National Register of Historic Places

Church Farm School Historic District

West Whiteland, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Listed
October 25, 1984
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
84002733

About this property

The Church Farm School (CFS) is a private secondary Christian school in Exton, Pennsylvania, United States. In 1985, the campus was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places. The school was founded in 1918 by Charles Shreiner. Shreiner, an Episcopal clergyman, established the school in Glen Loch (now Exton) Pennsylvania, on Route 30 (Lincoln Highway), as a boarding school for boys from single-parent homes, primarily those without fathers. The sons of the clergy, members of the armed services, and police officers were a second focus of the school in its early days. Shreiner, because of his strict belief in the importance of discipline and a strong work ethic, was known to the boys as the "Colonel." Shortly after its founding, the school acquired the Benjamin Pennypacker House property. The school integrated in 1963. After Shreiner died in 1964, the Board of Directors placed the school under the direction of his son, Charles Shreiner, Jr., a World War II veteran who served until retirement in 1987. The school's third headmaster, Charles "Terry" Shreiner III, the founder's grandson, led the school from 1987 until his retirement in 2009. Interim headmaster, Thomas Rodd, Jr., led the school before Edmund K. Sherrill II, an Episcopal clergyman, became headmaster in July 2009. Over the first half of its history, the school's campus grew to 1700 acres, on which it operated a large farm with student labor. Each boy was required to work half of each school day and full-time for half of each summer. This enterprise included a large dairy farm and hog raising operation and produced many crops. The school gradually phased out agricultural activities, beginning in the mid-1970s, selling off most of the remaining farmland to developers by the late 1990s. The dairy barns and silos remain as a memorial of the agricultural era of the school's history.

Location

West Whiteland, Chester County, Pennsylvania
40.03189, -75.59408

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Nearby Historic Sites

St. Paul's Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Pickwick
Industrial
0.6 mi
Lochiel Farm
Early Republic
0.7 mi
Pennypacker, Benjamin, House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Ship Inn
Industrial
0.9 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Paoli
1777Revolutionary War
4.9 mi
Battle of Iron Works Hill (Brandywine follow-up)
1777Revolutionary War
5.4 mi
Battle of Paoli Massacre
1777Revolutionary War
5.5 mi
Battle of Paoli Massacre (1777)
1777Revolutionary War
7.3 mi
Battle of Paoli (Paoli Massacre)
1777Revolutionary War
10.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Church Farm School Historic District listed on the National Register?

Church Farm School Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 25, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Church Farm School Historic District?

Church Farm School Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Church Farm School Historic District?

The period of significance for Church Farm School Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Church Farm School Historic District?

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