100 YEARS OF DALTON MOMENTS

  Poster text:   Helen Parkhurst begins developing her “Laboratory Plan” while teaching at the Edison School in Tacoma, WA. The Plan will enable teachers and students to work together toward individualized goals.

After traveling to Italy to study with the great Maria Montessori, Helen Parkhurst is named Montessori’s United States representative and they establish the Montessori Normal School and College. This demonstration school, with a class of 12–15 children of nursery and...

Poster text:   Parkhurst becomes acquainted with the Crane family when she supervises the education of Louise, the Crane’s youngest child. The family lived in Dalton, Massachusetts where their business, the Crane Printing Company, was based. A few years later...

  Poster text:   Parkhurst takes over the growing Montessori Normal School and her “Laboratory Plan” is adopted. The enrollment is now 30 children.

Poster text:   Parkhurst’s “Laboratory Plan” is implemented as an experiment at the public High School in Dalton, Massachusetts. It is now known as the “Dalton Laboratory Plan.”

Poster text:   A Japanese educator, after watching the children and listening to Parkhurst’s plans, says, “This is like a university for children.” Parkhurst promptly renames The Normal School and College, The Children’s University School. Thanks to the...

Poster text:   Helen Parkhurst is named the first Headmistress in 1919 and continues to serve as The Dalton School’s head until her resignation in 1942.

  Poster text:   The School soon receives international attention with the publication of Helen Parkhurst’s seminal book, Education on the Dalton Plan, which is translated into 14 different languages. The word “Laboratory” is dropped from the...

Poster text:   The Children’s University School and High School are named the Dalton Schools.   There are two members of the class of 1924. They graduate with honors and are ready for college. Harriet “Denny” Underwood graduates from Smith College in 1929....

Poster text:   Every summer, in response to invitations from governments or educational associations, Helen Parkhurst goes abroad to lecture and to help to establish schools. The Laboratory Plan is particularly successful in Holland and in England where a Dalton...

  Poster text:   “The three five-story tenement houses on a plot 75 by 100 feet at 110 to 114 East Eighty-ninth Street were sold yesterday… The property has been purchased by the Dalton Schools, Inc.” —The New York Times, October 14, 1927. The houses are...

  Poster text:   The Dalton School moves into its spacious new building at 108 East 89th Street. The new building is formally dedicated on Friday, November 1, 1929. Alum Miriam Tobias ’31 reports on the dedication of the new building, “…November 1 was set...

Poster text:   Enrollment climbs to 383 students and traditions take root: Candlelighting celebrates the Winter Solstice; Arch Day, adapted from a Chinese ritual, marks the passage between academic years; and the Greek Festival culminates Middle School students’...

Poster text:   The Nursery Program begins on January 11, 1932 and runs until 1956. Students, under the direction of a skilled nurse, Miss Amott, learn to handle, bathe, feed, and comfort infants. “In studying circulation, the students listen to the heart beats of...

Poster text:   The Dalton School high school is chosen as one of a group of thirty secondary schools in the United States to participate in the “Eight Year Study.” The Commission on the Relation of School and College appointed by the Progressive Education...

  Poster text:   Lower School News—“Some of you probably saw Miss Thurston’s children on the third floor selling newspapers. What you probably don’t know is why it was started. Some time ago the children wanted a canary that would lay eggs, so the paper was...

Poster text:   “The smock finally decided upon resembles the style of an intern’s garb and combines practicality with a neat appearance. Every girl in the Senior High School must wear one at all times, in either rust or dark blue. It was further decided that...

Poster text:   Dalton’s new Theatre Guild begins; Macbeth is the first production. “Every Thursday and Friday throughout the year, the Dalton Theater Guild held its meetings. The Theater Guild is an organization for those people who are interested in the Theater...

Poster text:   Students put their new “democratic government” into practice, “patterned upon that of the United States.”

Poster text:   The first issue of Dalton’s literary magazine, The Blue Flag, is published. “The new magazine, under the name of Blue Flag, has been started. The staff is reading over the large number of poems and compositions which have been contributed by the...

  Poster text:   First Lady and Todhunter School Vice Principal Eleanor Roosevelt, who admired the work of Helen Parkhurst, promotes a merger between the Todhunter School and Dalton. During a field trip to Washington, D.C. the prior year, students met First...

Poster text:   Beginning in 1940, annual month long excursions are made to Buck’s Rock School in New Milford, Connecticut a camp Parkhurst built on her property. During weekly trips around Connecticut to study New England, students “tramped through New England,...

Poster text:   Founder of the Community Service program, teacher Nora Hodges said, “It is hoped that this will give you a new sense of your own value with a different meaning than book learning can.”   During WWII, as part of the program, students spend...

Poster text:   Trips to George Dillman’s farm in Otis, Massachusetts replace the New Milford excursion. From the 1960 third grade booklet, Our Otis Trip: “Each morning Mr. Dillman assigned a chore for each table. The chores were: milking the cow, currying the...

Poster text:   Helen Parkhurst publishes Exploring the Child’s World (Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. New York, 1951) with a forward by Aldous Huxley. “With this year comes the turn of the half century and we are already in the Atomic Age. We can find a new...

Poster text:   Mitch Miller is the recording producer on this album. The Dalton School Boys Choir (from fourth to seventh grades), the High School Chorus and actors perform in the annual show. Teacher Harold Aks conducts the High School Chorus, while Theatre...

Poster text:   Smocks no longer part of dress code. Do you recognize the first girl on the left? It’s former Head of School Ellen C. Stein.

Poster text:   A townhouse, 61 East 91st Street, is purchased and becomes a center for the new First Program, a non-graded school for children from ages 2–7 utilizing the Montessori techniques Parkhurst had used at the Children’s University School. After 1st...

Poster text:   The old gym on Dalton’s 10th floor is converted into a new library; it is named in honor of the Crane family. The old library on the third floor becomes a student dining room. A new gym is built on the roof. “When Dalton reopened after the...

Poster text:   Boys are admitted into Dalton’s high school.

Poster text:   Dalton’s 50th Anniversary celebration takes place at the Waldorf Astoria.

Poster text:   Computer Science is now offered in the High School.

Poster text:   “For girls, it should be that standards of propriety, as well as the standards of neatness and cleanliness implied by the resolution, apply—to the brevity of dresses and skirts, to the extent of decolletage, and to the translucence of clothing. For...

Poster text:   The adjacent building, 53 East 91st Street, is acquired to accommodate the expansion. Children now remain at the First Program through third grade.

Poster text:   Dalton’s Architecture Program is created and implemented in 1979 by Art teacher Robert Meredith.

Poster text:   First issue of Macrocosm, the student publication of foreign affairs, is published.

Poster text:   The first tile wall—made from children’s individual ceramic tiles—is created allowing third graders to leave a legacy and mark their departure from Little Dalton.

Poster text:   First issue of Fine Arts is published to showcase students artwork.

Poster text:   The Chess program begins.

Poster text:   Teacher Neil Goldberg begins archaeology program for third graders; students excavate in Little Dalton’s backyard to uncover “artifacts” of Olde New York.

Poster text:   The student Peer Leadership program begins.

Poster text:   Dalton’s first capital campaign, To Shape Our World, begins. Trustees’ approve The Long Range Plan. The plan has been developed to arrange for the purchase of a brownstone to expand the First Program, to modernize the school by overseeing the...

Poster text:   Warren Hines ’88 Night, honors a young Dalton student who had died tragically en route to baseball practice. At this popular annual event, Dalton community members—led by the cheerleaders—support the basketball and wrestling...

Poster text:   The “New Lab” is created, funded through a generous gift from former Dalton parent and trustee Robert Tishman to support innovative curricular programs using technology.

Poster text:   This computerized archaeological simulation software, used by 6th graders to study Ancient History, is an innovative network-based multimedia alternative that utilizes both texts and artifacts as evidence to construct history.

Poster text:   First Program expands to 63 East 91st Street, providing space for a Science Center.

Poster text:   Dalton’s Physical Education Center on East 87th Street, a new 30,000 square foot facility, is dedicated on September 22 and opens on October 30.

Poster text:   Connections, the alumni newsletter, begins publication in magazine format. Today the magazine mails to over 8,000 families.

Poster text:   The celebration takes place on February 27, 1995 at Lincoln Center. The New York Times reports, “...Nearly 2,000 tickets have been sold for the celebration, which will also include performances by Marian Seldes ’45, the actress; Misha and Cipa...

Poster text:   Dalton’s tradition of hosting Alum Night & Reunions begins.

Poster text:   Time Magazine features Dalton in its cover story: “Welcome to Cyberspace—The Learning Revolution.”

Poster text:   High school juniors and seniors work closely with faculty while assisting individual students with their studies. Peer tutors meet as a group bi-weekly to discuss educational topics.

Poster text:   Alumni who excelled at Athletics while at Dalton are honored.

Poster text:   Dalton’s first Director of Diversity and Multicultural Programs Adah Askew begins program to support students of color by pairing them with mentors.

Poster text:   The Middle School and High School Libraries are renovated featuring state-of-the-art technology. The dedication ceremony is held on December 10. With the introduction of WebCat, Dalton’s Library automates its catalog and circulation...

Poster text:   Dalton adds Mandarin Chinese to the high school curriculum.

Poster text:   Faculty members each receive a laptop and training to help them fully utilize this technology in their classrooms.

Poster text:   Dalton opens its New Performing Arts Center, transforming the basement space into a versatile new home for the music department, with facilities for theater and dance.

Poster text:   Sarah Sze, a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, is Dalton’s first Original Minds artist-in residence. A sculptor and installation artist, Sarah Sze produces playful, perceptive and evocative works, bringing together a careful arrangement of everyday...

Poster text:   A Passion for Learning: The Campaign for Dalton goes public with the goal of raising $35 million in endowment to strengthen Dalton.

Poster text:   Dalton students raise money through walkathons, t-shirt and bake sales to benefit the Ujima-Subukia Scholarship Fund for the education of Kenyan students.

Poster text:   Panelists address High School students followed by breakout sessions to discuss the impact of this controversial war. Presenters: James Cullen, Frances Fitzgerald ’58, John Lawrence, among others.

Poster text:   Dalton celebrates 85th Birthday with a gala at Cipriani honoring past Board presidents. PRESIDENTS OF THE BOARD 1929–1931 Helen Parkhurst 1931–1935 Mansfield Ferry 1935–1936 Morris Hadley 1936–1938 R. McAllister Lloyd 1938–1940 M.R. Brownell...

Poster text:   Faculty of Color hiring initiative begins. Alumni of Color Mentoring program is re-established. The Board of Trustees adopts Diversity mission statement.

Poster text:   “What strikes me now is that I learned more about poetry from working with young Dalton students than I had in years; I saw all over again the power of imagery and figurative language to make the mind leap to a new appreciation of...

Poster text:   The third floor renovation is completed featuring a renovated cafeteria, student lounge, and nurse’s office for the 89th Street building.

Poster text:   With a goal of $50 million, this Campaign helped fund objectives prioritized in the 2007 Strategic Plan.

Poster text:   Sixth grade pilot laptop program implemented.

Poster text:   Anderson Cooper ’85 interviews Gloria Vanderbilt; Lisa Hsia interviews Deborah Roberts and Al Roker; Gretchen Rubin interviews Robert E. Rubin; Sarah Brokaw ’88 interviews Tom Brokaw; Dan Abrams interviews Floyd Abrams.

Poster text:   Dalton invites activists from the ’50s and ’60s for a thorough analysis of the civil rights movement’s active phase, 1954–1968.

Poster text:   DGI provides students with rigorous, individualized experiences that cultivate global leadership and promote understanding and responsibility in the world community. Trips during 2007–2008 include the Beijing Language Immersion program, the Paris...

Poster text:   The high school gathers to celebrate Earth Day with guest speakers from the fields of science, business, and non-profit organizations. High school students run successful CSA in school lobby.

Poster text:   Student-driven green initiatives begin, including recycling and conservation projects.

Poster text:   51 East 91st, a brownstone contiguous with Dalton’s existing buildings on 91st Street, is purchased and renovations begin. This acquisiton expands and improves the quality of the First Program learning spaces, including a rooftop garden for plant...

Poster text:   Caldecott award-winning author/illustrator, David Macaulay, is Dalton’s Original Mind Scholar for 2009–2010. During monthly visits to Dalton, David collaborates with students and faculty to explore new ways to use drawing as an investigative...

Poster text:   Robotics teams begin in middle school with four teams and 30 students.

Poster text:   Dalton holds a gala with over 1,000 attendees at Chelsea Piers in a night to remember emceed by Anderson Cooper ’85.

Poster text:   HS Robotics launches with one team and four students.

Poster text:   Led by English teacher Christopher Hood, students hone their creative writing skills penning original poetry, essays, and fiction.

Poster text:   Buildings for grades K–3 now have improved accessibility and a new elevator, an energy efficient infrastructure, and adjacent, light-filled science and art facilities.

Poster text:   The food symposium brings together farmers, chefs, food writers, community activists, restaurateurs, and artisan food producers to expand students’ perspectives on food and cooking with an emphasis on sustainability.

Poster text:   Dalton joins eight other schools in founding this innovative program offering rigorous online courses that foster global awareness and understanding.

Poster text:   DSRP Research course places students in world-class research centers in the New York City area. Photo: Program participant Elana Simon ’14 pictured at the White House with President Obama.

Poster text:   First Dalton Visibility Exhibit held featuring personal photos with narratives on the LGBTQ+ experience in the Dalton community.

Poster text:   Diversity training seminars held for faculty and staff, and Dalton leads the high school Student Leadership conference to promote inclusive communities.

Poster text:   Students journey to Buenos Aires, Cuzco, Singapore, Beijing and Istanbul as part of Dalton Global Initiatives (DGI) immersion trips.

Poster text:   Dalton comes in first among NYC independent schools.

Poster text:   This innvoative program, led by Broadway performer Justin Greer, expands to include grades K–3.

Poster text:   Students start using iPads in classrooms and museum trips to take photos, sketch, and annotate; interactive white boards are now in every classroom and laptops are in every backpack.

  Poster text:   Engineering program introduced in fifth grade, girls’ summer engineering program offered, and the high school computer science team—with close to 70 members—becomes the largest academic club at Dalton.

Poster text:   Originally a one semester class, the course was designed around the nascent pop-up culture in the culinary world. The first restaurant, in 2012, was inspired by Ottolenghi in London.

Poster text:   Dalton establishes this innovative program to help students navigate today’s complex world and support faculty, staff and parents in understanding the challenges Dalton students face.

Poster text:   The successful annual “A Night of Networking” event begins along with smaller gatherings by professional fields.

Poster text:   Kindergarten Spanish instruction begins, integrating STEAM curriculum into daily lessons.

Poster text:   Class and blog launches to promote the integration of Visual Arts and STEM disciplines featuring topics such as toy design, scientific illustration, and forensics.

Poster text:   Dalton hosts its first ever Code Like a Girl conference with women computer science trailblazers inspiring 150 high school attendees.

Poster text:   High school students organize the school’s first TEDx conference.

Poster text:   Chris Woebken & Elliott Montgomery from the Extrapolation Factory work with faculty and students using creative approaches, hands-on activities and immersive events to engage the Dalton community with futures studies.

Poster text:   The girls varsity soccer team and the girls varsity basketball team each make Dalton history by winning their NYSAIS championships. The football team completes an undefeated season after winning the HVFL Bowl game.

Poster text:   Dalton adds a two-story rooftop addition to the existing 12-story building and repurposes existing space. This new facility includes a STEAM facility, a new library, a demonstration kitchen, art and dance studios.

Poster text:   Judy Slater Geller ’51 reaches her 60th anniversary as a Dalton science teacher.

Poster text:   The Dalton community gathered at the American Museum of Natural History to toast the first alumna Head of School after 24 years of leadership.

Poster text:   Head of School Jim Best launches new Strategic Plan to help chart Dalton’s path for the next five years. The Strategic Plan focuses on five priorities: The Dalton Student, The Dalton Teacher, The Dalton Citizen, The Dalton Environment, and The...