Riverdale Country Day School
| Riverdale Country School | |
|---|---|
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| Address | |
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5250 Fieldston Road (Hill Campus), 1 Spaulding Lane (River Campus) Riverdale, New York 10471 United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°53′59″N 73°54′03″W / 40.89968°N 73.900863°WCoordinates: 40°53′59″N 73°54′03″W / 40.89968°N 73.900863°W |
| Information | |
| Type |
Private Independent school College preparatory school |
| Motto | Mind, Character, Community |
| Established | 1907 |
| Founder | Frank S. Hackett |
| Head of school | Dominic A.A. Randolph |
| Grades | PreK-5 at the River Campus and 6-12 at the Hill Campus |
| Enrollment | 1140 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Maroon and Gray |
| Athletics conference |
Ivy Prep NYSAISAA |
| Mascot | Falcon |
| Accreditation | New York State Association of Independent Schools |
| Newspaper | The Riverdale Review |
| Yearbook | The Riverdalian |
| Website | School website |
Riverdale Country School is a co-educational, independent, college-preparatory day school in New York City serving PreK through Grade 12. It is located on two campuses covering more than 27 acres (110,000 m2) in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, New York. Started as a school for boys, Riverdale Country School became fully coeducational in 1972. It currently serves 1,140 students.
Founded in 1907 by Frank Sutliff Hackett (1878-1952) and his first wife, Francis Dean (Allen) Hackett, Riverdale Country School is one of the oldest country day schools in the United States. Originally known as the Riverdale School for Boys, it began with 12 students and four teachers and promised scholarly, intimate teaching amid abundant recreational space. Describing his school as "an American experiment in education," Hackett later told The New York Times: "We have tried to transform schools from mere nurseries of the brain into a means of nourishing the whole boy — mind, body, and spirit."
An early advocate of outdoor experiences for young people, Hackett started a summer camp known as Camp Riverdale at Long Lake in the Adirondacks (1912-1964) to provide summer recreation for his students. By 1920, Hackett had acquired three acres on Fieldston Road for the school and built a classroom building and dormitory. The 100-room dormitory, designed by McKim, Mead, and White, later became known as Hackett Hall. In 1924, he started the Neighborhood School for boys and girls from grades one to three, and in 1933, the Riverdale Girls School. By World War II, the school attracted both day students and boarders; one student in six or seven came from another country.
Hackett dreamed of expanding the school into an "American World School" and acquired a new site in Riverdale. In 1948, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, then president of Columbia University, spoke at a dedication ceremony at the site. Hackett died before his dream was realized, and the property was sold. In 1972, the Boys and Girls Schools were combined. In 1985, the Middle and Upper Schools were consolidated on the Hill Campus and the Lower School moved to the River Campus. Hackett was an organizer of the Guild of Independent Schools of New York City, and an organizer and president of the Adirondack Mountain Club.
President John F. Kennedy attended the school from 1927 to 1930 when his family lived in Riverdale. During the 1960 presidential campaign, J.F.K. made an appearance in the Bronx. "I said up the street that I was a former resident of the Bronx," he said. "Nobody believes that, but it is true. No other candidate for the presidency can make that statement."
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