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Honoring the wishes of school founder and first benefactor John McDonogh (1779-1850), the entire McDonogh School community celebrated Founder’s Day this morning. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni guests gathered at the John McDonogh monument in the center of campus to remember the man and the principles by which he lived.

Students placed flowers on his campus grave - John McDonogh's only request for bequeathing his fortune for the education of children in Baltimore and New Orleans. All stood quietly as the decoration ceremony took place.

In his remarks, Headmaster Bo Dixon wondered what John McDonogh would think of current events, particularly the upcoming election. He reminded the crowd that John McDonogh was ten years old when our country's first President, George Washington, was elected. "It is not a stretch to note that both George Washington and John McDonogh were indeed "founders" - men who had a vision of what could be."

What wisdom would John McDonogh offer on the election? Perhaps another rule for living, Mr. Dixon speculated: “No man has a monopoly on the truth." No matter whom you support, pay attention to the other and consider his perspectives. "Every person in your life has the potential to teach you something," the headmaster added.

Later in the ceremony, representatives from the alumni association honored deceased members of the community by laying flowers on the monument as Alumni Association President Karl Lehmann '84 recited names. Remembered were: Frederick L. Compton ’14, Edgar A. Burgess ’18, Charles E. Oden ’24, George H. Skinner ’27, Benjamin G. Fields ’33, Robert C. Rogers, Sr. ’33, Edwin D. Long, Jr. ’34, John G. Watson ’34, Robert H. Bolton ’35, Edward W. Hepburn ’35, Joshua L. Horner ’35, C. Blair Kerchner ’35, Charles S. MacConney, Sr. ’35, Edgar B. Rouse ’35, James W. Spitler ’36, Charles H. Aschemeier ’37, Ernest P. Doetsch, Jr. ’37, Frank H. Durkee, Jr. ’37. John S. Revelle ’37, Calvin H. Shawker ’37, John R. Wailes ’38, Robert C. Carter ’39, Charles M. Easter ’39, Louis G. Noetzel ’39, Melvin W. Roedel ’39, Charles B. Straus, Jr. ’40, J. Russell English ’41, Morton M. Prentis, Jr. ’41, B. Sargeant Wells ’41, Wilson T. Ballard, Jr. ’42, Donald R. Statter ’42, William N. Christenson ’43, Charles H. Doebler ’43, M. Morgan Rawlins ’43, Walter E. Sultan ‘43 Peter Allison ’44, Joseph W. Fisher ’45, C. Stuart Perkins ’45, Donald S. Carter ’46, Henry F. Hock, Jr. ’46, John C. Kidd ’46, William D. Mayo ’47, Joseph C. Gilbert ’49, David E. Crook, Jr. ’50, Everett R. Dolbow ’53, Harold G. Hernly ’54, Gordon R. Hipple ’54 Charles H. Tames, Jr. ’54, James C. Mullikin, Jr. 57, William R. Towles ’58, Richard S. Hile ’60, Kenneth D. Jones ’60, William W. Hetzel ’62, Jack P. Smith ’63, Alexander G. Leborys ’65, David C. Preston ’66, and Alan C. Ballard ’68. Staff member Genevieve Working was also remembered.

The McDonogh community has celebrated Founder's Day every year since the school's earliest days. Originally interred in Louisiana, John McDonogh’s body was later moved to Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore. Back then, the cadet corps would march to the McDonogh station, ride the train to Union Depot, and march to the Greenmount Cemetery for the commemoration. It was a noted annual event. Since the moving of the grave and the monument to the McDonogh campus in November of 1945, the decoration service has been held here. At one time, each student personally placed a flower at the base of the monument. The ceremony has taken its present form since the early 1970’s.