Ravenscroft School - Raven Yearbook (Raleigh, NC)

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RAVEN SCROFT FACTS The soul of cducation is the education of the soul. 1. Ravenscroft School vvas established 1937. 2. Faculty members hold State Certiiicates-A rating. No inexperienced teachers are employed. Preparation. experience and ability rank them at the top. 3. Combines best elementary education yvith religious training. including daily service in church. yvith deiinite religious instruction in the classroom. 4. Enrollment limited. This insures individual instruction, which gives students better opportunity for promotion. 5. Class lessons in music and art given each class. Glee Club open to stu- dents of upper grades. Private lessons in music and art may be arranged for vvith additional charge. 0. Each group on the playground is supervised at all times by classroom teacher. T. Excellent cafeteria operated at lovv cost by trained dietitian-under super- vision of school authorities. S. Every effort is made to promote health of children. 9. Has tvvo Brownie Scout troops and one Girl Scout troop. Members of fifth. sixth and seventh grades serve on school Altar Guild. 10. Courses in elementary French and Spanish are available to students in upper grades. 11. Students have an active chapter of American Junior Red Cross. 112. Faculty cares for children for a reasonable length of time during after school hours until called for by parents. 13. The total enrollment of children having attended Ravenscroft is more than 2,500 14. The iniiuence of the religious training is incalculable. 15. The Rector of Christ Church is likewise the Rector of the school.

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RAVENCRGFT SCHOGL HISTORICAL SKETCH OR a new school, Ravenscroft has an old and interesting historical background. In his last will and testament, probated in 1Vake County in the year 1862, Josiah 1Vatson, a communicant of Christ Church, established a trust to run in perpetuity, the income from which under the terms of the trust, was to be used for the operation of a parish school by Christ Church. For a number of years thereafter Christ Church operated a parochial school, but near the close of the century the school Was discontinued. The fund lay dormant for many years, during which the income was used for the operation of the church school and for other religious purposes. In October, 1936, the Reverend John Armstrong 1Yright became Rector of Christ Church Parish. 1Vithin a short time he learned of the VVatson Trust, and immediately started a campaign to establish a new parish day school. The Vestry of Christ Church authorized Mr. VVright to investigate the possibilities of such a school, and appointed a committee to assist him. The Committee was composed of E. U. Rag- land, Charles R. Bugg, James R. Bynum, A. L. Purrington, Jr., Aldert S. Root, Perry E. Seagle, and J. M. Sink, Jr. The Committee approved the organization of the school and selected as its site the Edgar Hay- Wood Memorial Parish House on Tucker Street. 1Yith the iinancial assistance of the vestry of Christ Church numerous repairs were made to the property and modern equipment was purchased. After much consideration, the school was named 4'Ravenscroft in honor of the first Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and the first rector of Christ Church. The school opened on Monday, September 13, 1937, with an enrollment of 130 students, increased to 135 by the end of the school year.

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JOHN STARK RAVENSCROFT John Stark Ravenscroft, the iirst Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, was born May 17, 1772, at Ravenscroft, the family estate near what is now Petersburg, Virginia. As a child he was taken to Ireland by his family, where at eight years of age he lost his father. He spent the remainder of his boyhood in Ireland and there received his early education from his mother. At seventeen he returned to America to equip himself to take care of his family's property in Virginia and entered William and Mary College. After a year or so at William and Mary, he returned to Ravenscroft and managed the plantation. In February, 1816, he was licensed Lay Reader by the Bishop of Virginia and in April of that year he was ordained Deacon. At Fredericks- burg, Virginia, in May, 1817. he entered the priesthood. The newly formed Diocese of North Carolina elected him its Iirst Bishop on May 22, 1823, and for seven years he labored to lay the foundations on which the work of the Episcopal -Church in North Carolina has been built. He died on March 5, 1830, at the house of his friend, Gavin at Raleigh, and was buried under the chancel of Christ Church of which he had been Rector. EDGAR HAYWOOD' MEMORIAL PARISH HOUSE The Edgar Haywood Memorial Parish House at St. Saviour's in Raleigh was built, fully equipped a11d donated by Ernest Haywood as 3 memorial to his brother, Edgar Haywood, and was dedicated on August 14, 1927, by the Right Reverend Joseph B. Cheshire, Bishop of North Carolina. TUITION AND REGISTRATION The school is not operated for profit. It is anticipated that any net income will be used to provide additional facilities for the children who attend the school. For the year 1955-56, registration fee will be 3415.00 for the first se- mester and 3315.00 for the second semester, basic tuition will be 815.00 per month for kindergarten through 7th grade. First child 951500, second 951000. Tuition is payable in advance. It is believed that registration for the year 1955-56 will exceed the limited enrollment. Until May 1st, present students of Ravenscroft will be shown a preference. After that date, to assure a full enrollment, no preference can be given. Therefore, patrons are urged to register their children before May 1st. After June lst address the principal at 1901 St. Marys St., or call 8115. If no answer, call the church office, -I-6259.