The Promise Academy at Roberts Vaux High School (commonly referred to as 'Roberts Vaux Promise Academy) is a historic high school building located in the North Central neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was designed by Irwin T. Catharine and built in 1936–1938. It is a four-story, 23 bay, "U"-shaped yellow brick building in a Moderne / Art Deco-style. It features projecting end pavilions, terra cotta decorative work, and a two-story stone Tudor-arched entryway. It was named for American jurist, abolitionist, and philanthropist Roberts Vaux (1786-1836). Jacob C. White, Jr. served as principal from 1864 to 1896 and was the first black school principal in Philadelphia. During his tenure, White reformed the institute and became the leading figure in the field of urban education in