About Us
Our Mission & History
Our History
1950 to 1989
1950
The Parents' Work Plan is established to raise money for the school by offering the services of parents — everything from splitting firewood or cooking to providing medical or legal services. Kathleen Raoul joins the faculty to teach in the lower school; she stays until 1974.
1951
The school's first African American student, Richard Payne Evans, graduates.
A $25,000 deficit in the school budget necessitates a 10% increase in tuition.
1952
The Shady Hill Fund is created to replace the Katharine Taylor Fund. Adelaide Sproul is hired to teach art; she stays until 1972.
1953
Jane Prescott joins the faculty to teach second and then, for many years, fourth grade and the Greeks until her death in 1992.
1954
The Shady Hill Thrift Shop, operated by parents to raise money for the school, opens in Cambridge.
1955
Donald Mapel is hired to teach woodshop and stays until 1986.
Creating A School by Agnes Hocking and Ernest Hocking is published in the December issue of The Atlantic Monthly.
Agnes dies in the fall of 1955.
1956
A new art studio is built. "Friends of the Library" is formed by the Board of Overseers to prepare for a new library in a wing to be added to what was then the Grade VII building. The Board votes to include a member of the Alumni Board as a voting member.
1958
The first Summer Session for inner-city children in grades five to eight is held on Shady Hill's campus.
An evaluation of the TTC made by an independent educational consultant states: "The nature of the apprentice program is such that its results depend heavily on the quality of the total school program. That quality is exceedingly high."
A second Grade VII class is established.
The Parents' Work Plan is established to raise money for the school by offering the services of parents — everything from splitting firewood or cooking to providing medical or legal services. Kathleen Raoul joins the faculty to teach in the lower school; she stays until 1974.
1951
The school's first African American student, Richard Payne Evans, graduates.
A $25,000 deficit in the school budget necessitates a 10% increase in tuition.
1952
The Shady Hill Fund is created to replace the Katharine Taylor Fund. Adelaide Sproul is hired to teach art; she stays until 1972.
1953
Jane Prescott joins the faculty to teach second and then, for many years, fourth grade and the Greeks until her death in 1992.
1954
The Shady Hill Thrift Shop, operated by parents to raise money for the school, opens in Cambridge.
1955
Donald Mapel is hired to teach woodshop and stays until 1986.
Creating A School by Agnes Hocking and Ernest Hocking is published in the December issue of The Atlantic Monthly.
Agnes dies in the fall of 1955.
1956
A new art studio is built. "Friends of the Library" is formed by the Board of Overseers to prepare for a new library in a wing to be added to what was then the Grade VII building. The Board votes to include a member of the Alumni Board as a voting member.
1958
The first Summer Session for inner-city children in grades five to eight is held on Shady Hill's campus.
An evaluation of the TTC made by an independent educational consultant states: "The nature of the apprentice program is such that its results depend heavily on the quality of the total school program. That quality is exceedingly high."
A second Grade VII class is established.
Kathleen Raoul
Richard Payne Evans
Jane Prescott
Shady Hill Thrift Shop
New Art Studio
1961
Ed Yeomans leaves Shady Hill to direct the Peace Corps program in Puerto Rico and Mary Eliot is named Acting Director. The Alumni Board hosts a gala evening for more than 200 faculty, alumni, and parents to honor faculty members Ruth Abbott, Helen Bennet, Margaret Clark, Margaret Crane, Anne Kirk Dudley, Ruth Edgett, Alice Griscom, Helen Hayes, Ted Martin, Lillian Putnam, Everett Smith, Margaret Stout, Agnes Swift, Anne Longfellow Thorp, and Dr. Ruth Washburn.
1962
John ("Jack") McKernan is hired to teach Grade IV and the Greeks, and stays until 2004. Oddvar Nordal is hired to teach upper school history. Mr. Nordal retires in 1984.
The Assembly Hall floor is replaced due to buckling.
1963
Joseph Segar is appointed Director. Marjorie Gatchell is hired to teach Grade II (she eventually becomes the Director of the Teacher Training Course), and Robert Lawler is hired to teach mathematics.
1964
William Bellows is hired to teach Grade VII and Vera Nordal is hired to teach upper school history. Mr. Bellows stays until 1985 and Mrs. Nordal stays until 1986.
The first Student Board is established. Enrollment is now 425 students.
1965
The school celebrates its 50th birthday and a capital fund drive is begun to raise money for a new field house and library. The 1964-1965 goals for the Student Board include: "outdoor crackers and milk for mixed classes at recess (to break down barriers between grades), running a book drive for an African school in conjunction with the Thanksgiving Assembly, a class-to-class project to introduce students to each other, and organizing a work and play day."
1967
Sex education is added to the curriculum. The new science building (still in use) is completed.
Susan Walsh joins the faculty to teach Latin; she stays until 1992. Jane Hardy is hired to be the Girls' Athletic Director. She eventually becomes the school's Director of Athletics and Physical Education and stays until her retirement in 2012.
1968
Di Forbes Droste Mcphail is hired to teach in the lower school. She eventually becomes the lower school music teacher. Carol Segar joins the faculty to teach kindergarten. She retires in 1989.
The school establishes a Race Awareness Program. Parents and faculty members meet to discuss the goal of increasing the school's cultural and racial diversity.
The first Shady Hill Country Fair raises $4,100. Parents create a Shady Hill Cookbook, sales of which bring in $11,000 for the school. The Shady Hill Bazaar (formerly the Shady Hill Thrift Shop) closes.
1969
Lower school teacher Kathleen Raoul travels to Leicestershire, England after learning about a model of mixed-age classrooms. Joe Segar approves the idea of re-creating the model at Shady Hill and the school's first "Mixed Group" is launched with three ungraded rooms for 5-, 6-, and 7-year olds, modeled on the Leicestershire program.
Africa is established as the Grade VI Central Subject.
Ed Yeomans leaves Shady Hill to direct the Peace Corps program in Puerto Rico and Mary Eliot is named Acting Director. The Alumni Board hosts a gala evening for more than 200 faculty, alumni, and parents to honor faculty members Ruth Abbott, Helen Bennet, Margaret Clark, Margaret Crane, Anne Kirk Dudley, Ruth Edgett, Alice Griscom, Helen Hayes, Ted Martin, Lillian Putnam, Everett Smith, Margaret Stout, Agnes Swift, Anne Longfellow Thorp, and Dr. Ruth Washburn.
1962
John ("Jack") McKernan is hired to teach Grade IV and the Greeks, and stays until 2004. Oddvar Nordal is hired to teach upper school history. Mr. Nordal retires in 1984.
The Assembly Hall floor is replaced due to buckling.
1963
Joseph Segar is appointed Director. Marjorie Gatchell is hired to teach Grade II (she eventually becomes the Director of the Teacher Training Course), and Robert Lawler is hired to teach mathematics.
1964
William Bellows is hired to teach Grade VII and Vera Nordal is hired to teach upper school history. Mr. Bellows stays until 1985 and Mrs. Nordal stays until 1986.
The first Student Board is established. Enrollment is now 425 students.
1965
The school celebrates its 50th birthday and a capital fund drive is begun to raise money for a new field house and library. The 1964-1965 goals for the Student Board include: "outdoor crackers and milk for mixed classes at recess (to break down barriers between grades), running a book drive for an African school in conjunction with the Thanksgiving Assembly, a class-to-class project to introduce students to each other, and organizing a work and play day."
1967
Sex education is added to the curriculum. The new science building (still in use) is completed.
Susan Walsh joins the faculty to teach Latin; she stays until 1992. Jane Hardy is hired to be the Girls' Athletic Director. She eventually becomes the school's Director of Athletics and Physical Education and stays until her retirement in 2012.
1968
Di Forbes Droste Mcphail is hired to teach in the lower school. She eventually becomes the lower school music teacher. Carol Segar joins the faculty to teach kindergarten. She retires in 1989.
The school establishes a Race Awareness Program. Parents and faculty members meet to discuss the goal of increasing the school's cultural and racial diversity.
The first Shady Hill Country Fair raises $4,100. Parents create a Shady Hill Cookbook, sales of which bring in $11,000 for the school. The Shady Hill Bazaar (formerly the Shady Hill Thrift Shop) closes.
1969
Lower school teacher Kathleen Raoul travels to Leicestershire, England after learning about a model of mixed-age classrooms. Joe Segar approves the idea of re-creating the model at Shady Hill and the school's first "Mixed Group" is launched with three ungraded rooms for 5-, 6-, and 7-year olds, modeled on the Leicestershire program.
Africa is established as the Grade VI Central Subject.
Mary Eliot
John ("Jack") McKernan
Joseph Segar