Country Day School movement


The Country Day School movement is a movement in progressive education that originated in the United States during the late 19th century. Country Day Schools sought to recreate the educational rigor, atmosphere, camaraderie and character-building aspects of the best college-prep boarding schools, while allowing students to return to their families at the end of the day. To avoid the crime, pollution and health problems of the industrial cities of the early 20th century, the schools were sited in the 'country', where wealthy families owned large homes in areas that would later be known as suburbs.

Overview

The Country Day School movement shared many values with the Arts and Crafts movement. School buildings and campus landscaping were designed with the goal of creating an inspirational atmosphere that would foster learning and culture. In keeping with this holistic view of the student learning environment, various "after-school" programs promoted student development, including athletic programs, choir and religious studies, and monitored study time. Students were given opportunities to develop leadership skills through clubs and student organizations.
The first Country Day Schools were Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, University School near Cleveland, Detroit Country Day School, Gilman School in Baltimore, McDonogh School near Baltimore, and The Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati. These six college-preparatory schools provided the structure and campus location format which would guide many more Country Day Schools that would be built around the country over the next 100 years. A leader in the movement, Tower Hill School, was founded by the du Pont family in Wilmington, Delaware, and headed by Burton Fowler, a devout follower of John Dewey and president of the Progressive Education Association.

List of schools

Along with those listed above, prominent Country Day Schools include the following:

United States

  • Almaden Country Day School
  • Beaver Country Day School
  • Berkshire Country Day School
  • Berwick Academy
  • The Blake School
  • Bryn Mawr School
  • Buckley Country Day School
  • Burgundy Farm Country Day School
  • Canton Country Day School
  • Charlotte Country Day School
  • Chico Country Day School
  • Cincinnati Country Day School
  • Columbus Academy
  • Community Country Day School
  • The Country Day School
  • The Country School
  • Crane Country Day School
  • Dedham Country Day School,
  • Detroit Country Day School
  • Evansville Day School
  • Fairfield Country Day School
  • Far Hills Country Day School
  • Foothill Country Day School
  • Forsyth Country Day School
  • Fort Worth Country Day School
  • Fox Chapel Country Day School
  • Glenelg Country School
  • Green Fields School
  • Greenwich Country Day School
  • Grove School
  • Hawken School
  • Keith Country Day School
  • Kent Denver School
  • Kentucky Country Day School
  • The Key School
  • Jacksonville Country Day School
  • John Burroughs School
  • Kingswood-Oxford School
  • La Jolla Country Day School
  • Lancaster Country Day School
  • Madison Country Day School
  • Marin Country Day School
  • Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School
  • Masters School
  • Maumee Valley Country Day School
  • Memphis University School
  • Metairie Park Country Day School
  • Miami Country Day School
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  • New Canaan Country School
  • Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
  • North Shore Country Day School
  • The Park School of Buffalo
  • Park Tudor School
  • The Pembroke Hill School
  • Phoenix Country Day School
  • Pingry School
  • Princeton Day School
  • Providence Country Day School
  • Riverdale Country School
  • Riverfield Country Day School
  • Rocky Hill Country Day School
  • Roland Park Country School
  • Rolling Hills Country Day School
  • Rumson Country Day School
  • Rye Country Day School
  • Sacramento Country Day School
  • St. Paul Academy and Summit School
  • Savannah Country Day School
  • Scarborough Country Day School
  • Seacrest Country Day School
  • Seattle Country Day School
  • Shady Side Academy
  • Shore Country Day School
  • St. Johns Country Day School
  • Stuart Country Day School
  • Summit Country Day School
  • The Country School
  • Upland Country Day School
  • University Liggett School
  • University School of Milwaukee
  • Westchester Country Day School
  • Wooster School
  • York Country Day School

    Other countries

  • Costa Rica Country Day School
  • The Country Day School
  • Good Hope Country Day School