Our History

The Dutchman, the Collegiate yearbook, is first published.

Arthur Fiske Warren becomes headmaster (until 1930).

The first Head Boy award is presented by the Alumni.  The recipient is Arthur Jackson.

The first formal graduation ceremony and awarding of diplomas is held since the School was reorganized in 1887.

The Collegiate Chapter of the Cum Laude Society is inaugurated.

Cornelius Boocock becomes headmaster and is so until 1934. 

The Parent-Teacher Association is founded.

The Collegian, the monthly school newspaper, is founded. It is later renamed The Collegiate Journal.

300th Anniversary celebrated, but the school’s founding date of 1633  is questioned by an historian.

A middle grade is added to the school, which now comprises 12 grades rather than the 11 the school has had since 1887.

Wilson Parkhill becomes headmaster and is at the helm until 1959.

A coeducational kindergarten (then called “pre-primary”) is started. It is in place until 1961.

300th Anniversary is celebrated for the second time after historian determined the founding date was 1638.  All living alumni from 1887-1912 are presented with diplomas and the Alumni Association is incorporated.

The School and the Church are separated and Collegiate School is incorporated as an independent educational institution.

Collegiate’s coeducational Nursery School begins. It runs until 1953.

250 Collegiate alumni serve in the military during World War II.

First women serve on the Board of Trustees (Mrs. Harold Osborn and Mrs. Homer Platten).

The School, after exploring plans to move to Riverdale or the Upper East Side, purchases a brownstone on West 78th Street in order to solve space problems.

Carl W. Andrews, Jr. becomes headmaster until 1971.

Collegiate purchases an additional brownstone on West 78th Street, but still has space problems created by an enrollment of more than 300 boys. 

The brownstones on West 78th Street are demolished to make way for a new eight-story building.

The new building, later named Platten Hall, is dedicated. It includes Collegiate’s first modern gym and a 300-seat theater/auditorium. Enrollment rises to more than 500 boys.

Jamaa, Collegiate’s affinity group for students of color, is founded.

Richard F. Barter becomes Collegiate’s headmaster (until 1991).

Prufrock, Collegiate’s literary magazine, publishes its first issue.

Collegiate purchases The West End Plaza Hotel on the corner of West End Avenue and 78th Street.

Research on the founding date of school.  This concludes with the date of origin changing from 1638 to 1628.  (Based on research from 1977-1984 by William Frost-parent, Dr. Massimo Maglione-faculty, David Mallison-admin, Dr Richard Barter- headmaster.)

The 78 Street building is renamed Platten Hall.

360th Anniversary celebration.

Platten Hall is expanded to 11 stories.

Jacob Adriaan Dresden becomes headmaster, and remains until 2000. 

The Infill building is built, enlarging the campus and linking Platten Hall and West End Plaza.

Kindergarten is reintroduced with Class of 2010