Living Legacies

So rewarding did they find The Haverford School experience in their own lives that many have given to their sons and grandsons the same opportunities they themselves enjoyed.

– The Haverford School 1884-1984: A Century of Service

At The Haverford School, legacy is alive.

With the school they envisioned, founded, and shaped in its early years, the legacy left by Lois and Alexander Cassatt, Issac Sharpless, and Charles Sumner Crosman is paramount. And that of our illustrious cast of Headmasters is undeniable – Crosman, Wilson, Boocock, Severinghaus, Parker, Dixon, Healy, Cox: they have developed, redefined, and guided this magnificent school, and we stand strong today by virtue of their great leadership.

Academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, athletic prowess, artistic merit, civic and community service – to whom do we owe these traditions, but our legendary faculty? They have challenged, encouraged, advised, mentored, enlightened, inspired, and supported our remarkable boys each day since 1884. Brownlow, Hallowell, Smith, McQuillen, Buckley, Alford, Pearson, Jarvis, Cleaves, McBride, Newhall, Laserna, Fox, Black, Palmer, Pappas, Tatta, Stairs; their very names evoke a deep sense of nostalgia, and their greatest legacy: each and every Haverford School graduate.

Our alumni continue to carry the torch proudly across the globe, building on the legacy of The Haverford School – its reputation, its best traditions, and the core virtues it espouses. Believing in the value of a Haverford education, many are compelled to give of their time and financial resources, continuing a philanthropic legacy that has benefited generations of Haverford boys. And of those remaining close to home, as suggested in The Haverford School 1884-1984: A Century of Service, many have also provided their sons and grandsons the same opportunities they themselves enjoyed, carrying on a tradition of legacy in the most literal sense.

Those who follow their forebears’ path share a special bond – brothers, sons, nephews, cousins, grandsons, great grandsons – a family tradition passed down through generations, in some cases, dating back to the founding years. Barker, Cullen, Newhall, Scott, Yoh, Shaw, Wood, McIlvain, Ball, Warden, Stevens, McBride, Kirkpatrick, Buck, Ligget, Smedley; these and so many others continue to foster our best traditions of yesteryear, learning with the same teachers as their brothers, competing on the same athletic fields as their fathers, eating in the Dining Hall with their cousins, and walking the halls of Wilson in their grandfathers’ footsteps.

But then, every Haverfordian is a part of this rich historical tradition: students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents – we are all living legacies. It is a fabric woven stronger and more intricate each and every year. What does it mean to you, to be part of this great Haverford legacy?

- From Haverford School Today magazine, Winter 2010

"I'm very proud of the Newhall family legacy at The Haverford School. My great grandfather was a founding member of the School, and his sons, my grandfather and my great uncle, attended the school on its very first day. I'm also proud that four generations of Newhalls have been influential at every turn of the School's history, having served on the Board of Trustees and in positions of leadership among the alumni community.
    "I believe in the value of a Haverford education. I believe the state of the School in 2010 is excellent, and I believe the strategic vision of the school is excellent going forward." – John Newhall ’51, son of Blackwall ’19; father of Thomas ’84 & Daniel ’87

"As a student, even though my father was an alum and quite connected to the School, I took the “Haverford legacy” thing a bit for granted. Now that I have a son in Form III, I think I have a much better perspective on just how important my own experiences at Haverford were. Like my father, I was fortunate to be a member of one of those great Haverford classes where close bonds and relationships were formed both in class and on the athletic fields. With the benefit of hindsight, I now realize that my family’s legacy at Haverford has not only provided me with my own opportunities and experiences as a student, but it has also served to provide an even closer connection with both my father and son.” – Bill Warden IV ’75, son of William ’50 and father of Gray ’14

“My father graduated from Haverford in 1939, and he thrived academically. Based on the School’s academic reputation, my parents chose to send my brothers (Page ‘72 and Wis ‘79) and me to Haverford, each beginning in kindergarten. I relished the competitive aspect of Haverford, both in the classroom and on the playing fields. But what I cherish most about my 13 years at Haverford is the incredible lifelong friendships I developed here. "We chose Haverford for our two boys (Cary ‘08 and Tyler ‘11) because we were confident they would be exposed to great teachers, students, and programs – in an all-male learning environment. The fact that they are “third generation” is a neat historical footnote, but we chose Haverford because of the progressive School it is today, preparing boys for a truly global society beyond college.”– George C. Wood ’75, son of Howard ’39, father of Cary ’08 and Tyler ’11