The Gunnery

The Gunnery is a private coeducational boarding and day prep school located in rural Connecticut, United States. The 220-acre (0.89 km2) campus borders the village green of Washington, a small, historic town in Litchfield Hills. The Gunnery, named after the Gunn family, has no military affiliations and is a non-sectarian school.

For the Australian military site, see The Gunnery, Woolloomooloo.
The Gunnery
Address
99 Green Hill Road

Washington
,
Connecticut
06793

United States
Information
TypePrivate, College prep
Day & Boarding
MottoVir Bonus Semper Discipulus Est
(A good man [person] is always a student.)
Established1850
CEEB code070-825
PrincipalPeter W.E. Becker
Faculty55
Grades9–12/PG Year
GenderCoeducational
Enrollment310 (2019-20[1])
Average class size12 students
Student to teacher ratio6:1
Campus size220 acres (0.89 km2)
Campus typeRural
Athletics conferenceNEPSAC
Sports35 sports teams
AccreditationNEASC
Websitewww.gunnery.org

The Gunnery was founded in 1850 by Frederick W. Gunn, a teacher, abolitionist, and father of recreational camping in America. The basic mission of The Gunnery is to promote the four cornerstones on which character is built: scholarship, integrity, respect and responsibility. The school's academic curriculum emphasizes the liberal arts; Advanced Placement courses and many electives are offered in all disciplines. Classes average 15 students in size and are taught as seminars.

History

The Gunnery was founded by Frederick William Gunn and his wife Abigail in 1850.[2] It was originally 30 boys on 50 acres.[3] 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. In a less inclusive era, the Gunns' school welcomed girls, international students and African American students.

The 1920s saw sweeping changes brought to the school. It became an all-boys school, enrollment tripled and new buildings were added. During World 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.[4][5] The first female head was appointed in 1991.

Boarding

The Gunnery is a day and boarding school, with 68% (204 boarders, 94 day) of its students residing in one of the ten dormitories on campus. Residential students are looked after by faculty and students designated as Residential Assistants (RA's).[6] In most cases, students are grouped by class. Each dormitory consists primarily of single and double student rooms, but also houses faculty members and their families. 85% of the faculty lives on campus. There are students from 21 different countries and 22 states in the U.S. Countries such as Kenya, Ireland, Hong Kong, Canada, Bahrain, Czech Republic, and Mexico are represented in the student body.

Athletics

Championships
  • 1989 - Boys' Soccer - WNEPSAC
  • 1990 - Boys' Hockey - WNEPSAC
  • 2007 - Boys' Baseball - Western New England Prep Baseball League Champions
  • 2007 - Girls' Lacrosse - New England Class B Co-Champions
  • 2009 - Boys' Baseball - Western New England Prep Baseball League Champions
  • 2012 - Girls' Field Hockey - New England Class C Champions
  • 2013 - Girls' Hockey - New England Division II Champions
  • 2014 - Girls' Hockey - New England Division II Champions
  • 2014 - Boys' Crew - National Schools Championship Regatta Champions
  • 2016 - Boys' Hockey - New England Elite Eight Tournament Champion
  • 2016 - Boys' Lacrosse - WNESSLA and Colonial Tournament Champions
  • 2016 - Boys' Football - New England Eight-Player Football Champions
  • 2019 - Girls' Cross Country NEPSTA DIII Cross Country Champions

Sports Offered
Fall Winter Spring
Basketball (boys and girls) Baseball (boys)
Field Hockey (girls) Ice hockey (boys and girls) Golf (coed)
Football (boys) Skiing (coed) Lacrosse (boys and girls)

Tennis (boys and girls)

Soccer (boys and girls) Softball (girls)
Cross-Country (boys and girls) Ultimate Frisbee (coed)
Crew (boys and girls) Crew (boys and girls)

Notable alumni
Gunnery Camp, called the first organized summer camp

References
  1. "Quick Facts - College Prep and Boarding School in CT - The Gunnery". www.gunnery.org.
  2. Krimsky, Paula Gibson. "Reading, Writing, and the Great Outdoors: Frederick Gunn's School Transforms Victorian-era Education". Connecticut History. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  3. Thomas, Grace Powers (1898). Where to educate, 1898-1899. A guide to the best private schools, higher institutions of learning, etc., in the United States. Boston: Brown and Company. p. 37. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  4. "About Us — History".
  5. "Wykeham Rise site to become high-end country inn". The News-Times. August 19, 2014.
  6. "Dorm - Boarding School Life in a College Prep School in CT - Gunnery School - The Gunnery". www.gunnery.org.
  7. "Class Notes". The Gunnery Bulletin. The Gunnery. Autumn 2013. p. 40.

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