreeper", and "Mislaid"
- Abby Kasonik, artist
- Marijane Meaker - writer credited with launching the lesbian pulp fiction genre
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved March 19, 2013.