Bethesda Academy Receives $10,000 Grant From General Society of Colonial Wars

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Aug. 25, 2022 - PRLog -- Bethesda Academy, an independent private day school for boys and young men and the oldest child-care institution in the U.S., was awarded a $10,000 grant by the General Society of Colonial Wars for historical research and an archeological dig on the 650-acre Savannah campus.

Founded as an orphanage by evangelist George Whitefield in 1740, Bethesda Academy once boasted the largest building in the colony of Georgia. The actual location of that original building, made of bricks that had to be imported from the Northeast, is currently unknown. The historical significance of the building and its construction extends beyond the campus to the entire colony itself.

"That building saved the colony from bankruptcy because Mr. Whitefield went up and down the East Coast to Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, raising money for the project and keeping so many people working. It had a profound effect on Georgia way back then," said Paul Pressly, vice-chairman of the board of Bethesda Academy and a board member of the General Society of Colonial Wars.

The board members agree the evolution of this historic institution also connects the present to the past. Bethesda Orphan House has the distinction of being the oldest child caring institution in the country. It was co-ed for a brief period at the start but eventually, in 1900, became the Bethesda Home for Boys, an institute educating and teaching trades to young men. In 1992, Bethesda School began educating students on the 600-acre campus, providing a wide range of learning experiences rooted in George Whitefield's founding mission. In 2011, the school was officially re-branded as Bethesda Academy, an accredited private school that has since developed into a leadership academy, reflecting the school's commitment to college preparatory learning.

"Our history isn't individual segments, but an ongoing story. The school motto, 'A love of God, a love of learning, and a strong work ethic,' connects us to our past because that means as much now as it did in 1740," Pressly added.

Knowing more about the school's history is important to connect past and future, and telling the school's story on a national level will help garner wider support. This endeavor won't be the first time Bethesda Academy strives for a nationwide audience. It happened before, more than a century ago.

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