St. John's Academy
St. John's Academy
(Duke & South Columbus St.)
Address
Duke & South Columbus Street

Alexandria
,
Virginia

United States
Information
Other nameSt. John's Military Academy
MottoPro deo et pro patria[1]
(for God and country)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic (Jesuit)
EstablishedSeptember 8, 1833 (1833-09-08)
FounderRev. John Smith, S.J.
William F. Carne
Richard L. Carne
StatusClosed
Closed1895

St. John's Academy was a military academy for boys in Alexandria, Virginia established by Jesuits.

History

St. John's Academy was established on September 8, 1833 on Prince Street in Alexandria, Virginia by brothers William F. Carne and Richard L. Carne, along with Reverend John Smith, S.J. and other Jesuits.[2][3][4][5][6] In 1834, it moved to 57 South Royal Street, on the corner of Duke and South Royal Streets.[2][3][7]

In 1841, St. John's shut down. In 1847, the school reopened under the leadership of Richard Libbey Carne Jr. (1826–1911).[3][4] In the 1850s, a primary school was added to the Academy.[1][3][8] Carne, the son of founder Richard L. Carne and previous student of St. John's, would serve as its principal for 45 years.[9]

The Academy initially had a reduction in students during the Civil War, but the number enrolled steadily increased to 154 in the 1863–64 school year.[6] On March 29, 1870, an act of the Virginia General Assembly allowed for the state to loan arms to the Academy for students to drill as a volunteer militia.[2]

Starting in 1871, due to competition with state and endowed schools, St. John's started to see reduced enrollment.[6] In 1884, St. John's moved to the corner of Duke & South Columbus Street on the site of a school operated by Caleb Hallowell, a nephew of Benjamin Hallowell.[7] By 1892, more than 1,500 students had attended St. John's.[7] In September 1892, Richard L. Carne turned over St. John's to William H. Sweeney.[1][10] St. John's was incorporated in 1894.[2][11] St. John's closed in late 1895, before its charter was issued.[2][7]

In 1981, the building was converted into condominiums.[12]

St. John's Cadets

In September 1869, the St. John's Cadets were organized.[6][13] They were known to attend local Alexandria and Washington, D.C. parades.[6] The Cadets participated in a number of special events, including the Centennial Exposition in 1876, Yorktown Centennial in 1881, Washington Monument Dedication in 1885, and the first inauguration of Grover Cleveland in 1885.[6][13]

Principals

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Death of Rev. Father Carne". Alexandria Gazette. February 20, 1911. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "St. John's Academy, Duke & South Columbus Streets, Alexandria, Independent City, VA". Library of Congress. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "A GUIDE TO THE ST. JOHN'S ACADEMY RECORDS, 1833-1899". Library of Virginia. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "St. Mary's Parish School Agency History" (PDF). University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ United States Office of Education (1891). Report of the Federal Security Agency. p. 997.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "St. John's Academy". Alexandria Gazette. June 11, 1895. p. 2. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Bertsch, Amy (September 29, 2011). "The best fruit, 'segars' and military training around" (PDF). Alexandria Times – via alexandriava.gov.
  8. ↑ "Former School Head". Alexandria Gazette. September 8, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "To Enter The Priesthood". Alexandria Gazette. June 28, 1892. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 "Re-opening of St. John's Academy". Alexandria Gazette. September 8, 1892. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Legislative". Alexandria Gazette. February 8, 1894. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Harney, Andy Leon (October 4, 1981). "Doing It Over". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "The National Drill". Alexandria Gazette. May 23, 1887. p. 2. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "University Certificates". Alexandria Gazette. April 5, 1895. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "St. John's Academy". Alexandria Gazette. August 10, 1895. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Local Matters". Alexandria Gazette. September 13, 1884. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Funerals". Alexandria Gazette and Virginia Advertiser. January 11, 1897. p. 3. Retrieved August 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  18. ↑ Hamersly, Lewis Randolph (1929). Who's Who in New York City and State. p. 414. Retrieved June 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "George H. O'Connor: Georgetown's Troubadour to the Presidents". Georgetown University. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
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