Elgin Academy - Historical Timeline 1839-2024

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 Amos and Susan Sears came to Elgin Academy in the fall of 1870. Mr. Sears served as the Headmaster, and Mrs. Sears as the Preceptress. They undertook a reorganization of the curriculum into several courses of study: Preparatory (for younger students), Normal (for those seeking to be teachers), English, Classical, Latin, Scientific, and College Preparatory. The Sears’ energy and teamwork, coupled with “the school law of 1872”, which required formal examinations for public school teachers, propelled the Academy to new heights of excellence and dramatically increased enrollment.  

Laura R. Davidson received the first diploma awarded by the school. She later returned to teach mathematics at the Academy and eventually became a trustee. After marriage to Judge Nathaniel Sears (the son of Amos and Susan), Laura Davidson Sears continued to provide for her alma mater well into the 20th century with numerous gifts. 

Lewis Skinner was awarded the second Elgin Academy just a year after Laura Davidson. He became the first male graduate.

 George P. Lord, President of the Board of Trustees, succeeded in arranging an affiliation with Northwestern University to ensure financial stability. That same year, Mr. and Mrs. Lord pledged $40,000 to the Academy, and by 1908, the Academy endowment reached $45,000! 

 The fall term of 1906 brought with it the 50th Anniversary of the opening of Elgin Academy. A History of Elgin Academy, written by Academy Teacher Mrs. L.K. Becker, was published for the anniversary.

 “There was discernible, too, a spirit amongst the students which rejoiced many a heart – a spirit of loving and giving.”  

Mrs. L.K. Becker

Teacher at Elgin Academy, 1877-1895

Author of A History of Elgin Academy 1906

 During a severe storm on August 17, 1911, lightning struck the cupola on the roof of Old Main and set the building on fire. During the conflagration, the bronze MeNeely Bell under the cupola crashed through the roof and third floor onto the second floor of the building.  The original MeNeely Bell is housed in the Elgin History Museum in Elgin Academy's "A Legacy of Excellence" exhibit.

Photo of  Old Main after the fire. Note the flat roof and the absence of the four original chimneys.

The Academy began a Junior College with two years of college work offered and courses accredited by Northwestern University (discontinued in 1927, reinstated in 1932, and in 1943 was discontinued for good). 

The Academy's first graduate, Laura R. Davidson Sears, and her husband, Judge Nathaniel C. Sears, adopted Elgin Academy as a primary cause. Both members of the Board of Trustees, the Sears' began a long history of giving to the school when they donated $35,000 to build the endowment.

Constructed with funds from another donation by the Sears’ the Davidson Gym was completed in 1917 and contained one of the finest indoor tile pools in the Midwest at that time.   Davidson Gymnasium was named after Mrs. Sears’ father, Orlando Davidson.

 Headmaster Stouffer instituted a formal boarding program, and Lovell Hall was converted to a Boys Dormitory. 

 Academic emphasis was placed on three areas: Preparatory (for younger students), Academy (for students seeking enrollment in a college or university), and Junior College (for students in their first two years of college-level study).  

 “Small classes, excellent and satisfied teachers, instruction to suit the individual, and the other phases of school life will develop your boy or girl to the limit of his or her possibility.”

- From a 1920s era Academy advertising publication

The Hilltopper, the first Elgin Academy yearbook, was published.

The Sears’ purchased and donated land for athletic fields comprising of 10 acres for a track, football field, and tennis courts which opened in 1924.

Initiated by Karl Stouffer in September of 1931, “The Elgin Academy Plan” consisted of a rotating class schedule. Students continued to achieve excellence in academics. 

The Hammond Field House was completed in 1931. Made possible through a donation from Roy E Hammond. 

New Headmaster, Earl G. Leinbach, felt that the college preparatory program would be strengthened by increasing the number of boarding students and began making plans to build a new dormitory on the northern part of the Academy’s land.  

 A house across the street from campus on the corner of Park and College was purchased by the Board of Trustees and became known as the Headmaster’s House. 

In 1937, 8th Grade was added, and 7th Grade a year later. 

Penney House was acquired in 1938 and was used as a library (1st floor) and an infirmary (2nd floor). It was later converted to offices and was still in use in 2024. 

Founders Day was celebrated on February 22, 1939, with a ceremony recalling the school’s long history and later, a Charter Centennial Banquet. The celebration also included a special radio broadcast from the WGN studios in Chicago.

Headmaster Leinbach’s dream of a new boys' dormitory came to fruition with the completion of Sears Hall, another of the many gifts of Nathaniel and Laura Sears.

 World War II - The war mobilized the Academy as it did the nation. EA girls rolled bandages for the Red Cross, prepared packages and gift boxes for alumni stationed overseas, and organized a book drive for men in the Merchant Marine. Even Sears Gallery participated in the War effort by hosting exhibitions of war posters, camouflage, and the works of Army illustrators. Approximately 300 faculty and students served in the war effort.

“We are trying to teach our students their responsibilities in this world – their responsibilities of good citizenship.  We are trying to cultivate their appreciation so that they may more fully enjoy life.”

Captain Benyaurd Wygant, Headmaster in 1946

Girls were accepted into the boarding program. The Junior College Program was Discontinued in 1943. In 1947, Kindergarten and Nursery School were added, and in 1948, Elementary School was started in Raymond House. Both were discontinued a few years later.  The postwar years were prosperous and stable years for the Academy. The construction of Sears Hall dormitory in 1940 created an environment in which a traditional boarding school could flourish, and the yearbooks of the time reflect the annual rituals of the homecoming games, social activities, and serious academic work. 

Elgin Academy’s 100th graduating class brought together students from Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Kansas, and Michigan. In keeping with the long-standing EA tradition of international education, Venezuela and Cuba were also represented!

 ”Generosity of spirit provides the kinds of toughness that has made America what it is today.”

Charles P. Taft - Graduation Speaker

Son of William Howard Taft 27th President of the United States

The Board of Trustees made plans to build a new gym adjacent to the Davidson Gym.  The gym was completed and dedicated in October of 1958. 

The art collection exhibited in the Laura Davidson Sears Gallery was internationally known. In July of 1958, thieves broke into the gallery and stole several valuable paintings, most of which were later recovered.

Since 1940, female boarding students had either lived off campus or in the bungalow or “cottage”. North Hall was completed in 1962 for female boarding students and was a major addition to the campus.  

“The Dorms mean a lot to the students who live in them. They mean places to study and sleep, and know other people. They mean places to Live.”

1968 yearbook

Lovell Hall, built in 1858, served the Academy for 104 years. The building was demolished in the summer of 1962.

In 1963, the top floor of Davidson Gym was demolished, and only the pool remained.

Serious financial difficulties encountered in the late 1960s led to the decision by the Board of Trustees to sell some of the Sears Art Collection to put the Academy. Several valuable paintings were sold to galleries and museums such as the Art Institute of Chicago.  

Margaret Peck Edwards Hall opened in 1969. Upon completion of this modern classroom building, Old Main was closed to student use and was utilized as storage space only.

By the 1970s, students at the Academy were almost equally divided between boarding and day students. In a major policy shift, the Board elected to phase out the boarding program

During Mr. Hogan’s tenure, both academic and admission standards were increased, and the school day was lengthened until 4:00 pm to accommodate a full integration of fine arts and sports programs into the curriculum. The number of credits required for graduation was also increased.  The Athletic program grows as enrollment climbs 

Unused and in disrepair, Old Main was deeded to the City of Elgin in 1976. On March 22, 1978, a fire broke out, severely damaging the first floor of the structure. In 1979, the City began the Restoration of Old Main.

The first Extravaganza dinner and auction was held in the gym and raised about $70,000 to help fund critical school programs. This community-building and fundraising tradition continued annually for 46 years, ending in 2023.

Athletics thrived in the 1980s. EA teams were the Independent School League Champs for much of the decade. 

“There is no doubt people with high academic standards can win, just look there,” (Pointing at the five  ISL Championship Banners)

Rich Falk, Head Basketball Coach at Northwestern University

Guest Speaker at Elgin Academy’s 1983 Athletic Banquet

The Lower School was opened and housed in a nearby church, expanding superior educational opportunities to students in grades K-4.  In 1988,  North Hall was renovated to accommodate the expanding program. The Lower School Program moved on campus to the 1st floor of North Hall. The Middle School program moved up to the 2nd floor of this former dormitory building.

The second floor of Sears Hall was converted from dorm rooms to classrooms, and the Middle School moved from North Hall to this newly renovated location in Sears Hall. 

 The lower level of North Hall was renovated to house a new 3-year-old Preschool and 4-year-old Pre-Kindergarten program. 

“Our most basic goal is to create a dynamic environment for learning, which is just as nurturing as that of the family itself.”

Under a new Head of School, Dr. John W. Cooper, the Academy developed a new strategic plan, a campus site master plan, and enrollment climbed.

To accommodate growth and to prepare the school for a bright and competitive future, the Academy embarked on a capital campaign to build a new Media, Science, and Fine Arts Center which opened in 2008

 Elgin Academy announced plans to operate the former Summit Academy as the Elgin Academy-River Road Campus and then consolidate all students on the Hilltop Campus. The consolidation occurred the following year. 

The whole school gathered at a “Birthday Party'' for Elgin Academy. The oldest Hilltoppers (Fred Fletcher, Sharron Shatkus) and the youngest (preschool) Hilltoppers blew out 175 candles. The time capsule buried at the 150th was opened.

 An updated website and branding, along with a new mission, bring a fresh look to Elgin Academy

"Inspiring students to become our creative, courageous, and compassionate future."

The Middle School Exploratory Program gave students the chance to pursue their passions, try out new pursuits, or use their skills and talents to benefit others in the school community. Project-based Based Learning enabled Middle School students to conduct extensive research to develop real-world solutions.

The Hilltop Capstone Project is added to the Upper School curriculum, which provided seniors the opportunity to design their own curriculum. The J-Term program gave students an opportunity to expand their intellectual curiosity and geographic horizons by choosing a travel experience, studying a subject that sparks their interest, or investigating a career with an internship.

 In the face of a pandemic, the flexibility and innovation of the Elgin Academy administrators, faculty, and staff enabled students to consistently continue in-person learning, augmented by high-quality, online learning when needed. Elgin Academy did not let the disruptive nature of the pandemic slow the pursuit of providing students with an exceptional Academic experience.

 In November of 2023, the Board of Trustees announced, "It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the current school year, our 185th, will be the final year of Elgin Academy. Despite the tremendous efforts of the Board, school leadership, and other dedicated community members to find a path forward, we have recently determined that our model of an independent Preschool through 12th grade school is no longer sustainable in Elgin. The Board of Trustees has voted that the school will close at the end of the 2023-2024 school year." 

In 2024, Elgin Academy celebrated its 185th year. 

The Elgin Academy, A Legacy of Excellence exhibit opened in Old Main. Through EA's partnership with the Elgin History Museum, the legacy of Elgin Academy will be permanently on display in Old Main and highlighted as an important part of the history of the City of Elgin. 

Sears Gallery, built in 1924, celebrated 100th anniversary! An EA student-curated Hilltoppers! exhibit opened in the Sears Gallery. EA’s History Club created this exhibit as part of our Founders’ Day celebrations. 

On May 25, 2024, Elgin Academy welcomed back Alumni, former faculty, staff, parents, and friends, along with the current community to celebrate the Legacy of Elgin Academy for a final time.