IT WAS IN 1986 THAT TWO schools – May River Academy in Bluffton and Sea Pines Academy on Hilton Head Island -- combined to become Hilton Head Preparatory School. But the story doesn’t start there. The history of Hilton Head Preparatory School is rooted in the man many consider the “founder” of Hilton Head Island -- the late Charles Fraser, along with his brother, Joseph B. Fraser Jr. By the mid-1960s, Hilton Head Island was blossoming, due in large part to brisk sales and development through the Sea Pines Plantation Company. Sea Pines was appealing to prospective residents, as well as management employees. As such, establishing a solid school system became a top priority. Sea Pines and the Fraser family approached the Beaufort County School District about starting a south-end school. With the company providing 80 percent of the start-up costs, Sea Pines Academy was founded in 1965 as an independent, non-profit, private educational institution for grades 1-7, and was governed by a 17-member board of trustees. While enrollment at Sea Pines Academy was never hearty during those early years, it managed to grow, and by 1972 was offering education to children in grades 1 through 12. Also in 1972, the school moved to its present 15-acre campus, two blocks from the ocean and adjacent to the Sea Pines Forest Preserve and Sea Pines Montessori School. By 1982, Sea Pines Academy was comprised of two 10,000-squarefoot, air-conditioned buildings for administrative space and academic classrooms, a gym with adjacent cafeteria, library space and a computer lab. The academy also had a playground, baseball diamond and soccer field. However, by 1985, SPA had financial concerns to address in order to survive. Enrollment had topped out at 240 students, and the future looked uncertain. Meanwhile, May River Academy had been operating since 1971, when it opened its doors to a class of first-grade students on its Bluffton campus. Glenn P. Joyner, May River’s first headmaster, oversaw the school’s kindergarten through 12th grade development. As a fledging school, it also had its share of struggles. That’s when the Marathon Oil Company, developer of Port Royal, Indigo Run, Shipyard and Wexford Plantations, entered the picture. Since both small independent schools were struggling, it made sense to many to merge them into one stronger unit. Marathon proposed a merger of two schools and was to provide land for a new school within Indigo Run. Plans originally called for May River and Sea Pines academies to sell both campuses, merge into a new Indigo Run campus, pay off debt and boost its enrollment to 500 students. But the economy faltered and so did the plans. The schools continued to operate on separate campuses until a physical merger was made possible in 1985 on the grounds of Sea Pines Academy. Bobby Welch, headmaster of May River Academy since 1982, assumed the role at Hilton Head Prep in 1985. In 1992, Michael J. Pratt became headmaster, serving until 1998. Jack Stanford was interim head for the 1998-1999 school year, until Robert W. H. Byrd came on board, serving from 1999-2003. The current head of school is Dr. Susan R. Groesbeck. The history of Hilton Head Prep goes hand in hand with the history of the island. And from its modest beginnings to today, its mission remains unchanged: “To seek to educate college-bound students in a safe environment. Instilling personal integrity is central to our educational purpose. We strive to prepare a diverse population of qualified students for academic challenges, for a successful college experience and for rewarding lives.” Hilton Head Preparatory School SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com 45 house itself, with legends outnumbering facts by a wide margin. What is certain is that the house burned down shortly after the Civil War and fell into ruin. When the Fraser Land Holding (Sea Pines) purchased the property, it wisely chose to preserve the ruins as a reminder of Hilton Head’s forgotten past. Today, visitors can enjoy a tour of the ruins, with plaques scattered about the site denoting some of the history of this fascinating landmark. Shell Rings Sea Pines draws visitors from across the globe as guests are enticed by the resort’s natural beauty and plentiful amenities. These modern day travelers are not the first to sample the rich sandy beaches and dense forests of the resort, however. That distinction belongs to the Woodlands Indians who spent part of the year in Sea Pines more than 4,000 years ago. These nomadic travelers would come to the island and set up circular encampments where they found ample wildlife and shelter. Just as today, they enjoyed the abundant harvest of the area’s waterways: oysters, clams and mussels. However, these visitors were not as picky as their modern counterparts about finding a nearby waste can. Today, visitors to the Sea Pines Nature Preserve can still see these wide rings of shells that mark the camps of the Woodlands Indians. Comprised not only of shells but also of animal bones and deer antlers, the rings remind us that tourists have been enjoying Sea Pines for thousands of years. Above: Historic Stoney-Baynard Ruins Below: Visitors tour the Sea Pines Nature Preserve - home of the Woodlands Indians’ shell rings 44
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjcyNTM1