Haverford School
The Haverford School is a private, non-sectarian, all-boys college preparatory day school, junior kindergarten through grade twelve. Founded in 1884 as The Haverford College Grammar School, it is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania.
The Haverford School | |
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Address | |
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450 Lancaster Avenue , United States | |
Coordinates | 40°00′52″N 75°18′19″W |
Information | |
Type | Private, all-boys |
Established | 1884; 138 years ago |
Headmaster | Tyler Casertano |
Enrollment | 1,013 total 436 Upper School 225 Middle School 352 Lower School |
Average class size | 16 students (Upper School) 17 Students (Lower and Middle School) |
Student to teacher ratio | 8:1 |
Campus | Suburban |
Color(s) | Maroon and Gold |
Nickname | Fords |
Rival | Episcopal Academy Malvern Preparatory School |
Newspaper | The Index |
Website | haverford |
History
The school was founded in 1884 at the request of Alexander and Lois Cassatt, niece of President James Buchanan, as The Haverford College Grammar School. Originally affiliated with neighboring Haverford College, in 1903 the school became independent, changed its name to The Haverford School, and moved to its current location across Railroad Avenue from the college. The school was Quaker during its affiliation with the college, but is now nonsectarian.
Haverford's original school colors were red and yellow for the first decade of the school's existence. However, after the outbreak of the Spanish–American War in 1898, the official colors were changed to maroon and gold out of national pride, since the colors of the Spanish flag were the same red and yellow.[1]
Athletics

The Haverford School is a member of the Inter Academic Athletic Association, the country's oldest inter-scholastic athletic conference.
With eighteen interscholastic sports, Haverford ranks among the top 20% of private high schools in Pennsylvania for amount of sports offered.[2][3]
The Haverford School lacrosse team gained national fame when the Fords won national championships in 2011 and 2015 after undefeated seasons. The 2015 team won USA Today's All-USA Boys' Lacrosse Team honors. The Fords lacrosse team is the most awarded team in the Inter-Ac League, having won two national championships, ten state championships, and eighteen Inter-Ac titles.[4]
In 2018–19, Haverford captured the Inter-Ac's Heyward Cup for overall excellence in athletic competition. The Fords have won the Heyward Cup 18 times, more than any other school in the league.[5]
EA Day
Haverford is known for its long-running rivalry with fellow Inter-Academic League member Episcopal Academy. The two schools have competed annually since 1889 in Haverford-EA Day, a day of competition occurring each November.[6] The winner is determined by who wins more of the day's five events: cross-country, water polo, soccer, golf and football. In the event of a tie, victory goes to the incumbent champion. Each year's winner earns the "Sweater". The Sweater is made from parts of uniform sweaters from each schools, cut in half and sewn together down the middle. Each school has a side, indicated by its colors, onto which years of victory are embroidered. Since the inception of the Sweater in 1987, Haverford leads Episcopal Academy with 18 Haverford/EA Day wins. Haverford held the Sweater for a decade between 2006 and 2016, the longest streak between either school. Currently, Haverford has the sweater.
#10ve Cup

A newer, friendly rivalry exists between Haverford and Garnet Valley High School's lacrosse teams. When Kip Taviano, a Concord Township-native and Haverford School lacrosse and football player, was killed in a 2013 car accident, the two schools came together to establish the #10ve Foundation in his memory. Haverford School and Garnet Valley compete in the #10ve Cup, an annual lacrosse event to benefit the Kip Taviano '13 Scholarship Fund.[7]
Boathouse
The Haverford School has an off-campus crew boathouse in Conshohocken. Before the construction of the Conshohocken boathouse, the school's crew team was associated with Undine Barge Club in Boathouse Row.[8] Currently rowing out of CRC (Conshohocken Rowing Center) with head coach John Stefanik.
Sister schools
Haverford's sister schools are the Baldwin School in nearby Bryn Mawr and the Agnes Irwin School. The three schools hold several academic and community service events together across the Philadelphia region.
Notable alumni
Headmasters
- Charles Sumner Crosman, 1884–1912
- Edwin Mood Wilson, 1912–1937
- Cornelius B. Boocock, 1937–1942
- Leslie R. Severinghaus, 1942–1965
- Kenneth Kingham, 1965–1966
- Davis R. Parker, 1966–1987
- William Boulton Dixon, 1987–1992
- Joseph P. Healey, 1992–1998
- Joseph T. Cox, 1998–2013
- John A. Nagl, 2013–2021[9]
- Tyler Casertano, 2021–present[10]
References
- The Handbook of Private Schools (93rd ed.). Porter Sargent Handbooks. 2012. p. 528.
- "The Haverford School Profile". Private School Review. Private School Review. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- "Athletics at Haverford". Athletics at Haverford. Haverford School. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- Vock, Casey (23 June 2015). "ALL-USA Boys Lacrosse: Team of the Year, Haverford School". USA Today High School Sports. USA Today. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
- "Athletics at Haverford". Athletics at Haverford. Haverford School. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- "Long-time Haverford School-EA Day rivalry to heat up Saturday; Episcopal-Agnes Irwin to compete for the 'banner'". Main Line Media News. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
- Goldberg, Chris. "Haverford School topples Garnet Valley, 18-7, in inaugural #10ve Cup". Philly Lacrosse. Philly Lacrosse. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- "The James J. Barker Sculling Center". Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- "Decorated Army vet named new headmaster at Haverford School - Philly.com". Articles.philly.com. 2012-09-03. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
- "The Haverford School names Tyler Casertano as 10th Head of School - Main Line Media News". Main Line Media News. 2021-06-08. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
External links
- A History of the Haverford School by Headmaster Joseph Cox
- "Building Better Men", Huffington Post blog (by Upper School Head Matt Green); accessed July 29, 2015.