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Antioch School (Yellow Springs, Ohio)

Coordinates: 39°47′40″N 83°53′8″W / 39.79444°N 83.88556°W / 39.79444; -83.88556
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Antioch School
Address
Map
1160 Corry St

, ,
45387

United States
Coordinates39°47′40″N 83°53′8″W / 39.79444°N 83.88556°W / 39.79444; -83.88556
Information
Typedemocratic free school, coeducational elementary school
Established1921
AdministratorNathan Summers
Teaching staff8
Age range3.5-12
AccreditationAlternative Education Resource Organization
Websiteantiochschool.org

The Antioch School is the oldest democratic school in the United States. The school is located in Yellow Springs, Ohio and was founded in 1921 through Antioch College.

History

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Prior to the official founding of the Antioch School, Antioch College operated a school called "Little Antioch" for the children of faculty founded during the tenure of the first president of the college, Horace Mann.[1] It was founded to counteract traditional American education by promoting progressive education principles.[2]

In 1921, the school was reorganized as a laboratory school for the college and renamed the Antioch School by college president Arthur Ernest Morgan.[1][3] Morgan first began his path in experimental education in 1917 when he founded the Moraine Park School in Dayton.[4][3] The school was located at the mansion of Judge William E. Mills and students from elementary to high school were supervised by college faculty.[5][6][3] Student teachers, including Coretta Scott King, were able to have autonomy over their classrooms due to the distributed hierarchy of the school.[7]

The school was the first democratic school in the United States with children directing their own learning.[7] Students were involved in democratic meetings where they participate in the self governing of the school. They were divided into three groups according to social maturity and charged a yearly tuition with access to scholarships.[8]

In 1929, the school moved to Bryan High School and only enrolled elementary students.[9] In 1950, the Antioch School moved to a new building designed by Eero Saarinen and Max Mercer with three classrooms, meeting space, and porch.[8][10] It became independent of Antioch College in 1979 when the college was having financial solvency issues and ended its role in their education program.[11][7] Members of the Yellow Springs community purchased the school and it became an independent school in the 1980s.[7]

In 1969, a teacher purchased a used unicycle and it became emblematic of the school as a way for students to challenge themselves to succeed at something new, different, and difficult. Since the first unicycle, the school acquired them in various sizes for students of all ages.[12]

Program

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The Antioch School offers programs for nursery, kindergarten, and two mixed-age groups of students ages 6–12. The school is run democratically developed through the principles of child-centered learning where students create curriculum and make rules with oversight from teachers.[6] Students resolve conflicts with each other through mediation and grades are not administered.[7]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Funds are Granted to Antioch School". The Dayton Herald. April 27, 1936. p. 17. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  2. ^ "Democracy Taught to Youngsters at Antioch". The Journal Herald. June 8, 1941. p. 8. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c A Handbook of American Private Schools. P.E. Sargent. 1923.
  4. ^ Arthur Morgan Remembered by Ernest Morgan, p. 16, published by Community Service, Inc., Yellow Springs, Ohio, 1991
  5. ^ "Play-Work Experiment Proves Success". Springfield News-Sun. June 15, 1941. p. 21. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "About the Antioch School". Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e Bishop, London. "Antioch School in Yellow Springs celebrates 100 years". springfield-news-sun. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "School Of Experience". Dayton Daily News. November 19, 1950. p. 111. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  9. ^ Simmons, Carol (March 27, 2022). "Antioch School turns 100". The Yellow Springs News. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "Antioch Lets Contract For School House". Dayton Daily News. September 23, 1949. p. 23. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  11. ^ "Grade school splits with Antioch, vows to continue as independent". Dayton Daily News. July 27, 1979. p. 30. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  12. ^ "Unicycles provide students with challenge". Dayton Daily News. March 1, 2001. p. 45. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  13. ^ Moss, Meredith; Writer, Staff. "John Lithgow calls Yellow Springs 'a fabulous place to grow up'". springfield-news-sun. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  14. ^ Viemeister, Tucker (November 11, 2009). "When Design Is Also the Teacher". Fast Company. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
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