Mystery Donor Gives $1 Million To Calvert Hall

TOWSON, MD — A million-dollar donation to Calvert Hall College High School will fund a scholarship for a student interested in the arts. School officials announced the $1,000,000 gift Thursday, stating the donor wished to remain anonymous.

"This magnificent commitment is from an alumnus who has experienced personally the significant impact of the arts on a student’s development," Calvert Hall Director of Advancement Joe Baker, a member of the class of 1976, said in a statement.

With an enrollment of nearly 1,200 students, the Catholic college preparatory school has a robust arts program that includes four instrumental ensembles, including four-time national marching band champions, as well as four vocal music ensembles and a theater.

"This generous gift allows for students to partake in our renowned arts program," Instrumental Music and Fine Arts Director Brian Ecton said in a statement. "Some of the area’s most talented students will benefit greatly from this generous gift."

Currently, the student body comes from 105 ZIP codes in the greater Baltimore region.

"This remarkable gift has given us the momentum to begin the quiet phase of a transformational campaign to support our core mission – providing a comprehensive education to a diverse student body," Calvert Hall College President Brother John Kane said in a statement.

A spokesperson for the school declined to elaborate on the "transformational campaign" except to say: "During the quiet phase, Calvert Hall is seeking early support from a small group of leadership prospects in the months leading up to the public launch of the campaign."

The $1-million gift comes as the school, which was founded in 1845, celebrates its 175th anniversary.

"At Calvert Hall we believe in educating the whole person, and this includes far more than the academic subjects. This gift reinforces Calvert Hall’s strong commitment to the arts," Kane said. "Our benefactor is directly investing in the lives of our students."