Heritage Classical Academy

A Brief History of Heritage Classical Academy

Heritage Classical Academy is an “afterthought.” Joseph Johnson, the founder of the school, grew up in public education as an average student, went to Bible college and completed two Master’s degrees in Seminary. In his doctoral work, he discovered what has been called “classical education.” During his graduate work, he taught at a local, Christian school and stayed frustrated with his teaching, both method and student response. The frustration arose partly because of an observed lack of “joy” in learning. Also, there was a noted “passive” element to the learning process. The students only “learned” or memorized for the test and then forgot mostly what they learned; in other words, there was no application. This he observed in all classes at the school. What was important was not being the best student for the glory of God, but being entertained.

At the beginning of his doctoral work, his daughter began classical education at home at the age of five; she was taught by her mother. Astonished by her tremendous learning curve (especially when compared to his students), he saw immediately the benefits of classical education. In his first course in his doctoral program, part of the required reading was Doug Wilson’s book Repairing the Ruins, which only served to confirm the suspicions about modern educational methods and philosophies. Shortly after that, he read Wilson’s, Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning.

The book recalled how, over its ten year history at the time, Logos School (Moscow, ID) had attempted to follow the classical, Trivium model, as described by Dorothy Sayers in her 1940's article, “The Lost Tools of Learning”, published in the National Review. Doug’s book, published on a nation-wide scale, produced so much interest in the classical approach that several Logos staff members helped form the Association of Classical and Christian Schools (A.C.C.S.). This organization continues to offer annual national conferences and practical assistance to forming and growing A.C.C.S. schools. Logos is a charter member of A.C.C.S. and annually sells many of its administrative and curriculum materials to these schools and other people around the United States, as well as having its staff train other teachers and administrators.

In his final year at the Christian school, Mr. Johnson was asked by his wife, “Why can’t we start a classical school?” Frustrated by both his lectures and many students’ attitude toward learning, he thought it through and agreed, “Why not?” Beginning a website and working on foundational documents in his spare time (usually late at night), Heritage Classical was born. Mr. Johnson spent many an hour trying to unlearn what he had learned about education. He immersed himself in C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man, the recently re-published Seven Laws of Teaching (unabridged) by John Gregory and Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neal Postman. In addition, God was gracious in bringing the right people to form a steering committee to pray, guide and aid in decisions for the founding of the school.

We are planning and praying toward further growth of the school, both in facilities and the scope of the program, as more families become convinced of the necessity and advantages of a classical, Christ-centered education. In recent days, Mr. Johnson was approached by the leadership of Rock Presbyterian Church, the oldest Presbyterian congregation in Greenwood, SC, with the possibility of using their education facility for the beginning of the school. God in His Providence has been pleased to make this partnership between the church and the school that will be mutually beneficial for both, while each remains independent of the other. We look forward to great things for our children and their children. To God be the glory, AD 2007!