- 1628
The origins of Collegiate School begin with the arrival of Reverend Jonas Michaelius to New Amsterdam. Reverend Michaelius is the first in a long line of educators who would become headmasters of Collegiate School.
The origins of Collegiate School begin with the arrival of Reverend Jonas Michaelius to New Amsterdam. Reverend Michaelius is the first in a long line of educators who would become headmasters of Collegiate School.
Adam Roelantsen is the first official schoolmaster.
Collegiate School is chartered as part of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, of which it will remain a part until 1940.
First known location of the school was Gerrit Coerten’s House on the east side of Broadway (called High Street then) between Beaver and Garden Streets. Harmanus van Hoboocken is the headmaster during this time.
Abraham de Lancy becomes the first locally born Schoolmaster. The school is located at Broadway and Broad Street.
John Nicholas Welp from Holland becomes the headmaster. Classes are still conducted in Dutch, and there is a reduction in enrollment as a result.
The School begins teaching classes in both English and Dutch, reflecting the demographics of the colony.
Collegiate closes for the duration of the Revolutionary War.
Collegiate reopens.
The School is reorganized as a “charity school,” giving priority to children of church members (both boys and girls), especially orphans and children of widows.
Collegiate School becomes a distinct entity, with the consistory appointing a separate board of trustees to select faculty and operate the school. Enrollment is set at 100 students.
James Forrester becomes Schoolmaster from 1810-1842.
The wall clock with the motto “Improve the Flying Moments” is given to the School by the Church.
Collegiate begins its gradual move uptown, leaving its location of 76 years on Garden Street (now Exchange Place) and moving to 9 Duane Street.
The School moves to 91 Mercer Street.
Henry W. Dunshee becomes principal. He writes the first history of the school and is principal until 1887. Curriculum paths are different for boys and girls.
Collegiate moves into a new schoolhouse at 183 West Fourth Street. The school is reorganized with boys and girls separated, with boys on the first floor and girls on the second.
The school’s name changes from Charity School of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church to Collegiate School of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church.
Collegiate moves to DeWitt Chapel at 160 West 29th Street. The School’s enrollment is now 200.
Enrollment opens to students from other church denominations. Children not connected with the Protestant Dutch Reformed Church are accepted in the school for the first time since the eighteenth century.
Collegiate experiences a reduction in enrollment, attributed to establishment of free public schools, a financial crisis (Panic of 1873) and the school’s reputation as a “charity” school. The Consistory decides to move the School to the expanding Upper West Side.
Collegiate School celebrates its 250th Anniversary at the Marble Collegiate Church. The Headmaster’s tablet is presented by alumni to the Board.
LeMuel C. Mygatt becomes headmaster (he remains until 1910) and the School is reorganized, becoming a college and business preparatory school.
The school is renamed The Collegiate Grammar School and moves to 248 West 74th Street. It is still coeducational but no longer free. Enrollment is 56 students.
The School moves to 242 West 74th Street, which has the first school gym.
Collegiate moves to 241 West 77th Street (the current “Old Building”) and the school year opens with 110 students and 11 faculty. This is the last year in which girls are admitted.
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
Kerry P. Brennan becomes headmaster until 2004.
The School celebrates its 375th Anniversary year.
W. Lee Pierson becomes Collegiate's headmaster, serving until 2006.
Lee M. Levison becomes headmaster until 2020.
Prince Wilhelm-Alexander and Princess Maxima from the Netherlands attend a 9/11 Memorial Service and Hudson 400 Celebration at West End Collegiate Church.
The School announces it is moving to a new home at 301 Freedom Place South, Collegiate’s 18th known location.
After 125 years at West 77th Street, Collegiate moves to its new home at 301 Freedom Place South. The building is 180,000 square feet encompassing 11 floors – nine above ground and two below. It includes a regulation-size gym, nearly double the outdoor space of the School’s previous location, a 307-seat theater, and common areas dedicated to each division.
David S. Lourie, begins his tenure.
Grand opening of the annex space at 50 Riverside Boulevard.
Bodie Brizendine is the first woman in the history of Collegiate to be appointed Head of School.
396
Years of Education Excellence and Counting