City of Philadelphia - File #: 090249

• File #: 090249
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 3/26/2009
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 3/26/2009
• Title: Congratulating Girard College, its outstanding students and alumni, its accomplished academic and residential faculty, and its dedicated staff as Girard begins its 161st year, and furthermore celebrating Girard College's distinguished history, its proud record of achievement and service to our City and its promise to keep the vision of Stephen Girard alive for future generations.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Kenney, Council President Verna, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Kelly

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
3/26/2009	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
3/26/2009	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
3/26/2009	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass

Title
Congratulating Girard College, its outstanding students and alumni, its accomplished academic and residential faculty, and its dedicated staff as Girard begins its 161st year, and furthermore celebrating Girard College's distinguished history, its proud record of achievement and service to our City and its promise to keep the vision of Stephen Girard alive for future generations.
Body
WHEREAS, Girard College, one of the world's first free, residential schools for children from single-parent families with limited financial resources, has just completed its 160th year; and

WHEREAS, Mirroring the history of our country, Girard has evolved from a 19th Century orphanage that trained white, fatherless boys in the professions and trades of that era to a 21st century boarding school that provides boys and girls of any race or creed with a free college-preparatory education; and

WHEREAS, While the school has undergone several transformations, it remains true to the vision of Stephen Girard (1750-1831), a French immigrant who came to Philadelphia in 1776, achieved remarkable success in shipping and banking, served as a member of the Philadelphia's Select Council -- a forerunner of this body, provided both financial support and his personal care to victims of Philadelphia's yellow fever epidemic in 1793, helped the United States finance the War of 1812, and left one of the greatest fortunes in American history to his adopted city to build and endow the North Philadelphia school that bears his name; and

WHEREAS, By changing the course of young lives, Stephen Girard's hope was to make a lasting impact on American society; and

WHEREAS, Tens of thousands of students have benefitted from Girard's vision since the school opened its doors in 1848; and

WHEREAS, Girard's mission is "to prepare students for advanced education and life as informed, ethical and productive citizens through a rigorous educational program that promotes intellectual, social, and ...