Editing Principia College (section)

==History==
Although Principia College was born out of [[The Principia]], founded by [[Mary Kimball Morgan]] in 1898, the name Principia was not adopted until 1898.<ref name="timeline">{{cite web |url=http://www.principia.edu/history |title=History of Principia |publisher=The Principia |author=The Principia |work=Web|access-date=17 April 2013}}</ref> As Morgan's school grew, the founder of [[Christian Science]], [[Mary Baker Eddy]], approved The Principia's reference as a Christian Science school.<ref name="timeline"
/> Emerging from the [[The Principia|Principia]] Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools founded between 1898 and 1906, Principia College was established with a purpose of "serving the Cause of Christian Science through appropriate channels open to it as an educational institution."<ref>Mary Kimball Morgan''. Education at The Principia.''</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.principiacollege.edu/mission |title=Mission, Values, and Principles |publisher=The Principia |work=Web|access-date=17 April 2013}}</ref> The college, however, has no official affiliation with the [[Church of Christ, Scientist|Christian Science Church]] and Christian Science is not taught as a subject, but its teachings form the basis of community life at Principia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.principiacollege.edu/spirituallife |title=Spiritual Life at Principia College |date=January 15, 2012 |publisher=principiacollege.edu}}</ref> The first Upper School class graduated in 1906 and it is from this class that a junior college was established, whose first alumni graduated in 1917. Principia College has been [[higher education accreditation|accredited]] by the [[The Higher Learning Commission|Higher Learning Commission]] since 1923.<ref>[https://www.ncahlc.org/component/com_directory/Action,ShowBasic/Itemid,/instid,1141/ The Higher Learning Commission] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128112454/https://www.ncahlc.org/component/com_directory/Action,ShowBasic/Itemid,/instid,1141/ |date=2015-01-28 }}. Retrieved January 23, 2015.</ref>

Architect [[Bernard Maybeck]] was commissioned to design a new college campus in Elsah, Illinois. By 1931, ground was broken on what would become his largest commission.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.principiacollege.edu/about-principia-college/history/maybeck |title=Maybeck |author=The Principia |work=Web |publisher=The Principia |access-date=17 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.principiacollege.edu/housing |title=Housing at Principia College}}</ref>

On the Principia College grounds is Eliestoun House, designed by [[Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr.]] and completed in 1890. When Principia began moving to Elsah, guests stayed there, including Mary Kimball Morgan and Bernard Maybeck.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.friendsofeliestoun.org/history-of-eliestoun/ |title=History of Eliestoun |access-date=February 4, 2022}}</ref>

In 1934, Principia College graduated its first class as a full four-year institution. In 1935, the college was officially moved to its present-day location in Elsah. The Principia College campus was once considered as the site for the [[United States Air Force Academy]] though ultimately the Air Force chose a location in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs]], [[Colorado]], instead.

On April 19, 1993, about {{convert|300|acre|ha}} of the campus was designated a [[National Historic Landmark]] by the [[United States Department of the Interior]]. The year 1998 marked [[centennial]] celebrations by the school.

In the 21st century, the school's enrollment size has declined due to the dwindling number of Christian Scientists.<ref name="Guarding tradition">{{cite news |last1=Bogan |first1=Jesse |title=Guarding tradition: Principia has lots of money but few Christian Scientists to fill classrooms |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/guarding-tradition-principia-has-lots-of-money-but-few-christian-scientists-to-fill-classrooms/article_ad258325-d809-57bf-991c-e4c6e5d3f7e3.html |access-date=30 June 2021 |work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |date=March 4, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> As of 2024, the school began accepting students with no affiliation with Christian Science.