Founded in 1918 by Charles Shreiner, an Episcopal priest, Church Farm School was a boarding school whose students were mainly boys from fatherless families. Mr. Shreiner also took children of military families, sons of police members and boys from other religious clergy families.
When I was a child, we used to pass this school as we drove from our home in York to Philadelphia. We would have to take the old Lincoln Highway the whole 80 miles to get there and I remember seeing this school as a highlight of the trip...plus, as a reminder that we were over half way there. I wondered what it was for a number of years as this was the era before computers and Google and, when, as an adult, I discovered its history, I was very pleased with its actual function. And, the funny thing is that even the nomination form mentions its place on the highway so I must not have been alone in noticing this beautiful, peaceful looking school.
From the NRHP nomination form (
visit link) :
"Church Farm School was founded on the premise that a thorough education combined with a healthy emphasis on the work ethic and Christian principles as well as a wholesome upbringing on the f a m would best prepare youth for their future responsibilities as businessmen, famers, professionals, even soldiers. The educational philosophy inculcated by Dr. Charles W. Shreiner remains essentially unchanged at Church Farm School today. That the school was established the same year in which WWI concluded was not altogether coincidental. According to one interview with its founder in 1931 "one of the lessons to be drawn from the first World War was the conservation of youth that they might be trained to meet any emergency,"
Church Farm School was modeled after "various schools In California which are operated successfully." It was, however, and continues to be unique to the Lower Delaware Valley, It was founded to educate * young men aged 11-20 years, who had not "proper home Influence" In that they came from broken homes. The School was innovative in its emphasis on agriculture, the trades, personal hygiene and health, and for its use of small cottages with private cubicles for sleeping and studying.
From the beginning. Church Farm School has relied heavily on agriculture for both curriculum and Income, the latter originally Intended as a means of achieving self sufficiency. From its origins in a converted wagon house on a 127 acre farm, the school expanded to over 1600 acres or 1/6 of the Township. Through Its curriculum and landholdings, Church Farm School can be credited with keeping the practice of agriculture and the agricultural landscape alive In West Whiteland. In retrospect, it seems altogether, fitting that the Great Valley was chosen as the location of this educational and agricultural experiment, what better place to nourish a young man's body and soul than In the proverbial Valley of God-given riches?
The original campus of Church Farm School Is of architectural significance because with great foresight, Dr, Shreiner sought out through church contacts "one of the best architects of the day…(who) laid out an entire masterplan In fine detail." Dr. Shreiner was, as a result able to avoid "haphazard growth of the school" and to solicit contributions for what was needed most. The architect, Milton Medary (l87ij--1929) was prominently associated with the Tudor Revival and Collegiate Gothic style. Among his numerous commissions were the Penn Charter School, Henry and Foulke Dormitories at Princeton, and the Bryn Mawr Hospital Group, He seems to have been favored i n Episcopal circles , having designed the Divinity School of P.E. Church of Philadelphia, the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge and, of course. Church Farm School, Medary probably obtained the commission through his earlier work for one of the school's founders, Clarence Sears Kates, at Solitude Farm In West Whiteland, Medary's ability to " fit style to the symbolic use of the building" is well illustrated in Church Farm School, Founded In 1918 as a farm and industrial school for fatherless boys "of a class between those attending Williamson Trade School and Glen Mills Reform School," the School attempted to provide a healthful, compassionate, and church-oriented environment for the youth. Accordingly, a site was selected near St, Paul's Church in the Chester County countryside, which was conveniently located on the newly paved Lancaster Turnpike, Informal and home-like clusters of cottages were erected for the children and, naturally , the focus of the cruciform campus was the modified cruciform chapel, A landmark along the turnpike since 1918, its architectural design was observed correctly to be an " inspirational plan, which has evoked much favorable comment from the thousands of motorists who roll along the highway."
Today, the school continues to function as a boy's boarding school for children in grades 9 thru 12.