Mercy High School (Burlingame, California)

Mercy High School
Address
2750 Adeline Drive
Burlingame, San Mateo County, California 94010
United States
Coordinates 37°34′57″N 122°22′59″W / 37.58250°N 122.38306°W / 37.58250; -122.38306Coordinates: 37°34′57″N 122°22′59″W / 37.58250°N 122.38306°W / 37.58250; -122.38306
Information
Type Private, all-female
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic;
Sisters of Mercy
Established 1931
Head of school Karen Hanrahan
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 400 (2014)
Average class size 18
Student to teacher ratio 13:1
Color(s) Blue and white         
Nickname Mercy B
Team name Crusaders
Accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges[1]
Publication Mercy Oaks (art/literary magazine)
Tuition $20,242.00 (2015-2016 school year)
Admissions Director Patricia Glasser
Athletic Director Charlie Dougherty
Website www.mercyhsb.com

Mercy High School is a private all-girls high school in Burlingame, California, United States. Part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, it is run by the Sisters of Mercy, founded by Catherine McAuley. It is housed in Kohl Mansion.

Kohl Mansion

In 1912 Bessie and Frederick Kohl began to plan, with the architects Howard and White, for the building of a Tudor mansion on 40 acres of land in Burlingame near Adeline Drive. The 63-room rose brick mansion was to be the central building in a grand estate which would include tennis courts, green houses, a rose garden, a large carriage house, and a 150,000-gallon reservoir.

Since its completion in 1914, The Oaks has opened its doors to countless famous people. The Kohl family, during their two-year residency, lavishly entertained dignitaries and the Peninsula elite.

After Frederick and Bessie Kohl separated in 1916, Frederick (son of William Kohl) moved to the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco and Bessie traveled to Europe to sing for the troops. The mansion stood unused, although it was maintained by servants until Frederick's death in 1921. In 1921 Frederick escaped to Monterey with his mistress, Mrs. Marion Louderback Lord. Despair overtook him and, over a solitary breakfast, he shot himself in the head.

Frederick willed the mansion to Mrs. Lord. In July 1921, Lord rented the mansion to United Artists for the filming of Little Lord Fauntleroy, starring Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks. Hollywood once again used the estate when Disney filmed the movie Flubber in 1996, starring Robin Williams.

In 1924 Lord sold the mansion to the Sisters of Mercy for $230,000. It was a convent from 1924 to 1931, and has been the home of Mercy High School since 1931.

On October 17, 1989 the 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake affected the entire San Francisco Bay and Santa Cruz areas. While no one at the Kohl Mansion was injured, the mansion sustained $2 million in damages. Because of its historical status, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided substantial funding for the restoration project. The rest of the funds were raised through the efforts of the Mercy High School Development Department.

Mascot

The official mascot for Mercy High School Burlingame is the Crusader Rabbit. The original idea apparently evolved from a TV cartoon in the 1950s that featured a Crusader Rabbit. The name of the series came from the concept of the rabbit as "a sort of crusading Don Quixote" and this rabbit has supported the Mercy Athletic teams since.

In 1996, alumna Christie Weaver drew another version of the Crusader Rabbit for the yearbook, and this was used for sports logos.

In 2010 the Mercy dance coach gave the Crusader Rabbit a facelift, naming her Hip-Hop the bunny, and appointing a person to play her for a year. The mascot competed at a national level for her half-time routine.

Crusader Rabbit can be seen at rallies and games throughout the year and helps to support the Student Body Officers in these activities.

Notable alumnae

  • Jackie Speier, former California State Senator, Democratic Representative for California's 12th congressional district[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ WASC-ACS. "WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools". Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  2. ↑ Oremus, Will (2008-01-29). "Speier to announce Congress bid". Palo Alto Daily News. Archived from the original on 2007-06-13. Retrieved 2008-02-05. She is a graduate of Burlingame's Mercy High School and served on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors before jumping to the Assembly.
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