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.
| Antioch School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
1160 Corry St , , 45387 United States | |
| Coordinates | 39°47′40″N 83°53′8″W / 39.79444°N 83.88556°W |
| Information | |
| Type | democratic free school, coeducational elementary school |
| Established | 1921 |
| Administrator | Nathan Summers |
| Teaching staff | 8 |
| Age range | 3.5-12 |
| Accreditation | Alternative Education Resource Organization |
| Website | antiochschool |
History
editPrior 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
editThe 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
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Funds are Granted to Antioch School". The Dayton Herald. 1936-04-27. p. 17. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
- ^ "Democracy Taught to Youngsters at Antioch". The Journal Herald. 1941-06-08. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
- ^ a b c A Handbook of American Private Schools. P.E. Sargent. 1923.
- ^ Arthur Morgan Remembered by Ernest Morgan, p. 16, published by Community Service, Inc., Yellow Springs, Ohio, 1991
- ^ "Play-Work Experiment Proves Success". Springfield News-Sun. 1941-06-15. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
- ^ a b "About the Antioch School". Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Bishop, London. "Antioch School in Yellow Springs celebrates 100 years". springfield-news-sun. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
- ^ a b "School Of Experience". Dayton Daily News. 1950-11-19. p. 111. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
- ^ Simmons, Carol (2022-03-27). "Antioch School turns 100". The Yellow Springs News. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
- ^ "Antioch Lets Contract For School House". Dayton Daily News. 1949-09-23. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
- ^ "Grade school splits with Antioch, vows to continue as independent". Dayton Daily News. 1979-07-27. p. 30. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
- ^ "Unicycles provide students with challenge". Dayton Daily News. 2001-03-01. p. 45. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
- ^ Moss, Meredith; Writer, Staff. "John Lithgow calls Yellow Springs 'a fabulous place to grow up'". springfield-news-sun. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
- ^ Viemeister, Tucker (2009-11-11). "When Design Is Also the Teacher". Fast Company. Retrieved 2022-08-17.