Principia College

Although Principia College was born out of The Principia , founded by Mary Kimball Morgan in 1898, the name Principia was not adopted until 1898. [ 7 ] As Morgan's school grew, the founder of Christian Science , Mary Baker Eddy , approved The Principia's reference as a Christian Science school. [ 7 ] Emerging from the Principia Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools founded between 1898 and 1906, Principia College was established with a purpose of "serving the Cause of Christian Science through appropriate channels open to it as an educational institution." [ 8 ] [ 9 ] The college, however, has no official affiliation with the Christian Science Church and Christian Science is not taught as a subject, but its teachings form the basis of community life at Principia. [ 10 ] The first Upper School class graduated in 1906 and it is from this class that a junior college was established, whose first alumni graduated in 1917. Principia College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1923. [ 11 ] Architect Bernard Maybeck was commissioned to design a new college campus in Elsah, Illinois. By 1931, ground was broken on what would become his largest commission. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] On the Principia College grounds is Eliestoun House, designed by Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr. and completed in 1890. When Principia began moving to Elsah, guests stayed there, including Mary Kimball Morgan and Bernard Maybeck. [ 14 ] In 1934, Principia College graduated its first class as a full four-year institution. In 1935, the college was officially moved to its present-day location in Elsah. The Principia College campus was once considered as the site for the United States Air Force Academy though ultimately the Air Force chose a location in Colorado Springs , Colorado , instead. On April 19, 1993, about 300 acres (120 ha) of the campus was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior .

The year 1998 marked centennial celebrations by the school. In the 21st century, the school's enrollment size has declined due to the dwindling number of Christian Scientists. [ 15 ] As of 2024, the school began accepting students with no affiliation with Christian Science.

Housing and student life facilities There are ten student dormitories on campus: Anderson Hall, Rackham Court, Howard House, Sylvester House, Buck House, Brooks House, Ferguson House, Joe McNabb, Lowrey House, and Clara McNabb. The first six mentioned were designed by former University of California, Berkeley professor and AIA Gold Medal winner Bernard Maybeck in 1935, as was the campus' chapel. [ 16 ] Maybeck attempted to use different architectural styles and building techniques for each of these dormitories and for the chapel. In an effort to ensure success with his designs and materials, he experimented with them through the creation of a small building known affectionately by Principians as the "Mistake House." [ 17 ] In celebration of the 2018 Illinois Bicentennial, the Principia College Campus was selected as one of the Illinois 200 Great Places [ 18 ] by the American Institute of Architects Illinois component (AIA Illinois). Buck House Mistake House Principia College Chapel Interior of the chapel

This section needs expansion . You can help by adding to it . ( June 2021 ) Principia had an endowment of $696.2 million as of June 2020. [ 19 ] [ 20 ] The endowment size declined by more than $100 million in the decade prior to 2018. [ 15 ]