Loomis Chaffee School

History

The school was chartered in 1874 as The Loomis Institute by five Loomis siblings, who were determined to turn tragedy into generosity after all of their own children died before the age of 21. The original 1640 Loomis Homestead was chosen as the site for the school, which opened in 1914. The forty-year gap between chartering and the opening of the school was due to the estate of the Loomis siblings being reserved for the siblings' retirement.

In 1910, John Mason Loomis's widow left over $1.1 million as an endowment to The Loomis Institute for charitable purposes. This donation allowed the school to remain tuition-free for its first four decades. The Loomis Institute was different from other New England preparatory schools: it had no religious affiliation, offered vocational training alongside college preparatory courses, and admitted both boys and girls.

The Loomis Institute ended coeducation in 1926 when The Chaffee School was incorporated to educate girls on an adjacent campus. In 1970, the boys and girls schools merged to form The Loomis Chaffee School. Since then, the school has expanded its endowment, financial aid budget, faculty, and campus size.

Overview

Academics

Loomis Chaffee serves students from grades 9-12, as well as post-graduate students. Loomis offers 250 courses, 70 of which are classified as advanced or college-level. The average class size is 12 students with a 4:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Loomis had an acceptance rate of 17% for the 2023–2024 school year.

Athletics

Loomis Chaffee competes in sports against schools from all over New England and adjacent states. The school is a member of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) and competes in the Class A large school division. Additionally, Loomis is a member of The Founders League which comprises private schools located mainly in Connecticut.

Heads of school

• (1914–1949): Nathaniel Horton Batchelder
• (1949–1952): William Speer
• (1952–1967): Francis Olmsted Grubbs
• (1967–1976): Frederick G. Torrey
• (1976–1996): John Ratté
• (1996–2008): Russell H. Weigel
• (2008–2024): Sheila Culbert
• (2024–Present): Jody Reilly Soja

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Loomis Chaffee School alumni

Notable faculty

Main article: List of Loomis Chaffee School alumni#Faculty

Writer John Horne Burns taught at Loomis and wrote several books while there.

René Cheruy served for many years as head of the French department, as well as a member of the visual arts department.

References

References

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2. "Henry Kravis Donates $100 Million to His Prep School".
3. (July 18, 2019). "Key Facts". Loomis Chaffee.
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7. (1877-09-21). "Our Hartford Letter". The Springfield Daily Republican.
8. (1923). "Atlantic Reporter: Cases Argued and Determined in the Courts of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont". West Publishing Company.
9. Hill, Rachel. "A look back at the start of Loomis Chaffee School".
10. [[#together. Together We Served.com]], Essay
11. (2013-06-25). "Building Teachers: A Constructivist Approach to Introducing Education". Cengage Learning.
12. "Search for the Head of School, Position Profile".
13. "Athletics Overview - The Loomis Chaffee School".
14. Margolick, David. (April 15, 1982). "Francis O. Grubbs Is Dead at 74; Headed Loomis-Chaffee School". The New York Times.
15. (February 25, 1973). "Ex‐French Teacher To Retire as Head Of Loomis‐Chaffee". The New York Times.
16. Writer, STAN SIMPSON; ''Hartford Courant'' Staff. "LOOMIS CHAFFEE HEADMASTER RETIRING".
17. (April 1, 2007). "Loomis Headmaster to Retire After 2007-08 Year". The Phillipian, the Phillips Academy.
18. (2022-12-19). "Sheila Culbert Extends Her Tenure as Head of School".
19. "Jody Reilly Soja Named Eighth Head of School - The Loomis Chaffee School".
20. Margolick, David. (2013). "Dreadful: the short life and gay times of John Horne Burns". Other Press.
21. "Madame Chéruy".