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The Spiritual Foundation of Episcopal High School
Episcopal High School was founded in 1839 on Christian principles. Although the School has evolved to meet the spiritual needs of a religiously diverse student body, spirituality is still at the core of school life.
Over the years, Episcopal High School’s religious practice has swung from mandatory chapel several days a week, to voluntary chapel, and back to mandatory chapel three times per week. Such changes were always thoughtfully considered. Around 1970, Headmaster A.R. Hoxton, Jr. ’35, 1967-81, appointed a committee of students and faculty, the Worship Planning Committee, to evaluate the School’s religious program. Everything from chapel to Sunday services and Sacred Studies classes was considered. Headmaster Sandy Ainslie ’56, 198198, introduced the Vestry, empowering Episcopal’s students to assume an official leadership role in the religious life of the School.
Over the years, the home of the School’s religious life has moved from a room in the main building behind Hoxton House, to Liggett Hall, to Pendleton Hall, and finally to Callaway Chapel in 1990. While the space and schedule of religious practice may have changed over the years, the spiritual life of the School has consistently served to nurture and comfort its students.
Together, EHS students have found joy and peace in the chapel: through chaplain- and student-led services, through Baccalaureate during Commencement weekend, and through the Theologian-in-Residence program. Chapel, both as a place and time of day, is a welcome respite from the busy life of the School. On the School’s blog (www. episcopalhighschool.org/admissions/the frontdrive), Blake Richardson ’14, senior warden of the vestry, explains that in chapel, “After coping with the stress of classes, I have time to be still and open my heart to God. These times when we listen to God and meditate on the Holy Spirit are rare. But chapel is a regular reminder and place for students to pray, find God, or simply take a deep breath.”
By including religion in the weekly schedule, the School not only communicates the importance of spirituality but also ensures that a spiritual life is in place for those times when the community is tested and most in need. Few losses test a school community as much the death of a student. Sadly, Episcopal High School has several times felt such acute loss.
Although the deaths of Nelson Massie, Class of 1874, and Elizabeth Anderson ’97 were separated by more than a century, students of each era were able to grieve their loss and comfort each other, prepared for this experience in part by the School’s religious tradition. Both students died overnight, and the sad news of their deaths spread as the community awoke in the morning. In both cases, the grieving process began with the community being called to a chapel service. Voluntary and student-led gatherings followed for students to pray and share their grief. The parents of Nelson Massie and Elizabeth Anderson shared in the community’s grieving process, and their presence on campus was a comfort to the School. Episcopal High School’s religious tradition had laid the groundwork for such student-directed grieving.
Not only does the spiritual life of Episcopal sustain the school community in times of hardship, but it also brings greater fulfillment in times of happiness. Because of this, Callaway Chapel is home to some of the most joyous times in school life, including the Lessons and Carols services before Christmas break. Alumni even return to the chapel for their weddings. In the chapel, Episcopal students find joy and sustenance, which they carry with them long after they sing “On Our Way Rejoicing” for the last time as students.
