Lawrenceville School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Lawrenceville School |
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United States
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| Coordinates | 40°17′39″N 74°43′30″W / 40.29414°N 74.72494°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, independent, day and boarding, college-preparatory |
| Motto | Virtus Semper Viridis ("Virtue Always Green") |
| Established | 1810 |
| CEEB code | 310680 |
| NCES School ID | 00869171 |
| President | Michael S. Chae |
| Head of school | Stephen S. Murray |
| Faculty | 117.1 FTEs |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Enrollment | 818 (as of 2021–22) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 7:1 |
| Campus | 700 acres (2.8 km2) |
| Color(s) | Red and Black |
| Athletics conference | Mid-Atlantic Prep League New Jersey Independent Schools Athletic Association |
| Sports | 21 sports teams |
| Mascot | Big Red |
| Rival | The Hill School |
| Accreditation | Middle States |
| Endowment | $632.9 million (as of July 22, 2021) |
| Tuition | $79,500 Boarding $65,420 Day (2024-25) |
| Affiliations | NJAIS ESA TSAO |
The Lawrenceville School is a special school for students who live there (boarding) and those who come for the day. It helps prepare students for college and is located in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. Lawrenceville is part of the Eight Schools Association and the Ten Schools Admissions Organization, which are groups of top schools.
Contents
School History
How the School Started
The Lawrenceville School is one of the oldest prep schools in the United States. It began in 1810 as the Maidenhead Academy. A Presbyterian minister named Isaac Van Arsdale Brown founded it. Over the years, it had different names, like Lawrenceville Classical and Commercial High School.
In 1883, the John Cleve Green Foundation bought the school. They renamed it The Lawrenceville School. John Cleve Green was born in Lawrenceville. He was one of the first students at Maidenhead Academy. He became a very successful businessman. He invested in railroads and imported goods like tea. Since he had no children, he left much of his money to good causes.
Building a New School
The people in charge of Green's money wanted Lawrenceville to be a top school. They wanted it to prepare students for college. They had a lot of money to spend, about $40 million in today's money. They hired James Cameron Mackenzie to study schools in the United Kingdom. He later became the Head of School.
Mackenzie brought new ideas from British schools. One big idea was Lawrenceville's "house system." This was the first time a school in America used small living units for students. He believed a "home-like atmosphere" was better for young people.
The school also got a new campus design. Famous landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted and architects Peabody and Stearns created it. This campus is now a U.S. National Historic Landmark District.
Growing and Changing
The changes in 1883 made Lawrenceville very popular. It became a main school for students going to Princeton University. Princeton's president, James McCosh, wanted a good school in the Mid-Atlantic area. He thought New England schools sent their best students to Harvard. John Cleve Green, who helped found Princeton, helped fill this need. The new Lawrenceville School was made "to prepare students for Princeton."
Lawrenceville became very successful. In 1886, 20 students went to Princeton. The number of students at Lawrenceville grew from 112 in 1883 to 362 by 1898. This success helped other boarding schools start in America.
20th Century Milestones
In 1932, Lawrenceville sent 62 students to Princeton. This was almost 10% of Princeton's freshman class. In the 1950s, Lawrenceville helped test an early version of the Advanced Placement (AP) program. This program lets high school students take college-level courses.
In 1936, Lawrenceville started using the Harkness method. This is a way of teaching where students sit around a table and discuss topics. Time magazine reported that Edward Harkness gave the school a lot of money to use this system.
Lawrenceville welcomed its first African-American student in 1964. In 1987, the school began admitting girls. This made it a coeducational school.
In 1999, Alexandra Petrone became the first female student body president. In 2003, Elizabeth Duffy was the first female headmaster. In 2005, Sasha-Mae Eccleston became the first alumna to win a Rhodes Scholarship.
21st Century and Today
In 2001, The New York Times said Lawrenceville was trying to be a school for everyone, not just the wealthy. The school's acceptance rate was about 20.5% in 2017-18. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more students applied. Many Black students and families needing financial help applied.
In 2010, Lawrenceville set a world record for the largest custard pie fight!
In the 2021–22 school year, Lawrenceville had 818 students. Students came from many different backgrounds. About 45% were White, 19% Asian, 9% Black, 6% Hispanic, and 19% multiracial.
Heads of School
Here are the people who have led the Lawrenceville School:
- Isaac Van Arsdale Brown, 1810-1834
- Alexander Hamilton Phillips, 1834-1837
- Samuel McClintock Hamill, 1837-1883
- James Cameron Mackenzie, 1883-1899
- Simon John McPherson, 1899-1919
- Mather Almon Abbott, 1919-1934
- Allan Vanderhoef Heely, 1934-1959
- Bruce McClellan, 1959-1986
- Josiah Bunting III, 1987-1995
- Philip Harding Jordan Jr., 1995-1996
- Michael Scott Cary, 1996-2003
- Elizabeth Anne Duffy, 2003-2015
- Stephen Sheals Murray, 2015-present
Tuition and Financial Aid
Lawrenceville has been ranked as one of America's most expensive private high schools. However, the school helps students who need financial support. They promise to meet 100% of a student's proven financial need. This means if a student is accepted and needs help paying, the school will provide it.
For the 2024-25 school year, it costs $79,500 for boarding students. Day students pay $65,420. In the 2023-24 school year, 34% of students received financial aid. The average aid for boarding students was over $60,000. For day students, it was over $44,000.
School Funding
Lawrenceville does not share its exact financial endowment (money saved for the future) publicly. But from 2016 to 2021, the endowment grew from $381.1 million to $632.9 million. This money helps the school run and offer programs.
The school has received big donations. In 2017, Alibaba founder Joseph C. Tsai and his wife Clara gave the largest gift in the school's history. The exact amount was not shared, but it was more than the $60 million given in 2007.
Campus and Buildings
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Lawrenceville School
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Woods Memorial Hall at The Lawrenceville School
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 Location in Mercer County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main Street, Lawrenceville, New Jersey |
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| Area | 17.74 acres (7.18 ha) |
| Architect | Peabody & Stearns; Frederick Law Olmsted |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Romanesque |
| Part of | Lawrence Township Historic District (ID72000799) |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000158 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 1986 |
| Designated NHLD | February 24, 1986 |
| Designated CP | September 14, 1972 |
Lawrenceville has its own campus, separate from the main town. It's about a 15-minute drive from Princeton, New Jersey.
Historic Campus Recognition
In 1986, the oldest part of the Lawrenceville School campus became a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historic place in the U.S. Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York's Central Park, planned the campus. The Peabody & Stearns firm designed the buildings. These include Memorial Hall, known for its beautiful materials and details. The historic area also has a gym, the headmaster's house, dorms, and a chapel. This landmark covers about 17.74 acres. The whole campus today is over 700 acres.
In 1972, the village of Lawrenceville, including parts of the school, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Residential Life and Houses
Lawrenceville uses a "house system," like many schools in the United Kingdom. Students live in different groups of Houses. These are the Lower School, the Crescent (for girls), the Circle (for boys), and the Fifth Form (Senior) Houses. Teachers also live in each House.
The Circle Houses were part of the original campus design. They are now part of the National Historic Landmark. Four Crescent House dorms for girls opened in 1986, and a fifth in 2010.
School Facilities
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Lawrenceville's campus has 38 main buildings. The Bunn Library can hold 100,000 books.
The school has 18 sports fields and 12 outdoor tennis courts. There's also a track, a boathouse, a hockey arena, and a ropes course. During the summer, the campus hosts youth sports camps and academic programs. A new dining hall and athletic facility, the Tsai Commons and Field House, is opening in spring 2024.
Since 2012, the school gets its energy from a large solar farm. This farm has nearly 30 acres of solar panels.
The school also has the Big Red Farm. This is a working farm with greenhouses and farmland. It has sheep, chickens, pigs, and beehives that produce honey.
Gallery
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The Bunn Library
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The Lavino Field House, home of Lawrenceville athletics
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Fathers Building (front) and the Mackenzie Building (back; admissions)
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Dawes, split into the Cromwell and Perry Ross houses
School Connections
Lawrenceville is a member of the Eight Schools Association. This is a group of top American high schools. It is also part of the Ten Schools Admissions Organization.
The school is connected to The Island School in Cape Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Lawrenceville students can go there for a semester abroad. A former Lawrenceville teacher founded The Island School.
The school is officially recognized by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. This means it meets high educational standards.
Athletics and Sports
Lawrenceville's sports teams compete in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League. The school also plays against other top schools in the Eight Schools Athletic Council.
Students can play many sports, including baseball, basketball, crew, cross-country, fencing, field hockey, football, golf, hockey, track, lacrosse, soccer, softball, squash, swimming, tennis, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. The school also offers fun intramural sports. These include Ultimate Disc for girls and flag football for boys.
Rivalry with Hill School
Lawrenceville has a big rivalry with The Hill School in Pennsylvania. Every November, they celebrate "Hill Weekend." This includes one of the oldest high school football rivalries in the country, going back to 1887.
Athletic Achievements
Lawrenceville teams have achieved many successes:
- In 2015, the Boys' Varsity Crew team won the MAPL League Championship. They placed 4th at the US Rowing Youth Nationals. This crew was chosen for the Henley Royal Regatta in England.
- In 2008, the Boys' and Girls' Varsity Track and Field team had an undefeated season. They won first place in their state and league championships.
- In 2011, the 4x200 track team was the fastest in the nation.
- By 2014, the boys' varsity track team had won 103 dual meets in a row. They have not lost a dual meet or championship since 2006.
- From 2005 to 2007, the Girls' Varsity Field Hockey team won the Prep A state championship four times in a row, and shared a fifth victory.
- In 2006, the Boys' Squash team won the National Championship for the third year in a row.
- In May 2006, the boys' varsity baseball team won the New Jersey Prep A championship. They won again in 2010.
- In May 2023, the boys' varsity lacrosse team won the Prep Nationals championship. They finished the season with an amazing 19-1 record.
Notable Alumni
Many famous people have gone to Lawrenceville. These include writers like Owen Johnson and James Merrill. Musicians like Huey Lewis and Dierks Bentley also attended. Other notable alumni include author and ecologist Aldo Leopold and basketball player Joakim Noah.
Notable Faculty
- Samuel Cochran — a missionary and public health researcher in China
- Bill Littlefield — a radio host and author
- Thornton Wilder — a three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author
