Girard College
Girard College is a private boarding school whose campus in North Philadelphia contains one of America's finest collections of Greek Revival architecture, including Founder's Hall—considered the most complete example of a Greek temple in the Western Hemisphere. Founded through the bequest of banker Stephen Girard and opened in 1848, the institution occupies a 43-acre walled campus designed by Thomas Ustick Walter, whose work here established him as one of America's leading architects before his appointment to complete the United States Capitol. The college's architecture embodies Girard's vision of an institution that would educate orphaned boys in an environment of classical grandeur.[1]
Founder's Hall
[edit | edit source]Founder's Hall represents Greek Revival architecture at its most ambitious, a full-scale Corinthian temple that served as classroom building, chapel, and architectural symbol of the institution's aspirations. Thomas Ustick Walter's design adapts the form of an ancient Greek temple—a rectangular cella surrounded by a colonnade—to educational purposes, creating interior spaces within a form traditionally solid. The 34 Corinthian columns, each 55 feet tall and six feet in diameter, create a peristyle of unprecedented scale in American architecture. The building's white marble construction, rare for structures of this size, contributes to its classical effect.[2]
The interior contains three floors of rooms organized within the temple form, with a central hall running the building's length on each floor. These spaces served various educational functions—classrooms, library, chapel—that Girard's institution required. The architectural challenge of fitting practical rooms within temple form demanded considerable ingenuity, with natural light introduced through skylights and roof monitors that do not compromise the exterior's classical purity. The building's survival in excellent condition makes it an unparalleled document of Greek Revival ambition.[1]
Campus Design
[edit | edit source]The Girard College campus presents a planned ensemble of Greek Revival buildings organized around Founder's Hall. Four dormitory buildings—each a substantial classical structure in its own right—flank the central building, creating a symmetrical composition that extends the classical theme across the entire site. Walter designed these supporting buildings to complement rather than compete with Founder's Hall, their simpler forms providing backdrop for the temple's grandeur. The campus wall, extending around the entire 43-acre property, defines the institution's boundaries while contributing to its monumental character.[2]
The wall that surrounds Girard College became the focus of civil rights controversy in the 1960s when activists challenged the institution's whites-only admission policy. Stephen Girard's will had specified that the school serve "poor white male orphans," a restriction that the Supreme Court eventually ruled unconstitutional when applied to an institution with governmental connections. The wall, originally meant to protect students from urban dangers, became symbol of exclusion that civil rights activists made visible through protests. The college integrated in 1968 and now serves students regardless of race, though the wall remains as physical reminder of this history.[1]
Stephen Girard
[edit | edit source]Stephen Girard, whose 1831 bequest created the college, accumulated America's largest fortune through shipping, banking, and real estate. Born in France and immigrating to Philadelphia before the Revolution, Girard built a commercial empire that made him the nation's wealthiest citizen. His will devoted the bulk of his fortune to creating a school for orphaned boys, specifying in extraordinary detail the institution's governance, curriculum, and even architecture. Girard's prohibition on clergy entering the campus—reflecting his Enlightenment skepticism—generated controversy and legal challenges that reached the Supreme Court.[2]
The scale of Girard's bequest—approximately $6 million in 1831—enabled an institution of unprecedented ambition. The architectural grandeur that Walter achieved reflected both Girard's specifications and the available resources. Few educational institutions of any era have been founded with such wealth, and fewer still have been housed in buildings of such architectural distinction. Girard College thus represents a unique moment in American philanthropic and architectural history, when one man's fortune created an institution of lasting significance.[1]
Current Operations
[edit | edit source]Girard College continues operating as a boarding school for students from families of limited means, though its admission policies have evolved significantly from Girard's original vision. The school now serves boys and girls from first through twelfth grade, providing full scholarships that include tuition, room, and board. The classical campus provides an environment of architectural distinction rarely available to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, fulfilling Girard's intention to provide opportunities through excellent facilities.[2]
The campus requires ongoing maintenance to preserve its historic buildings while meeting contemporary educational needs. Founder's Hall and the other Greek Revival structures present preservation challenges that the institution addresses through careful stewardship. The college's continued operation demonstrates that historic buildings can serve contemporary purposes when institutions commit to their preservation. Girard College thus remains both active school and architectural landmark, its Greek Revival buildings continuing to inspire as they have for nearly two centuries.[1]