The Frederick Gunn School is a private, coeducational,boarding and dayprep school for students in grades 9–12 andpostgraduate, located in ruralConnecticut, United States.[3] The 220-acre (0.89 km2) campus borders the village green ofWashington, a small, historic town inLitchfield Hills. Formerly known asThe Gunnery andMr. Gunn's School, it was named for its founder, has no military affiliations and is a non-sectarian school.
The Frederick Gunn School was founded in 1850 byFrederick W. Gunn, a teacher, abolitionist, and father of recreational camping in America,[4] based on his belief that strength of character was the goal of education.
Formerly known as The Gunnery, The Frederick Gunn School was founded byFrederick William Gunn and his wife Abigail in 1850.[5] It was originally 30 boys on 50 acres (20 ha).[6] In 1894 The Ridge School was founded as an affiliated junior school for younger boys. The school offered a classical education typical of Anglican tradition schools of the time but also emphasized athletic opportunities, environmental awareness and moral values.[citation needed] In a less inclusive era, the Gunns' school welcomed girls, international students and African American students.[citation needed]
In the 1920s the school became an all-boys school, enrollment tripled and new buildings were added. DuringWorld War II, The Gunnery prepared boys for entering the armed forces. In 1977, The Gunnery returned to its coeducational roots. For several years prior, The Gunnery had a partnership with the nearby all-girls school Wykeham Rise, which has since closed.[7][8] The first female head was appointed in 1991.
The Frederick Gunn School is a day and boarding school, with 73% (232 boarders, 83 day)[1] of its students residing in one of the 10 dormitories on campus. Students are supported by teachers, coaches, faculty advisors, dorm parents, administrators and student leaders who are designated as Residential Assistants (RAs).[9] In most dormitories, students are grouped by class. Each dormitory consists primarily of single and double student rooms, but also house faculty and their families. There are students from 22 countries and 22 states in the U.S. Students from the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Korea, Mexico, Moldova, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and the U.S. Virgin Islands were included in the student body in the 2021–22 academic year.[10]
