Our History
More than 150 Years of History
Porter-Gaud School traces its history back to October 1867 with the founding of the Holy Communion Church Institute by the Reverend Dr. Anthony Toomer Porter, an Episcopal priest. After visiting the grave of his son, Timothy, who died of yellow fever during the Civil War, Dr. Porter felt called to “stop grieving for the dead and do something for the living” by educating children who were orphaned or experiencing poverty in Charleston.
Building a learning community upon Dr. Porter’s motto of WATCH
Over time, the school became an all-boys military academy and in 1874, it became known as the Porter Military Academy (PMA). In 1879, the school moved from the site of the Church of the Holy Communion onto the grounds of the old Federal Arsenal in downtown Charleston, now home to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). PMA kept its strong Episcopal identity by continuing to welcome students of diverse faiths, transforming an artillery shed into St. Timothy’s Chapel (now St. Luke’s Chapel), and building its learning community upon Dr. Porter’s motto of WATCH – Words, Actions, Thoughts, Character, and Habits – and the values of faith, honor, and knowledge.
Dr. Porter died in 1902. In 1964, the PMA trustees merged PMA with the Gaud School and the Watt School creating the current Porter-Gaud School. The school sold its campus to MUSC and moved to its current location on the banks of the Ashley River. During the 1967-68 school year, Porter-Gaud integrated when Richard Holmes became the first African-American student enrolled, and in the 1972-73 school year, welcomed its first female students.
In 2008, Porter-Gaud expanded through its acquisition of the O’Quinn School, which serves preschool students from age two through kindergarten on two campuses. Since then, Porter-Gaud has grown and evolved with new buildings, programs, and offerings, all while continuing to educate students in the Episcopal tradition that values the inherent worth and dignity of all members of its learning community.
A Historical Timeline of Porter-Gaud School
| 1828 |
|---|
| January 31, Anthony Toomer Porter is born in Georgetown, S.C. |
| 1854-1855 |
| Porter is appointed rector and later ordained a priest of the Church of the Holy Communion in Charleston, SC. |
| 1861 - 1865 |
| During the Civil War, Porter serves as chaplain of the Washington Light Infantry. |
| 1867 |
| On October 25, Porter has a vision at his son’s grave to start a school for children left orphaned and unschooled by the Civil War. |
| 1867 |
| On December 9, Porter opens the Orphan Home and School Association of the Church of the Holy Communion. The day school’s first session includes 425 boys and 125 girls. Monthly tuition is $.50 and/or farm produce and livestock. |
| 1879 |
| On December 19, the U.S. Arsenal property transferred to Holy Communion Church Institute for $1 a year. |
| 1880 |
| On January 8, Porter takes possession of the Arsenal property at 167 Ashley Avenue. Military drills begin including morning reveille and dress parades. Broad curriculum includes Greek to woodworking. |
| 1881-1882 |
| Dr. Porter adds two swimming pools and a gymnasium. |
| 1886 |
| On January 28, the School’s name changed to The Porter Academy. |
| 1891 |
| Name unofficially changed to Porter Military Academy following the acquisition of arms and military equipment from the U.S. Government. |
| 1900 |
| Charles Colcock establishes the most advanced high school chemistry and physics program in Charleston at PMA. |
| 1902 |
| On March 30, The Rev. Dr. Anthony Toomer Porter died. |
| 1908 |
| Gaud School for Boys opened in downtown Charleston. The small boys school serves 4th-8th grades and has a reputation for academic excellence to rival the New England preparatory schools. |
| 1914 |
| Student literary magazine WATCH was first published. |
| 1920 |
| Newspaper Porter Grits and the Polygon yearbook begin. |
| 1922 |
|
The Boll Weevil destroys cotton crops thus causing a drastic decline in the economy and a loss of many boarding students. |
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