Providence Day School

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Providence Day School is an independent Transitional Kindergarten through Grade 12 school located in Charlotte, North Carolina with a total enrollment of around 1500 students. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

[edit] History

In July 1970, James Williams, Thomas Ridenhour, and Gilbert Bell began discussing the idea of beginning a school. On August 30, 1970, they held the first organizational meeting at the home of James Williams. Present were Gilbert Bell, Reid Caldwell, Joe Conrad, Charles graves, Charles Harper, William Hester, John Locklear, Wilton Parr, Charles reed, Thomas L. Ridenhour, Preston Sizemore, David Kuntzman, and James Williams. These men formed the Southeast Community Corporation for the purpose of beginning an independent school. They also became the school’s first board of directors. In September, a meeting was held to enlist interested parents. By the end of the night, 112 children from 108 families had registered to attend the school.

Several days later, potential property for the school had been located. The board of directors, borrowing $200 from each family who had enrolled a child, purchased 7.6 acres of land for $75,000 on Sardis Road.

After the deed to the land was signed, parents went to work converting the house that was on the land into a school. On September 28, 1970, Providence Day School was born. There were 150 students in fifth and sixth grade. With the later addition of seventh grade in 1995 the school had to add a PDA rule.

In February 1971, the State Department of Public Instruction approved Providence Day as a private school. In the summer of 1971, William T. Townsend, Jr. was hired as the first headmaster and the late Gil Murdock was hired as the first coach and physical education instructor. Murdock would become the longest serving faculty member in school history before retiring in 2006, he died three days later.

The 1974-75 school year brought the school’s first state championship in sports (golf), the addition of the two-story building (later named Overcash Hall) and accreditation from the Southern Association of Independent Schools. 1975 was also the year of the school’s first graduating class.

In 1982, adjacent property was purchased for an athletic complex to accommodate football, track, baseball, softball, and tennis. The gymnasim was dedicated and named the Thomas L. Ridenhour Athletic Center in 1983. In 1985, the wing between the Williams Building and Providence Hall was enclosed and three classrooms were added. Much to the dismay of the students.

Eugene A. Bratek became the school’s third Headmaster in 1986, his retirement is expected after the 2006-07 school year.

In 1990, the McMahon Fines Arts Center was dedicated and the school purchased adjoining property and a house for the Extended Day Program.

In 1998, the Dickson-Hemby Technology Center opened and now houses math, science, and computer classes. The Mike Jones Library and the Mosack Athletic Center were dedicated in 2001 at the conclusion of the “Tomorrow Begins Today” campaign. The Dining Hall in the McMahon Fine Arts center was expanded in 2005. This expansion also included a black box theater and more space for the band program.

Portions adapted from Providence Day School Silver Memories: The First Twenty Five Years by Clara Ellen Peeler and Catherine Campani Messmer; Providence Day School, 1995.

[edit] Current

The school is divided into Lower, Middle and Upper School divisions, each led by a Head of Division and a Dean. Eugene Bratek serves as the current headmaster. In 2003, Providence Day was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the US Department of Education. One-hundred percent of graduates (more or less) are admitted to and attend four-year colleges. Recent state championship teams for the NCISAA 3A division include the Boys' Cross Country team (2005/2006), the Girls' tennis team (2006), and the Girls' Basketball team (2004/2005).