Wheeler School is a private school located on the East Side of Providence , Rhode Island , United States. The school serves students from the nursery level through twelfth-grade.
26-468: In 1889, an art school for girls was established by Mary C. Wheeler , an artist and activist from Concord, Massachusetts . In 1900, adding an academic college preparatory curriculum to her art instruction, Mary Wheeler accepted ten female students as boarders and officially founded The Mary C. Wheeler School. A building on Brook Street was purchased, in 1898, to house girls enrolled in the preparatory program for her Cabot Street School. In 1910, Hope Building
52-526: Is named in memory of third headmistress Mabel Van Norman. Wheeler was the Providence site of the Summerbridge National program in 1992. WELH-FM (Wheeler's radio station at FM 88.1) went on the air in 1994 at the end of a 10-year process begun as an Aerie student project. As of 2006, the station broadcasts Spanish-language programming in the morning and a golden oldies format in the afternoon, and
78-501: Is the oldest continuously-celebrated tradition at the school. Wheeler died in 1920 at the age of 73. In her will she established a board of trustees to oversee the school. Mary Helena Dey, who had studied under educational theorist John Dewey at the University of Chicago , was named headmistress. In the mid-20s, the farm facilities were expanded at a cost of $ 4,400 to include a field hockey field and two tennis courts. The “swimming hole”
104-413: The "audacious" woman "left [an] impress on the village." Wheeler's ethical and intellectual beliefs were influenced by contact with women such as Mary Moody Emerson and the sisters Elizabeth Peabody , Mary Peabody (Mrs. Horace Mann), and Sophia Peabody (Mrs. Nathaniel Hawthorne). Wheeler was an enthusiastic artist and took drawing lessons with her friend May Alcott beginning in 1858. Notably, May
130-573: The 1870s, she traveled to Germany, Italy and France to study art, while staying in Concord and teaching intermittently in Providence. She returned to Providence in 1882 to teach painting to women. In 1889, she founded the Wheeler School. In 1887, Wheeler started a practice of taking groups of students to France during the summer to learn the French language and study painting and art history . She and
156-564: The 1950s. The daughter of a farmer, Wheeler acquired a 78-acre (32 ha) farm and house in Seekonk, Massachusetts in 1912–13. She subsequently purchased an adjoining farm and buildings, bringing the total land holdings to slightly more than 120 acres (49 ha). At one point, she advertised her school in Vogue as the Mary C. Wheeler Town & Country School. Mary Helena Dey was hired in 1914 to reorder
182-529: The East Side of Providence , Rhode Island , United States. The school serves students from the nursery level through twelfth-grade. In 1889, an art school for girls was established by Mary C. Wheeler , an artist and activist from Concord, Massachusetts . In 1900, adding an academic college preparatory curriculum to her art instruction, Mary Wheeler accepted ten female students as boarders and officially founded The Mary C. Wheeler School. A building on Brook Street
208-485: The Froebel Kindergarten School which admitted boys into its pre-primary grades until the 1950s. The daughter of a farmer, Wheeler acquired a 78-acre (32 ha) farm and house in Seekonk, Massachusetts in 1912–13. She subsequently purchased an adjoining farm and buildings, bringing the total land holdings to slightly more than 120 acres (49 ha). At one point, she advertised her school in Vogue as
234-467: The Mary C. Wheeler Town & Country School. Mary Helena Dey was hired in 1914 to reorder the school’s curriculum. As a result, the school became a pioneer in the educational theories of John Dewey . Through Dey’s contacts, such notables as Carl Sandburg came to campus to meet with students or, in Sandburg’s case, deliver the graduation address. The first Wheeler Field Day was celebrated in 1915, and
260-460: The age of 73. In her will she established a board of trustees to oversee the school. Mary Helena Dey, who had studied under educational theorist John Dewey at the University of Chicago , was named headmistress. In the mid-20s, the farm facilities were expanded at a cost of $ 4,400 to include a field hockey field and two tennis courts. The “swimming hole” was enlarged and deepened. Later an arboretum , featuring several hundred unusual plants and trees,
286-498: The first male to lead the school and a residence was purchased, at 211 Hope Street, to provide a home outside of the girls' dormitory for his family. In 1952, the Wheeler Annual Fund was established to support the school through donations by alumni, family and friends. In 1968, Hugh A. Madden was named headmaster. Coeducation was approved for the lower grades in 1973, and expanded to include the entire school in 1975. The name of
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#1732855675185312-410: The lower grades in 1973, and expanded to include the entire school in 1975. The name of the school officially changed to The Wheeler School. The boarding program was phased out in 1979. William C. Prescott, Jr. succeeded Hugh Madden as headmaster in 1980. The Hamilton School at Wheeler opened in 1988 to its first group of 35 students in grades 1-6. In 1990, a new library was constructed. The building
338-410: The morning and a golden oldies format in the afternoon, and the station streams via the internet. Students also use the facilities to record news programs and interviews. Since October 8, 2011, WELH has broadcast programming from Rhode Island Public Radio . As of October 2014 the school has nearly 800 students with 200 faculty and staff. In addition to its main campus in Providence, the school has
364-706: The school dedicated a new 18,000 square foot performing arts center featuring a stepped seating auditorium, five new performing arts classrooms, studios, and storage spaces. In 2017 Allison Gaines Pell became the Head of School. Mary C. Wheeler Mary Colman Wheeler (May 15, 1846 – March 10, 1920) was the founder and first head of the Wheeler School in Providence, Rhode Island . Born in Concord, Massachusetts , on May 15, 1846, to Abiel Heywood Wheeler and Harriet Lincoln, she
390-406: The school officially changed to The Wheeler School. The boarding program was phased out in 1979. William C. Prescott, Jr. succeeded Hugh Madden as headmaster in 1980. The Hamilton School at Wheeler opened in 1988 to its first group of 35 students in grades 1-6. In 1990, a new library was constructed. The building was designed by Schwartz/Silver Architects of Boston. A large division of the library
416-407: The school’s curriculum. As a result, the school became a pioneer in the educational theories of John Dewey . Through Dey’s contacts, such notables as Carl Sandburg came to campus to meet with students or, in Sandburg’s case, deliver the graduation address. The first Wheeler Field Day was celebrated in 1915, and is the oldest continuously-celebrated tradition at the school. Wheeler died in 1920 at
442-574: The station streams via the internet. Students also use the facilities to record news programs and interviews. Since October 8, 2011, WELH has broadcast programming from Rhode Island Public Radio . As of October 2014 the school has nearly 800 students with 200 faculty and staff. In addition to its main campus in Providence, the school has a 120-acre (49 ha) farm facility for athletics, the Sixth Grade Farm Program, summer camp, ropes course, sports programs and environmental research. In 2014
468-581: The young women who accompanied her leased a property next to Claude Monet in Giverny , and became dinner companions of the Monet family. One of these young women was the painter Louise Herreshoff . Wheeler died on March 10, 1920, after falling on an icy street. She is buried at Author's Ridge in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord. Wheeler School Wheeler School is a private school located on
494-447: Was constructed to provide living and dining facilities required by a growing student body and faculty. In 1912, the original Fresh Air Building was completed, though it was later rebuilt. The Mary C. Wheeler School thus became one of the first American schools to use the principles of Maria Montessori in its kindergarten instruction. Wheeler also purchased the Froebel Kindergarten School which admitted boys into its pre-primary grades until
520-436: Was designed by Schwartz/Silver Architects of Boston. A large division of the library is named in memory of third headmistress Mabel Van Norman. Wheeler was the Providence site of the Summerbridge National program in 1992. WELH-FM (Wheeler's radio station at FM 88.1) went on the air in 1994 at the end of a 10-year process begun as an Aerie student project. As of 2006, the station broadcasts Spanish-language programming in
546-578: Was enlarged and deepened. Later an arboretum , featuring several hundred unusual plants and trees, was established at the farm in Dey's name, but has been lost to time. In 1940, Mabel Van Norman was appointed the third headmistress on the retirement of Dey, Van Norman continued the school through the years of World War II and spent time visiting war-torn schools in the Netherlands and Belgium which Wheeler students helped to support with food and supplies. In 1950, she
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#1732855675185572-440: Was established at the farm in Dey's name, but has been lost to time. In 1940, Mabel Van Norman was appointed the third headmistress on the retirement of Dey, Van Norman continued the school through the years of World War II and spent time visiting war-torn schools in the Netherlands and Belgium which Wheeler students helped to support with food and supplies. In 1950, she was succeeded by S. Rowland “Rowly” Morgan, Jr. Morgan became
598-491: Was purchased, in 1898, to house girls enrolled in the preparatory program for her Cabot Street School. In 1910, Hope Building was constructed to provide living and dining facilities required by a growing student body and faculty. In 1912, the original Fresh Air Building was completed, though it was later rebuilt. The Mary C. Wheeler School thus became one of the first American schools to use the principles of Maria Montessori in its kindergarten instruction. Wheeler also purchased
624-413: Was succeeded by S. Rowland “Rowly” Morgan, Jr. Morgan became the first male to lead the school and a residence was purchased, at 211 Hope Street, to provide a home outside of the girls' dormitory for his family. In 1952, the Wheeler Annual Fund was established to support the school through donations by alumni, family and friends. In 1968, Hugh A. Madden was named headmaster. Coeducation was approved for
650-618: Was the youngest of five children. Concord was at the time of Wheeler's early life a progressive community engaged with Transcendentalism , abolitionism , education reform , and women's rights . Her father Abiel was involved in a local Underground Railroad effort and their family provided refuge to escaped slaves on their way to Canada throughout the 1850s. Intellectual figures in the community at that time included Amos Bronson Alcott , Nathaniel Hawthorne , Horace Mann , Henry David Thoreau , and Ralph Waldo Emerson , among others. Local feminist Margaret Fuller died before Wheeler's time, but
676-469: Was youngest sister of writer Louisa May Alcott and inspired the character of Amy March in her novel Little Women . She graduated from Concord High School in 1864 and Abbot Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1866. In 1866, she started teaching mathematics and Latin at Concord High School and in 1868 moved to Providence, Rhode Island to teach mathematics at a Miss Shaw's, a finishing school . In
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