Maryvale Preparatory School
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Maryvale Preparatory School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Brooklandville, Maryland. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore.
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[edit] Background
Maryvale was founded in 1945 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. It has a long tradition of affiliation to the Virgin Mary. The combined middle and high school has approximately 350 to 380 students. Typical whole class size is, at most, seventy-five to eighty girls, but, in current years, as small as fifty-five or sixty. The current headmistress of the school is Sister Shawn Marie Maguire, SND.
[edit] History
Bought by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Maryvale was a boarding school. Opening on September 9, 1945, there were 12 boarders and eight day students, in almost every grade level. Initially, it was a boarding and day school geared for pre-primary to high school students. However, in June of 1954, no more boarders were accepted and the last of the boarding students graduated in 1956. From 1948 to 1972, Maryvale accepted boys from grades K to 8. The school continued to evolve until it became the school that it was today, in 1976, when it began focusing on educating young women from grades 6 to 12.
[edit] The Uniform
The Maryvale uniform is epitomized by the red wool blazers with the crest of the school sewn on the left breast pocket that are worn by the students. The blazer is worn with white polo shirts, either long sleeves or short, grey plaid wool skirts, brown school shoes and the option of wearing black tights or white crew socks. For winter times, the girls have the options of wearing black school sweaters, with the name of the school embroidered on the left breast and black leggings. It is common that all students wear some kind of shorts underneath the skirts. Also typical of the uniform are a variety of shirts that are worn underneath the school shirts to add another layer of clothing during the winter time.
[edit] The School Ring
Students have the option of getting their school ring in silver, gold or white gold. Set in the ring is a square garnet stone. On one side is engrave the graduating year of the student over a lion, the mascot of the school. On the other side is the word Maryvale over a small castle, symbolizing the Castle on campus. Typically, students have their names or initials engraved on the inside of the ring.
Rings are received in December of the Junior year, usually on or close to December 8th, which, in Catholic tradition, is the Immaculate Conception of Mary. When received, the ring goes on the ring finger of the right hand with the school year facing towards the pinkie finger and the word Maryvale facing the middle finger. Upon graduation, the ring is turned so that the word Maryvale is facing the pinkie finger and the graduating year is facing the middle finger. It is the charge of the student that between the reception of their ring at the Junior Ring Ceremony and the Junior Ring Dance, held in the castle, that the ring be turned a certain number of times. For example, a student in the class of 2007 would have their ring turned 107 times, symbolizing their affiliation to their class.
[edit] School Song
O Maryvale, we sing to thee,
Whose every slope and tree,
In noble mein praises God,
As born of favored soil He trod.
We hail thy towers grey and lofty,
Thy wings of stone so strong.
Thy Mary image greeting all who come,
Who for her blessing long.
Oh Maryvale, dear Maryvale,
We give our hearts to thee today.
School of our Queen of lineage royal,
To thee we will be loyal,
For thou has taugh in Christ-like way,
Courages faith and love each day.
In hope, fidelity and peace,
Thy spirit stands secure.
Obedience, purity and zeal for truth,
Marks life that will endure.
Oh Maryvale, dear Maryvale,
We give our hearts to thee today.
[edit] Student Organizations
[edit] Student Council
The Upper School Student Council's responsibilities include planning events throughout the year for the student body, including the Homecoming Dance, leading Community Homeroom every Tuesday and being role models for the student body. Student Council takes the initiative in fund raising and raising awareness in the entire school. The four elected positions are President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Student Council also includes representatives from each of the homerooms, who sit at Student Council meetings and bring information back to their homerooms.
The Middle School Student Council serve the Middle School in similar ways. They sponsor the Middle School homeroom door decorating contest and they also sponsor fund raisers for different charities and organizations.
[edit] NHS and NJHS
Maryvale is home to the Sister Shawn Marie Maguire Chapter of the National Honor Society. Students may be inducted into the NHS during the junior or senior years, providing that they meet the necessary requirements. NHS members serve leadership, community service, scholarship and character. Among other events that they participate in, NHS members sponsor the Tyler Fick Memorial Run, where they raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in memory in a recent alumna, Tyler Fick '99, who died of Cystic Fibrosis.
Middle School students have to opportunity to join the St. Julie Billiart Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society, providing that they meet the necessary requirements. NJHS members are inducted at the same time as NHS members and also provide models of leadership, community service, scholarship and character to their fellow students. They also participate in fund raisers and boost school spirit.
[edit] The Grey Towers
The Grey Towers is the Upper School newspaper. It reports on the happenings of the school and spotlight the important and memorable events that take place. The staff, led by a Senior Editor and supervised by a faculty moderator, holds up a quality of integrity and knowledge. Recently, the Grey Towers received a well-deserved make-over, going from a pamphlet or magazine style to a real newsprint, newspaper style.
[edit] The Lion's Tale
The Lion's Tale is the Middle School equivalent of the Grey Towers. It is geared towards the Middle School students, bringing them news that is relevant to them. Like the Grey Towers' staff, the Lion's Tale staff believes in upholding a sense of integrity and quality in its publications.
[edit] Miscellany
Miscellany is the literary magazine of the school. Typically, the staff of the literary magazine produces one collective and comprehensive book of the poetry of the school, submitted to the staff via turn-ins to the staff or English teachers or by way of e-mail. In recent years, the publications have been growing exponentially. Each year, the staff chooses a theme for the literary magazine. Recent themes have included Enlightenment, Growth and Untitled. The staff is led by two student editors. One editor is the General Editor, who oversees the meetings, collection of submissions, raising awareness of the organization and plans the coffeehouses. The other editor, the Publication Editor, spends her time formatting the accepted entries, both poetic and artistic, and prepares the literary magazine for publication. The staff is advised by a faculty moderator.
The Miscellany staff is also responsible for the poetry coffeehouses that are held throughout the year. Each coffeehouse has a theme relative to the time of year in which it is held. The staff provides food and a comfortable environment for the meeting. Coffeehouses are typically held in the dining hall, but have also been held in the Castle. The coffeehouse is open to students, faculty and friends from outside the Maryvale community. Frequent acts include the reading of poetry, musicians, vocal singing and comedic stand-up.
[edit] Habitat for Humanity
The Maryvale chapter of Habitat for Humanity participate in builds in nearby Baltimore City. Also, along with chapters from Calvert Hall College High School, Notre Dame Preparatory School and Loyola Blakefield, they hold an annual Habitat for Humanity football game.
[edit] PACT
PACT stands for Promoting Active Community Testament. PACT was founded by students from Maryvale, Seton Keough High School, Calvert Hall College High School and Mount Saint Joseph High School to do good deeds around Baltimore, to provide community service to others. Events include the Senior Citizen Prom and the Winter Snow Ball.
[edit] Service Club
The Service Club was founded in the 2005-2006 school year. The goal of the Service Club is to make an impact on other people's lives. Service Club members have made lunches for people at Beans and Bread and made blankets for charity. Their biggest contribution so far has been to raise $7,400 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
[edit] Model UN
Maryvale has a Model UN group on campus that attends conferences where they meet with similar clubs from other schools to debate and learn about world politics.
[edit] Mock Trial
The Maryvale Mock Trial team works tirelessly to learn about what it means to be a good lawyer and to be in a courtroom. While they have never won a championship, they have won several of their trials and are recognized for their prowess in the courtroom.
[edit] Sports
Maryvale has many sports teams for students to members of and they all promote active lifestyles. Varsity sports include field hockey, fall soccer, volleyball, cross country, winter indoor track and field, basketball, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, and softball. Junior varsity sports include field hockey, fall soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball and lacrosse. Middle school sports include field hockey, volleyball (recently introduced) winter soccer, basketball and lacrosse.
The varsity softball team has won three consecutive IAAM B Conference championships. They have won in the 2004-2005 season, the 2005-2006 season and the 2006-2007 season. Other recent sports championships and recognition includes in soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, outdoor track, and cross country.
Although Maryvale lacks the adequate facilities, the students have learned to accept the disadvantages that they are faced. For example, there is no grass on any of the fields, but this does not stop the students from running hard in the pouring rain, with the mud splattering everywhere; demonstrating their determination, a strong characteristic of a Maryvale student.
[edit] Traditions
[edit] Class Colors and Class Banners
High school classes, in their freshman year, pick two colors that will symbolize their class. From these two colors, the class design and creates a banner that will hang on the gym wall until graduation. Some color combinations from current and previous years include: pink and blue, green and yellow, yellow and blue, blue and green, black and white, dark and light blue, and pink and yellow.
Middle school classes are assigned class colors. The colors are: pink, green and blue. These colors are especially used doing Spirit Week and Class Color Day.
[edit] Big Sister/Little Sister
When a girl enters her freshman year at Maryvale, she is partnered with a rising junior, who acts as her "Big Sister" during her first two years at the school. This program is known as the Big Sister/Little Sister program. Most juniors have one Little Sister, though there are cases in which juniors have two Little Sisters.
During orientation at the beginning of the school year, the Big Sister gives her Little Sister or Little Sisters a pin, symbolizing the unity of sisterhood. The pin has linked hands that form a heart and the class years of the Big Sister and the Little Sister classes. Also, during the Ring Day Ceremony of the Big Sister class, the Little Sister class traditionally presents them with a rose as they receive their rings.
[edit] Spirit Week
Typically, Spirit Week in the third week of February. Every year, two days are always used: Red and Grey Day (the first day of the week usually, for the school colors) and Class Colors Day (the last day of the week always). The other days of the week are picked by the Athletic Association. Some theme days in the past have included: Disney Day, Superhero Day, Class Theme Day, Cowgirl Day and 80's Aerobics Day.
The winner of Spirit Week is announced at the themed Spirit Dance at the end of the week. There is a winner in the Middle School and a winner in the High School. The winning class gets the Spirit Banner, to hang by the Class Banner for an entire year. Very few classes have had a clean sweep of Middle School, High School or all seven years. In the last few years, one class, the Class of 2003, swept all seven years.
[edit] Gym Meet
Gym Meet is a long-standing tradition of the school. Similar to Gym Meet at Notre Dame Preparatory School, it is an important part of school life. Students greatly enjoy the day and look forward to it. It is usually held on one of the last Fridays in May and is traditionally the last day of school for seniors before senior exams. Alumnae, parents, family and friends come to this event.
The morning of Gym Meet usually involves field day-like events. The entire school, middle school and high school, is divided into two teams, Red and Grey, after the school colors. The teams then participate in events such as relays, volleyball, kickball and dodgeball. Points are awarded to the winning teams. These points are then added to points accumulated throughout the year by Red and Grey teams. The winning team is announced at the end of the day. In 2002, the Grey team beat the Red Team in points, ending a 13-year run of Red Team wins.
In the afternoon of Gym Meet, marches occur. Each class in the high school (the middle school do it by Red or Grey Teams) elect 4 Captains. After that, the classes pick a theme, relating to the class year, something unique to the class or are just completely random. For example, themes used have been 2004's Freshman Army, 2008's Frozen Freshman and Jungle Juniors, 2005's Junior Cicadas, 2007's '07 from the '70's, 2006's Junior Napoleon Dynamite and Senior Eggs, 2002's Senior What?, and 2003's Sophomore Sumos and Senior Rocks. The classes then pick 3 formations (relating to the theme) and 3 popular songs, which are then tailored to the particular theme. Each person participates bring in $7, which are put towards costumes and props to use during the marches.
The marches are judged by alumnae who are invited back. After all the marches, the winning class (one in high school, one in middle) is presented the coveted Gym Meet Banner, to hang by the winning class banner for an entire year.
Another tradition that is a part of the day is the "Running of the Banner." It symbolizes the moving up of the respective classes. Sixth graders become seventh graders, seventh graders become eighth graders, etc. Seniors, the first ones who run out, do not have a banner, symbolizing their graduation and departure to college.
[edit] Senior Sleepover
A recent tradition of the school, Senior Sleepover began with the Class of 2004. Typically occurring sometime in the spring, seniors will spend the night in the castle, usually spreading out in the Great Hall and the library. This tradition was started when the class of 2003 decided to camp out on Maryvale property over night as their senior prank. The Administration was very angry at the time, but the next year decided to start the sleepover tradition. They thought that students actually wanted to spend the night at Maryvale. In 2004, when the inaugural sleepover occurred, as a light-hearted prank from the faculty and administration, the class was "visited" by the "ghost" of Mrs. Wickes.
Another part of the tradition is the tradition of seniors going out in the middle of the night and painting the stone bleachers (a.k.a. the "steps") at the fields, decorating them with their names and messages in their class colors. Two years after the class paints their side of the steps, their little sister class will paint over their names and messages with their own words in their own class colors.
[edit] Castle
The Maryvale Castle, also known as the Wickliffe Castle, was originally built as a wedding present by the original owner of the property, but was sold to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The Castle, home to offices, classrooms and the school's library, among other things, is rented out for weddings, receptions, dances, etc. In the 2005-2006 school year, renovations were completed in the castle, improving internal systems such as piping and electricity, creating more office space for the faculty.
[edit] History
Built as a wedding present by Dr. Wickes for his wife. It is a carefully designed medieval house that is similar in design to Warwick Castle in England. Many parts of the designs would be similar to the Tudor style, incorporating many of those features and elements in the design. It would take two years and $250,000 to build. At the time in which it was built, Wickliffe Castle earned a great deal of interest, not only for its Tudor Style, but it was also known as the "largest private residence in this part of the country."
The Wickes family would move in and occupy the Castle. Dr. and Mrs. Wickes would raise their son and four daughters there. However, shortly after Mrs. Wickes died, in 1945, Dr. Wickes would sell the Castle to the Sister of Notre Dame de Namure for $75,000. He would leave most of the furnishings in the entrance hall and the Great Hall, including furniture that is mainly Renaissance and Gothic, but a few period pieces that date back to the 1500's and 1600's.
[edit] Prohibition era
During the Prohibition, the Wickes would throw parties. There are secret cabinets hidden in the panelling in the walls that had been used to store illegal alcohol during the time. There is also a large room underneath the back steps of the Castle that was used to store alcohol.
[edit] Legends and stories surrounding the Castle
There are several legends and stories that surround the Castle.
[edit] The tunnel
It is popular belief of the students that there is a tunnel somewhere on campus that leads down into Green Spring. This tunnel, it is believed, would be used to warn people up at the Castle if the police where coming, particularly during the Prohibition. While the location and existence of the tunnel is unknown, that belief is still passed around as facts by students and alumnae.
[edit] The ghost of Mrs. Wickes
There is a common story in the school that the Castle is haunted by the ghost of Mrs. Wickes. Legend has it that, after the death of her baby, she fell down the dumb-waiter and died. Her ghost still supposedly can be heard, looking for her child.
[edit] School traditions surrounding the Castle
Recently, seniors have had the tradition of sleeping over in the castle in the spring. Every year, the graduating class hold their Baccalaureate Mass in the Mary circle that stands in front of the Castle. Also, graduating classes typically hold their graduation ceremonies on the terrace, on the back of the Castle, overlooking the back lawn and staring straight down into Green Spring Valley.
[edit] The Castle in popular culture
Notably, the Castle's exterior and part of its interior can be seen in the 1997 Clint Eastwood movie, Absolute Power. Furnishings, work and renovations completed for the movie, including a drapery on the second floor left and carpeting on the main stair case have been left.
