Indian Springs School

Indian Springs School was founded in 1952, endowed by Birmingham businessman Harvey G. Woodward, an alumnus of MIT. He died in 1930 and, in his will bequeathed the funds and instructions for creating the school. Woodward wanted to make the school available to all classes of students. He stipulated that the school could admit only Christian, white boys, at a time when racial segregation was statewide in public facilities. He instructed that the school should use a holistic approach to learning (the school's motto is "Discere Vivendo", or "Learning through Living").

During its first years, the school was based on a working farm, where students carried out all the work needed, in addition to other studies. This element was soon eliminated. Indian Springs opened in 1952 with ten staff members and sixty students. The first director of the school was Louis "Doc" Armstrong. He made several changes to Woodward's original plans for the school. He developed a curriculum as a preparatory school and opened admissions to Jewish boys.

When the school was founded, most private and public facilities were segregated in Alabama. The restrictions on enrollment were sequentially abolished by 1976, both by actions of the first director and to comply with the Supreme Court ruling and later federal civil rights legislation in 1964.[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4113/is_200507/ai_n14779024 "Where There's a Will: The Story of Indian Springs School"] by Pam Jones, Alabama Heritage Magazine, Number 77, Summer 2005, 26-33.

Indian Springs School's campus is on {{convert|350|acre|ha}} in northern Shelby County, {{convert|15|mi|km}} south of downtown Birmingham. Through the 1970s, the school was remote and surrounded by the woodlands of its campus, in addition to Oak Mountain State Park abutting its southern boundary. In the late 1970s, facing increasing debts and possible bankruptcy because of decreased enrollment, the school sold hundreds of acres surrounding the campus.

Instruction takes place in seven academic buildings, which house 23 classrooms, a science center, a concert hall, a theater, a student lounge, a college center, a technology lab, a 19,000-volume library, and special studios for chorus, art, photography, and drama. The athletic facilities include two gymnasiums, with two basketball courts, two volleyball courts, and two weight rooms. The campus has six tennis courts, a competition soccer field, a baseball field, a softball field, a cross country track, and a practice field/track. A new organic orchard, Fertile Minds, complements the greenhouse in producing food for the students. In 2006, new dorms for both boys and girls were opened.

For school year 2022–2023, the tuition per year is $27,300 for day students, $50,400 for Alabama resident boarding students, $56,500 for non-Alabama domestic boarding students, and $63,200 for international boarding students. There are annual bus and meal plan fees that are not included. Tuition fluctuates yearly.{{cite web | url=https://www.indiansprings.org/admission/tuition-and-financial-aid | title=Learn about the costs for attending Indian Springs School }}

In 2019, after an internal investigation by a third party, Indian Springs released a report accusing former faculty members of sexual misconduct.{{cite web |last1=Remkus |first1=Ashley |title=5 former Alabama private school employees accused of sexual misconduct |url=https://www.al.com/news/2019/06/5-former-alabama-private-school-employees-accused-of-sexual-misconduct.html |website=al.com |date=June 19, 2019 |access-date=June 19, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Robert Sherman, Phil Pinarski |title=Indian Springs School finds sexual abuse evidence of 5 educators |date=June 19, 2019 |url=https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/indian-springs-school-finds-sexual-abuse-evidence-of-5-educators/ |access-date=June 20, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Seale |first1=Michael |title=Indian Springs releases report on sexual misconduct investigation |url=https://patch.com/alabama/pelham-al/indian-springs-releases-report-sexual-misconduct-investigation |website=Patch.com |date=June 19, 2019 |access-date=June 19, 2019}}

For the 2022–2023 school year:{{cite web |title=Welcome to Indian Springs School! |url=https://www.indiansprings.org/about |access-date=July 29, 2022}}

• Total students: 324
• Day students: 242
• Boarding students: 82
• States represented: 9
• Countries represented: 11
• Faculty: 38
• Student-Teacher ratio: 8 to 1

The demographic breakdown of the 323 students enrolled in 2021-2022 was:{{cite web |title=Indian Springs School Students - Niche |url=https://www.niche.com/k12/indian-springs-school-indian-springs-al/students/ |access-date=July 29, 2022}}

• White: 63.2%
• Asian: 24.5%
• Black: 4.4%
• Hispanic: 3.7%
• Multiracial: 2.5%

• Young adult author John Green's debut novel, Looking for Alaska, is set at a school based on his attendance at Indian Springs School in 1995.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdjmNPlePVE "Looking for Alaska at My High School"] by John Green, Uploaded on August 6, 2010. Quote: The school in my novel is "almost inch for inch the same place as Indian Springs School was in 1995."

Notable alumni{{cite web | url=https://www.indiansprings.org/notable-alumni | title=Springs imaginations have built companies, penned books, and saved lives }} include:

• Daniel Alarcón, author[https://www.al.com/entertainment/2014/06/indian_springs_school_proud_of.html Indian Springs School shines as 'The Fault in Our Stars' reaches meteoric levels] al.com, June 10, 2014. Quote: "Green is only one of a number of notable Springs alumni; others include fellow author Daniel Alarcon, director John Badham, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia CEO and president Charles Plosser, Continental Bakery owner Carole Griffin, Game of Thrones TV show writer David Hill, Russell Lands chairman and CEO Ben Russell and many more."[https://www.indiansprings.org/news-detail?pk=787157 Daniel Alarcón '95 Named 2015 Outstanding Alum ] indiansprings.org, June 4, 2015
• Katrina Armstrong, Interim President Columbia University NYC since August 2024
• John Badham, director[https://www.al.com/aharvey/2010/07/directors_john_badham_michael.html Directors John Badham, Michael McCullers will attend Indian Springs School event in Birmingham] Harvey, Alec, al.com, July 29, 2010.
• Howard Cruse, cartoonistCooke, John B. (Spring 2016) "Finding the Muse of the Man Called Cruse". Comic Book Creator No. 12, p. 32-39Cruse, Howard (April 25, 2011) "[http://www.howardcruse.com/loosecruse/?p=647 Book Promotion Time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505015448/http://www.howardcruse.com/loosecruse/?p=647 |date=2021-05-05 }}" Loose Cruse weblog - accessed June 28, 2019
• Hanelle Culpepper, filmmaker; the first woman and the first African American to direct the first (pilot) episode of any Star Trek series.{{cite journal|last=Cook|first=Sarah|date=Summer 2017|title=Hanelle Culpepper Meier '88: From School Plays to Hollywood Productions|journal=Indian Springs, A Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Indian Springs School|publisher=Indian Springs School|location=Indian Springs, Alabama|volume=15|issue=2|page=49|url=https://issuu.com/indianspringsschool/docs/summer_2017_magazine}}{{cite web |last1=Boucher |first1=Geoff |title='Star Trek': Hanelle Culpepper Will Direct Picard Pilot, First Woman To Launch Starfleet Series |url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/star-trek-hanelle-culpepper-will-direct-picard-pilot-1202568013/ |website=Deadline |language=en |date=March 1, 2019}}
• Mark Gitenstein, American diplomat
• John Green, young adult author{{cite magazine |last1=Talbot |first1=Margaret |title=The Teen Whisperer |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/09/the-teen-whisperer |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en |date=June 2, 2014}}
• Sarah Urist Green, creator and host of the PBS program The Art Assignment {{cite web|url=https://observer.com/2005/11/countdown-to-bliss-45/|title=Countdown to Bliss|date=November 7, 2005|website=observer.com|access-date=June 26, 2019}}
• Ken Grimwood, author{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}
• Preston Haskell, design-build construction executive in Jacksonville, Florida, and part-owner of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars
• Perry Lentz, author and professor emeritus at Kenyon College{{Cite web |title=Alum Awards at Indian Springs School {{!}} Birmingham, AL |url=https://indiansprings.myschoolapp.com/page/outstanding-alum-awards?siteId=1207&ssl=1 |access-date=August 7, 2023 |website=indiansprings.myschoolapp.com}}
• Elaine Luria, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd district[http://www.sjlmag.com/2018/03/another-way-to-serve-after-20-years-in.html "Another way to serve: After 20 years in Navy, Elaine Luria running for Congress"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107185547/http://www.sjlmag.com/2018/03/another-way-to-serve-after-20-years-in.html |date=November 7, 2018 }} Southern Jewish Life, March 7, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2018/11/mountain-brook-native-elaine-luria-wins-virginia-congressional-seat.html |title="Mountain Brook native Elaine Luria wins Virginia Congressional seat" |publisher=al.com |date=November 7, 2018 |access-date=February 16, 2019}}
• Michael McCullers, film director and screenwriter
• David Y. Oh, lead flight director for Mars Curiosity rover and project systems engineer for NASA Psyche mission{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/spotnews/2012/08/mars_rover_flight_director_say.html|title=KMars rover flight director says Indian Springs School helped launch career|date=August 21, 2012 |publisher=AL.com, Advance Local Media LLC.}}
• Charles I. Plosser, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
• Mona Singh, professor at Princeton University
• Clark Robert Smith, wine industry pioneer{{cite web|url=http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2009/10/wine_rebel_teaches_classes_at.html |title=Wine rebel teaches classes at alma mater Indian Springs School | al.com |publisher=Blog.al.com |date= |accessdate=September 28, 2012}}

• Hugh Thomas, choral conductor{{cite web|url=http://www.bsc.edu/communications/news/2002/20020725_thomas.htm|title=BSC Press Release|work=bsc.edu|access-date=October 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234101/http://www.bsc.edu/communications/news/2002/20020725_thomas.htm|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://issuu.com/indianspringsschool/docs/iss_magazine_spring_2012/13|title=ISS Magazine - Spring 2012|work=issuu.com|access-date=October 3, 2016}}

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{{Portal|United States|Schools}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}
• [http://www.indiansprings.org/ Indian Springs School's official site]
• [http://www.indianspringssurvivors.org/ Springs Survivors’ official site]
• [http://www.nais.org/ National Association of Independent Schools]

{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415125501/https://www.nais.org/ |date=April 15, 2021 }}

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Category:Private high schools in Alabama

Category:Boarding schools in Alabama

Category:Educational institutions established in 1952

Category:Schools in Shelby County, Alabama

Category:Private middle schools in Alabama

Category:Preparatory schools in Alabama

Category:Segregation academies in Alabama

Category:1952 establishments in Alabama