Stephen Girard was born in France but emigrated to the "New World" during the American Revolution. He had already made a considerable fortune in shipping but demonstrated a Midas touch and continued to expand his business interests; he also became quite successful in real estate and banking. Upon his death, he left a 38-page will bequeathing $2,000,000 to the city of Philadelphia to establish a school for "white orphaned boys". In Pennsylvania at that time, "orphan" was defined as a child without a father. My grandfather was one of the children who was educated there thanks to this bequest.
Mr. Girard never got to see this institution built; he died in 1831, and the first students were admitted in 1848 after construction was complete. Girard Collegeis not a university but a school which now teaches students from 1st through 12th grade. While students originally stayed there year-round with the exception of a few holidays, they now board there through the week and return to their families on the weekends.
Beginning in the late 1800's there were multiple challenges to Girard's will with several key stipulations being overturned by the courts. In the late 1960's, the first black students were admitted. Since then, females have also gained admission, as well as children of single parents. (Admission is no longer restricted to "fatherless" children.) Today more than 90% of the students are people of color, and more than half are female. The original bequest included many of Girard's belongings, which can be seen in Founders Hall, one of the original buildings.
The education of the children served by Girard College continues to be supported primarily by Girard's bequest - the $2,000,000 principal remains intact and operating expenses are funded by the investments and interest earned on the principal. All graduates have offers to multiple universities, and Girard College helps their graduates find financial resources to complete their college education. Generous donations from alumni help in this effort.
The next three photos are of one of the classrooms, followed by a few of Girard's personal effects found in the museum on the second floor of Founders Hall. Mr. Girard's will was so detailed that he specified the precise size of each classroom and the height of each stair in the buildings.
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| A statue found at the entrance to Girard College |
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| The front of Founders Hall, which includes a 39-foot-tall door (to give you an idea of its size). |
The next three photos are of one of the classrooms, followed by a few of Girard's personal effects found in the museum on the second floor of Founders Hall. Mr. Girard's will was so detailed that he specified the precise size of each classroom and the height of each stair in the buildings.
Among the artifacts preserved in the museum is Mr. Girard's will.
Thank you for this detailed and interesting post! I grew up in Philadelphia and never knew this great information about a great institution. My father was a fatherless boy and was offered the opportunity to attend Girard college but did not want to leave his neighborhood and friends in West Philadelphia. Thank you, Aloha
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to have been able to study in such a historic setting! The wall and ceiling paintings are really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteEducation is always important, good to see this issue highlighted.
ReplyDeleteI;m back from vacation, Sue. Girard College looks very impressive!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful sounding school, and I'm glad to hear that it has expanded it's student body to be more inclusive. Neat to hear the students stay there during the week but go home for weekend. I wonder if there is an opportunity for the older students to have jobs, which is what a lot of my friends did in high school.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great history but terrible reflection on the treatment of women that obviously single (or widowed) mothers were not recognised as people....! THe most amazing thing is back then he had 2 million dollars!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos and interesting commentary.
ReplyDeleteFascinating history and interesting pics! Love how the school has evolved to serve more students.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed learning about Girard College’s history and seeing the photos.
ReplyDeleteIt’s wonderful to see how the school has become more inclusive over the years.
Happy Tuesday, Sue!
Looks amazing , Great photos
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful college, and we loved reading how its admission policies and student body evolved. It's now a place of elucidation AND inclusion. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, someone has invested that money very wisely.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a grand institution of learning, beautiful preserved part of history. Enjoy your week and thankyou again for the linkup.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great gift he left behind. So very cool. Thanks for sharing this. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful a wonderful Fourth.
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