Our History

Founded in 1879 by members of the Episcopal General Convention, Holderness School was envisioned as a place that could provide "the highest degree of excellence in instruction and care-taking with the lowest possible charge for tuition and board." Taking seriously this charge to provide an accessible, quality education, the school has earned its reputation as a close-knit campus that maintains challenging expectations for its students, growing their strengths across academic, athletic, spiritual, and artistic horizons.

First housed in the Revolutionary-period home known as Livermore Mansion, the school opened with fifteen boarding students and "a dozen or so day scholars." For the school's first seventy-five years, enrollment generally ranged between thirty and eighty students. A decision was made in 1950 to grow the school, but to focus on maintaining the close relationships between students and faculty that had set the campus apart. At its current size of 275 students, Holderness School retains the family-style, supportive culture that has been one of its defining characteristics from the school’s inception.

The school has always taken full advantage of its beautiful location. Nestled in the heart of the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, the campus was originally part of the historic Livermore Estate, and still holds special services at Trinity Chapel, built in 1797. From the very first, Holderness School students hiked nearby mountains, camped in the woods adjoining campus, and boated or swam in the rivers and lakes whenever they had the opportunity. In the early 1930s, the school welcomed a trustee who had been a member of the 1928 American Olympic Winter Sports Team; not long afterward, the school began cutting and grooming its own ski trails. Over time, activities celebrating the local natural resources have become integral to the Holderness School experience. Snow sports are a notable part of the school's strong athletic program, and Out Back (one element of the school's Special Programs offerings) is considered by many alumni to be a personal rite of passage remembered for the rest of their lives.

Holderness School has consistently turned external challenges to its advantage, allowing daunting changes to encourage the school’s strength and growth. Two campus-razing fires (in 1882 and 1931) became opportunities to design forward-thinking facilities for the future, even while historical buildings such as the Chapel of the Holy Cross, the Schoolhouse, and Carpenter have been maintained and expanded for continuing use. A culture of humility and "putting people before the plant" has meant that the school has developed new facilities thoughtfully, creating long-term value while maintaining and celebrating the resources already at hand.

Two World Wars and the Great Depression also left their mark on the school. Belt-tightening and the prioritization of service led to the creation of the Job Program, which required all students – regardless of means – to participate in the upkeep and improvement of campus resources. This served to underscore the school's belief in the equality of all students, and to encourage student pride in the school. A remarkably successful venture, the Job Program is still in force today. Similarly, the annual school-wide election of student leaders has its roots in the post-War period. Every spring, students elect their peers to positions of leadership by rating all returning students on four qualities; those with the highest ratings receive positions with the most responsibility. These qualities – leadership, dependability, fairness, and initiative – have not been changed since they were first identified in 1949.

Societal changes in the 1970s encouraged the school to explore alternatives to both its traditional curriculum and its single-sex educational model. The school took measured first steps toward co-education by developing campus facilities, hiring more female faculty, and enrolling faculty daughters and female day students. Hesitant to rush into a substantial institutional change without preparation, the school studied best practices of the time and planned carefully for integrating girls into the student population. When the school officially embraced full-fledged co-education in 1979, it could proudly say that it provided its female students with resources equivalent to those of the males.

Out of this tumultuous period were born the now iconic Special Programs, which make use of a ten-day period in March to focus members of each class on a different aspect of their personal growth. Artward Bound, Project Outreach, Out Back, and Senior Colloquium provide periods of intense learning, but also embody a joyful celebration of the mind and spirit that define the Holderness School experience. Senior Projects (a forerunner to the school's new Senior Capstone program) also emerged during this era, allowing seniors to take ownership of their education during their final spring semester by making in-depth exploration of real-world issues of personal interest to them.

Today Holderness boasts a $44 million endowment, an outstanding faculty, and a program built around educating the whole student - mind, body, and spirit. In its history of over 125 years, Holderness School has upheld its core principles, even while embracing the opportunities afforded by change. The result is a welcoming, joyful campus filled with energy and excitement turned to all aspects of daily life. The Holderness School community quietly pursues excellence, while celebrating the challenges and beauty of living life to its fullest.