Fourth Grade Learns History of USM

University School of Milwaukee 4th graders were treated to a special history lesson on a subject near to their hearts: their own school! Students were visited by Will Piper ’96, USM’s assistant director of alumni relations and reunion giving, who captivated their attention and shared information, photos, and artifacts from USM’s predecessor schools (Milwaukee Country Day School, Milwaukee Downer Seminary, and Milwaukee University School), and the German-English Academy, which was founded in 1851 by Peter Engelmann and renamed Milwaukee University School in 1917.  

Piper spoke about cultures and traditions from the predecessor schools that continue on at USM today, many decades later, including the school’s Common Trust and focus on excellence, athletics programs, and the Upper School house system.

“I have always found the history of USM to be fascinating,” Piper shared. “In many ways, the growth of the school parallels the growth of the city of Milwaukee. It is fun to share with students of all ages how similar and uniquely different USM is now compared to the predecessor school era. While many things change throughout the years, the focus on excellence in education, critical thinking, and developing people with strong ethics and character has been at the heart of a USM education from the days of Peter Engelmann and the German-English Academy to the present.”