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Education

Greeks laid the foundation of Western culture 3,000 years ago with their achievements in art, letters, and philosophy. In darker times, the Greeks risked their lives to attend secret schools to preserve their culture. For the new immigrants, education was paramount. The first Greek classrooms were the parlors in teachers' homes. In 1908, the Hellenic-American School opened in the basement of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church; it was the first Greek parochial day school in America. Soon after, sons and daughters of Greek immigrants shone as valectorians in various public schools. Some entered the nation's most prestigious colleges. Their traditional passion for education led these new Americans to excel in all disciplines.