Statesman V. 29, n. 01.pdf

y Patricia Hall
The Stony Brook School began 63 years
ago with six faculty members and a
student body made up of six young men.
One building was the classroom, dormitory
and cafeteria.
Today, however, the Stony Brook
School has become a fine college
preparatory school. It has approximately
390 students, both male and female (it
btaned coed in 1972) in grades seven
through twelve. There are both day
students and boarding students
representing 26 states and 15 foreign
countries. It has a 45 member faculty and
a staff of 40. There are now ten buildings:
Two academic, one Fine Arts Center, two
gyms, four dormitories and one infirmary
all situated on 45 acres of land just north
of Route 25A in Stony Brook.
The Stony Brook School is a place where
a student can get a broad based
education. Although the basics of reading,
writing and arithmetic are the core of the
curriculum, teachinl its students to
-. become better human beings is also an
important element of the school
The school was founded in the Fall of
1922 under the direction of its first
Headmaster, Frank Gaebelein; who,
according to current Headmaster Karl
Soderstrom, was then trying to decide
between a career as an English teacher or
rake a look at Stony Brook School
a concert pianist. At the time, he was a 23year-old
graduate student. The orginal
idea for the school, though, is usually
attributed to Dr. Eugene Carson, a
Presbyterian minister.
Carson and others, including
Gaebelein's father, are considered to be
the "originating fathers" of the Stony
-Brook School. The site of the school had
been, since 1905, used for religious conferences.
This religious background can
be seen in the motto of the school and
which is one of the ways it is set apart
from public schools. The motto is,
"character before career," according to
Soderstrom. "The idea is that morality
and character should be as important to a
student's -education as are the
academics."
Although the school did begin with its
roots in the Presbyterian faith, today it
-is a non-denominational Christian school.
In fact, Soderstrom said, the Board and
faculty adhere to basic Christian faith and
the idea of Christianity is an integral part
df the school and is built into the school's
charter with New York State.
The students all must participate in the
Chapel program, which according to
Soderstrom, is more listening and
discussing the days events than it is an
actual church service. The students must
also take at least one course in religion.
"It encourages them to think about life,"
Soderstrom said.
Academics are also stressed. We're
looking for kids in the 80 degree bracket in
the standard test we use (for admittance)
and who are doing B or B+ work,"
Soderstrom said. With few exceptions, all
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the students go on to college.
The academic program is very
structured, emphasizing the basics.
Soderstrom said that the school differs
little from public school in the area of
academics. The school has a very good
Advanced Placement program in various
subjects that allows students to earn
college credits in a class of only 17
students.
The lifestyle of the boarding students is
also very structured, according to
Soderstrom. There are set bedtimes and
at least two hours is set aside each night
to be devoted to studying. There is also a
dress code for both boys and girls and
dinner is formal requiring coat and tie for
the boys and appropriate dress attire for
the girls.
Tbe school is a private institution and
thus relies on itself for financing. The
main sources of revenue, according to
Soderstrom, are tuition fees, annual gifts
Stony Brook School I.fary
from almni, parents and friends, and
from endowments.
The tuition is $6,750 for all grades and
includes books and meals. With board the
fe is 9,950. These fees, aid Sdtrom
pa the sXhool in the bottom third of
prep in the N et, re
cst. He added that appriately onethird
of the a re v feancial
Soderstrom said that one of the greatest
assets to the Stony Brook School is the
"unique family type environment to
learning." The teachers are very
dedicated to this idea and are readily
available outside the classroom.
The Stony Brook School, builds integrity
and character. 'The school has a
vison for its kids. Stony Brook School is a
college preparatory school that seeks to
challenge capable young people," said
,Soderstrom. 'This vision is what we are
100 per cent committed to."
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