MERCERSBURG, Pa. — Mercersburg Academy opened its doors to academia in Franklin County in 1893 and was founded by athlete and scholar William Mann Irvine (1865-1928), who served as the high school’s first headmaster.
From resident of Bedford to star at Princeton
William Mann Irvine was born on October 13, 1865, in Bedford, Pennsylvania, to Henry and Emma Irvine, and was one of 10 children. Irvine was a dedicated student throughout his early years and showed an immediate talent for learning. At the age of 15, he enrolled in the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy preparatory school in Exeter, New Hampshire. Irvine’s academic excellence continued to stand out, and he was soon accepted to Princeton University.
Scholar and athlete
While at Princeton, Irvine showed that he was more than just a brilliant mind, but also an exceptional athlete. He was a standout performer for the offensive line on the Princeton Tigers football team where he was a starter all five years of his attendance. Three out of his five years on the team, the Tigers would win the national championship.
But it was his pursuit of knowledge that made young Irvine really stand out at the University. In 1888, Irvine received his bachelor of arts degree and then his doctorate in philosophy just three years later. In addition to his sports and studies, Irvine made an impression as his freshman class president and worked for the university’s newspaper, The Princetonian.
Life after college
After his completion of educational pursuits, Irvine moved into the world of teaching. He became a respected professor of social science for Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster and served as the first head coach for the football team, which he also helped found. While working at Franklin and Marshall, Irvine also received his second doctorate in law from the same school in 1910, and then his third from Lafayette College in 1916.
Founding of Mercersburg Academy
In 1893, Irvine was appointed to the role of president of Mercersburg College, which he would quickly rename as Mercersburg Academy. There he would serve as president and headmaster for the next 35 years. In 1894, he married Camille Hart (1869-1938) of Westminster, Virginia. A year later his first daughter, Hart, was born. The couple would have two more children. William, born in 1898, and Camille, born in 1902.
Irvine’s lasting legacy
During his time as headmaster of Mercersburg Academy, Irvine imprinted the legacy that the academy still honor today. He helped in the design of the chapel, which has become one of the most popular attractions in Franklin County. He helped establish the football team and create the athletic program that would feature one of the most dominant teams of the early 20th century. He befriended Presidents Woodrow Wilson, who attended Mercersburg Academy in 1903, and President Calvin Coolidge, whose sons attended the school.
William Mann Irvine dedicated so much of his life to the campus, so much so that he spent his last days presiding over the commencement of the 1928 graduating class. On June 5 of that year, he suffered a stroke that he would not recover from, and on June 11, he passed away. His funeral was held in the chapel that he helped create and he was buried in Fairview Cemetery right across from the academy he loved so much. His presence is still felt by all who attend the school, and his legacy will live on.
