The Williams School is a private co-educational secondary school in
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
, that offers classes from 6th grade to 12th grade.
It was founded as the Williams Memorial Institute (WMI) by Harriet Peck Williams in 1891, following the death of her son Thomas W. Williams II, a well-known whaling merchant.
The school was originally located at 110 Broad Street in New London, but moved when it merged with
Connecticut College
Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college w ...
in 1954. Despite the merger, it remains a legally separate entity. The original building became a Connecticut state courthouse in 1972, and was purchased by the state in 1997.
["Williams Memorial Institute 1891"]
''Historic Buildings of Connecticut''
History
Location and facilities
The school's first building was located at 110 Broad Street between Hempstead and Williams Streets. It was built in 1889-91 and was designed by
Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge was a successful architecture firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, operating between 1886 and 1915, with extensive commissions in monumental civic, religious, and collegiate architecture in the spirit and style of Henry ...
– the successor firm to
H. H. Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson, FAIA (September 29, 1838 – April 27, 1886) was an American architect, best known for his work in a style that became known as Richardsonian Romanesque. Along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, Richardson is one ...
– in the
Richardsonian Romanesque style
Richardsonian Romanesque is a architectural style, style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). The revivalism (architecture), revival style incorporates 11th and 12th century s ...
, which is featured in several other buildings in New London. The school was able to accommodate three hundred students and had seven classrooms, a gymnasium, laboratories, and a library. The WMI building was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1978 for its architecture, and since 1972 has housed the State of Connecticut Superior Court for Geographical Area 10. The state bought the building in 1997.
First president
Colin Sherman Buell was the first president of The Williams Memorial Institute. He was a key figure in improving higher education for women.
[Linda Lear Center for Special Collections & Archives, Connecticut College, 1910-1917. 10/10/2016.] Buell tried to expand the Memorial Institute to become a women's college, but the plan fell through due to lack of interest.
When
Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College is a private, liberal arts women's college in Macon, Georgia. Founded in 1836, Wesleyan was the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women.
History
The school was chartered on December 23, 1836, as the Geo ...
in
Middletown decided to stop admitting women to the university, Buell combined efforts with Elizabeth Wright. With $135,000 from the City of New London $1 million from Morton F. Plant. they helped found
Connecticut College
Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college w ...
. He later became a member of the college's board of trustees.
High school for girls
WMI was the high school for girls for New London and several of the towns surrounding it until 1951, when
New London High School) opened.
Merger with Connecticut College
Agreement
On February 18, 1954, the Williams Memorial Institute started discussions to relocate the school near the Connecticut College campus on Mohegan Avenue. The relocation cost $200,000 and stipulated that the college approve all the terms of the junction. The terms of the agreement were bonded by a ten-year contract, set to be renewed every five years after the completion of the initial ten years.
Location
The current Williams School building is located in the south portion of the Connecticut College near Palmer Auditorium. The architects responsible for the design are
Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, who designed buildings for Connecticut College
The building was expanded on November 24, 1964, to be able to accommodate more students.
Although the school changed its name to The Williams School, its legal name remains The Williams Memorial Institute.
Structure
Williams added a middle school (grades 7 and 8) in 1955, and became co-educational in 1971.
Connecticut College
Through the relationship between the two schools, Connecticut College education majors are able to student teach at the Williams School, while the college provides funding to the Williams School. This relationship was one of the first ones between a college and a secondary or elementary school.
The college and the school are separate entities that mutually benefit each other. The college has no power over educational curriculum and extracurricular activities of the school.
Associations
* Accredited by the
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) is a United States' regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation. NEASC serves over 1500 public, independent schools, and technical/career institution ...
(NEASC)
* Member of the
National Association of Independent Schools
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1962, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boar ...
(NAIS)
* Member of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)
* Member of the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce
Presidents
* 1891–1938: Colin Sherman Buell
* 1938–1946: Jerome Burett
* 1946–1956: Gertrude Moon
* 1950–1960: Evelyn Page
* 1960–1963: Catherine Oakes
* 1963–1978: Marion H. Hamilton
* 1978–1994: Steven J. Dandenberg
* 1994–1998: Lawrence Roberts
* 1998–2008: Charlotte L. Rhea
* 2008–present: Mark Fader
[ ]
Notable alumni
*
Valerie Azlynn
Valerie Azlynn (born November 25, 1980) is an American actress. She has appeared in several television shows and movies, notably starring in the TV comedy ''Sullivan & Son''.
Early life
Azlynn was born Valerie Asselin and raised in New London, ...
- actress
*
Noah Bean
Noah Whipple Bean (born August 20, 1978) is an American actor best known for his roles as Ryan Fletcher on The CW action-thriller series ''Nikita'', as David Connor on the FX legal drama ''Damages'' and his leading performance in the independent ...
- actor
*
Alzada Comstock
Alzada Peckham Comstock (November 23, 1888 – January 15, 1960) was an economist who taught at Mount Holyoke College. She became a Guggenheim Fellow in 1926.
Early life and education
Comstock was born in Waterford, Connecticut. She earned a B ...
- professor of economics at
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States.
...
*
Susan DiBona
Susan DiBona (born 18 February 1974) is an American-Italian film and television composer.
On February 18, 1974, DiBona was born in New Haven, Connecticut and resided in Clinton, Connecticut.
DiBona is fluent in eight languages.
DiBona has perfor ...
- film composer
*
Grace L. Drake - Ohio state legislator
*
Jesse Metcalfe
Jesse Eden Metcalfe (born December 9, 1978) is an American actor and musician. He is known for his portrayal of John Rowland on ''Desperate Housewives''. Metcalfe has also had notable roles on ''Passions'' and played the title role in '' John T ...
- actor
*
Ann Haven Morgan
Ann Haven Morgan (born "Anna" May 6, 1882 – June 5, 1966) was an American zoologist and ecologist.
Biography
One of three children of Stanley G. Morgan and Julia A. Douglass Morgan, Anna Morgan was born in Waterford, Connecticut and attend ...
- professor of biology at Mount Holyoke College
*
Clancy Philbrick
Clarence Hunt Philbrick (born April 24, 1986 in Providence, Rhode Island) (commonly known as Clancy) is an American
contemporary artist whose work includes painting, photography, sculpture, street art, and literature. Philbrick has lived and e ...
- artist
*
Stephen Trask
Stephen Trask (born Stephen R. Schwartz; born August 29, 1966) is an American musician and composer who graduated from Wesleyan University.
He was the music director and house band member at the New York City club Squeezebox, where they performe ...
- composer
*
Cassie Ventura
Casandra Elizabeth Ventura (born August 26, 1986), known professionally as Cassie, is an American singer, songwriter, model, actress and dancer. Born in New London, Connecticut, she began her career as a result of meeting record producer Ryan Le ...
- model and singer
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams Memorial Institute, The
Schools in New London County, Connecticut
National Register of Historic Places in New London County, Connecticut