As we embark on our 111th school year here at Darlington, I have been thinking about what that means.
It is pretty incredible that our school has been transforming the lives of students for over a century. In our faculty meeting on Tuesday, Alumni Director Vicki Vincent shared that we have more than 10,000 living alumni -- wow! That's over 10,000 people who have spent time learning and growing (and often times living!) on this beautiful campus; over 10,000 young minds inspired by our teachers; and over 10,000 graduates who formed lifelong relationships that have Darlington School at their core.
Not only that, but this year, we are also "Celebrating a Century of Honor" as we recognize the 100th year of Darlington's student-founded Honor Code. I think that the founding council in 1915, comprised of Hollie Vandiver, Roy Echols, John Wooten, Barrington King, Thompson Hiles and Earl Shamblin, would be proud to see that the Honor Code continues to be a cornerstone of the Darlington experience.
As I reflected on our school's 111-year history and how proud I am to be even a small part of it, I thought it would be fun to share a few things you may not already know about the history of Darlington.
1. Darlington School was actually called Rome High School during its first year of existence in 1905. During this first year, Founding Headmaster Dr. James Ross McCain taught 24 boys eight classes in the upstairs room above the old Rome Fire Department station in East Rome.
2. Darlington School is named in honor of a teacher. Founded by John Paul and Alice Allgood Cooper, Darlington was named in honor of Mr. Cooper's former teacher, Joseph James Darlington. Mr. Darlington believed in academic excellence, character and service -- ideals that are represented in Darlington School's Mission and Motto to this day.
3. Darlington School moved to its first permanent location in 1906. This space was located on East Ninth Street.
4. Darlington School's current campus used to be a park. The school purchased the DeSoto Park property and moved to its current location in 1923 after completing a successful campaign sponsored by the Rome Rotary Club, the Rome Kiwanis Club and Darlington's Board of Trustees
5. One of the oldest homes in Floyd County, Darlington's Home-on-the-Hill has served as the residence of all presidents and heads of school since it was purchased in 1923. Constructed in 1832 and formerly known as "Alhambra," the home was built for Col. Philip Hemphill. In 1834, Hemphill and four other men met at Alhambra to discuss plans to build a town that would become a trade center, using riverboats as transportation. The name “Rome” was drawn from a hat – among several other options – inside this very house.
6. The first building to be constructed on campus was Old Main, now known as Wilcox Hall. When it opened in 1923, it contained dorm rooms, classrooms, an assembly hall, school offices, teachers' quarters, a library, and a dining room, cafeteria and kitchen. Today, the building houses two boys' residence halls (Moser and Neville Houses) as well as the Student Life Office, the bookstore, The Growl student lounge, and other administrative offices.
7. Darlington School enrolled its first 30 boarding students in 1923. Today, Darlington enrolls approximately 180 boarding students each year from all over the world.
8. Darlington School became coeducational in 1973 when it merged with the Thornwood School for Girls. The Lower School program was also established at this time. Today, Darlington is approximately 53% male, 47% female and enrolls more than 330 students each year in grades PK-8.
