Germantown Academy had its beginning in the midst of the struggle that surrounded the birth and growth of a new nation. The bell tower and the bell that announces the beginning of each school year have become symbols of continuity and perserverance. The first two “Headmasters,詹姆斯·达夫和希拉瑞斯·贝克尔, 有截然不同的教育方法. Dove held fast to the authority of the paddle and sarcasm; while Becker was almost “modern” in his style, 用善意和同理心劝诱他的学生学习. 贝克尔敏锐的教学风格广受赞誉, 很快，一个校长的学校就稳定地发展起来.
钟是在英国铸造的，1774年由“波利”号茶船运来. 因为当时费城的动乱, the "Polly" turned around and, with cargo intact, headed back to England. 直到1784年，大本钟才被归还并安置在钟楼上. The weather vane, 上面有英格兰的王冠和铜球, attests to its presence during the War for Independence by the scars it bears from musket balls fired by British soldiers. They had occupied the area and used the school building as a hospital for a brief time during the Battle of Germantown. The troops of General Howe's Third Brigade used the playing fields for the first cricket match played in America.
学校历史上第二位英语大师, Peletiah Webster, devoted much of his energy to improving the quality of education offered; at the same time he encouraged the board of managers to seek a charter from the state. 1784年，宪章被授予“日耳曼敦公立学校”,这一名称至今仍是该学院的企业名称.
The Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 made it necessary for President George Washington and his cabinet to leave Philadelphia for the higher altitude of Germantown. During his residence there, his cabinet met at the school, 他后来在哪里给他的养子报名的, George Washington Parke Custis, as a student.
早在1767年，就有人提议对女孩进行教育. 1797年，第二次尝试招收女孩. In 1831 A. Bronson Alcott, 教育家，路易莎·梅·奥尔科特的父亲, 马斯特和19个女孩在学院注册了吗. This venture was soon terminated, and for the next 125 years only young men were graduated. 高质量的校长，如博士. 威廉·克肖(William Kershaw)在医院工作了38年. Samuel E. Osbourn for 33 years, 能否建立起学术卓越的传统, 这所学校毕业的都是有尊严的人, perseverance, and honesty.
It was natural for a school that had been a part of the colonial period of American history to choose red, white, and blue as her colors. However, in 1875 the white was changed to black as a tribute to the assassinated President Abraham Lincoln and to the Academy boys who had served their country in the war. 今天的颜色仍然是红、黑、蓝.
In December of 1958, 就在学院二百周年纪念的前一年, the Board of Trustees voted to accept the offer of Robert McLean of 160 acres of rolling meadow and woodland in Fort Washington. 大家一致认为，为了服务于整个社会, 学院应该像早些年那样招收男孩和女孩. Here in Fort Washington we have had an opportunity to create buildings and playing fields for more than double the number of students than could be accommodated in Germantown.
In September 1965, through the generous efforts of the Trustees and Friends of the Academy the move from Germantown to Fort Washington was completed.