Allen-Stevenson School

Infobox Secondary school
name = The Allen-Stevenson School

motto = "Fortiter et Recte"
head_label = Headmaster
head = David R. Trower
type = Private Elemetry for Boys
grades = Kindergarten to 9th Grade
students = 400+ (2008)
established = 1883
city = New York
state = New York
country = USA
campus = Urban
colors = Blue and Gold
mascot = The Unicorn
rival = The Buckley School
website = [http://www.allen-stevenson.org Allen-Stevenson.org]

Allen-Stevenson is a private boys elementary school located at 132 East 78th Street in New York City, New York.

History

The Allen School was founded in 1883 by Francis Bellows Allen at a home on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. Its first class enrolled only three boys. In 1885, the school moved to rented rooms at Madison Avenue and 44th Street with an enrollment of 20 boys. In 1902, Mr. Allen met Robert Alston Stevenson, a tutor, who by chance had taken a room at 509 Fifth Avenue, where the School was then located. In 1904, Mr. Allen and Mr. Stevenson joined forces and moved to 50 East 57th Street with 100 students. By 1918 enrollment exceeded 200. The School published its first newspaper, "The Spotlight", and introduced an exercise program and team sports. 1924 saw The School purchase two brownstones for a new schoolhouse and move to its present location on the Upper East Side. In 1939, Mr. Allen retired at age 80, after 56 years of service. The annual Gilbert and Sullivan productions began in 1944. In 1947, Mr. Stevenson retired after 43 years of service. His son, Robert "Huck" Alston Stevenson Jr., a teacher at the School since 1924, succeeded him as Headmaster.

In 1950, Joseph C. Renard became Headmaster of Allen-Stevenson and served for nine years. The School introduces team sports at Randall's Island and requires boys to wear navy blazers and gray flannel pants. In 1959, Henry Dyer Tiffany, Jr. became Headmaster until 1974. Under his leadership, a modern Science lab and a paneled library, a gift from the Bell family, are added. In 1974, Desmond Cole became Headmaster and served for 16 years. During his tenure, he appointed Department heads and created the Middle School division.

In 1983, The Allen-Stevenson School celebrated its first 100 years and publishes "The Allen-Stevenson Centennial Album". In 1990, The Board of Trustees appointed Mr. David Trower as Allen-Stevenson's 7th Headmaster. In 2001, Allen-Stevenson launched its first website to improve communication about the School.

Mission

"Allen-Stevenson’s distinctive “enlightened traditional” approach educates boys to become scholars and gentlemen. In the belief that there are many ways to be a boy, the School offers an ongoing commitment to each student and uses the best insights and tools available to understand him as a whole person. We inspire in each boy an appreciation of responsible citizenship and a lifelong love of learning."

"Allen-Stevenson’s vigorous, pre-secondary program of academics, athletics, and the arts teaches boys to value the gratifying process by which excellence is attained. By creating a joyful, safe environment for learning, the School seeks to ensure a productive, diverse community of learners. We challenge our students to take suitable risks, learn from their mistakes, and support each other. Ultimately, we encourage boys to move through life strongly and rightly—with confidence, knowledge, enthusiasm, resilience, and respect for all."

An Allen-Stevenson Boy is a Scholar and a Gentleman.
* [http://www.allenstevenson.com As found on the School website]

Athletics

Although sports are played at all ages the Varsity teams are drawn from the Upper School grades. A-S competes against the other Manhattan Private schools in addition to a few near-by country day schools. The league varies by sport but they field teams in the following.

Fall - Football, Soccer, and Intramurals

Winter - Basketball, Wrestling, Ice Hockey, and Intramurals

Spring - Baseball, Lacrosse, Track, and Intramurals

Arts

Although A-S offers art, shop and music at all ages the crown jewel is the Orchestra and Chorus.
* OrchestraAllen-Stevenson hosts two orchestras for grades Five through Nine and two preparatory ensembles through Sixth Grade. The senior orchestra, called Philharmonia, typically travels and performs in the North East. Past trips have also included Princeton, Yale University, Philadelphia, and Mystic, Connecticut. In 2002, both orchestras will participate in an orchestra festival at Lincoln Center. Local performances have included the Brearley, Chapin, Collegiate, and Nightingale-Bamford schools. Currently an estimated 200+ boys are taking instrumental lessons during the school week and an estimated 120 boys play in ensembles and/or orchestra.
* ChorusesFrom Carnegie Hall to the White House, beautiful ensemble singing. Since 1990, the Allen-Stevenson School Choruses have established themselves as first-rate choral ensembles, performing at the White House, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and for many organizations throughout New York City. Recent professional engagements include a performance of the St. Nicolas Cantata by Benjamin Britten and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, both with the Musica Viva Chorus of New York City. The two Choruses include boys in the fourth through sixth grade and seventh through ninth grade, and stand alongside the Allen-Stevenson Orchestra as a testimony to the School's commitment to music and art.

In addition there is an annual fall play usually with sister school Nightingale and in the spring, an all male production of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Headmasters

# Francis Bellows Allen (d. November 3, 1952) - 1883-1939, joins with Mr. Stevenson in 1904
# Robert Alston Stevenson - 1904-1947, becomes full time Headmaster after Mr. Allen leaves in 1939
# Robert “Huck” Alston Stevenson Jr. - 1947-1949, son of Robert A. Stevenson, Sr., takes over when his father retires after 43 years. “Huck” taught at A-S since 1924.
# From 1949 to 1950, Cesido Ruel Simboli Ph.D. fills in as acting Headmaster while another one is being selected. He appears as “Acting Headmaster” in the 1950 yearbook.
# Joseph C. Renard - 1950-1959, introduces navy blazers and gray flannel pants.
# Henry Dyer Tiffany, Jr. (b. 1910, d. 1994) - 1959-1974, adds modern Science lab and a paneled library to the school. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE5DE1F30F936A35756C0A962958260&scp=2&sq=Henry%20Dyer%20Tiffany&st=cse NY Times Obit]
# Desmond Francis Patrick Cole (b. 1924, d. 2008) - 1974-1990, appoints Department heads and creates the Middle School division. [http://desmondcole.lifequarters.com Website] [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9505E4DD163AF930A25752C0A96E9C8B63&scp=1&sq=Desmond%20Cole&st=cse NY Times Obit]
# David Ross Trower - 1990-Present, appointed by the Board of Trustees.

Notable Alumni

* Michael Douglas
* Michael Eisner
* Paul Weitz - American film director
* Chris Weitz - American film director
* Charles Horman - An American journalist, one of the victims of the Chilean coup of 1973 - graduated in 1957
* James MacArthur - An American actor best known for the role of Dan "Danno" Williams in Hawaii Five-O
* Richard Thomas - Actor best known for playing John-Boy in The Waltons
* Norval White - American architect, architectural historian, best known authoring the AIA Guide to New York City.
* John Aimers - Co-founder and former long-time Dominion Chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada taught at A-S in (1992-1993)
* Bradford A. Warner - Class of ~1925 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E3DE1239F932A35751C0A962958260&sec=&spon=&scp=87&sq=%22Allen-Stevenson%20school%22&st=cse]
* Alexandre von Fürstenberg

Allen-Stevenson in the News

* Allen-Stevenson Gymnastics - 1911
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=2&res=9A06E6D91439E333A25757C0A9639C946096D6CF&oref=slogin&oref=slogin]
* Allen-Stevenson Boxing Matches - 1912 [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=2&res=9D0DE4D8143CE633A25750C2A9659C946396D6CF&oref=slogin&oref=slogin]
* Mr. Cole refuses to close Allen-Stevenson during the Blizzard of 1978 [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20714FF3F5413728DDDAE0894DA405B888BF1D3&scp=1&sq=allen-stevenson&st=p]
* A story in "The New Yorker" about Allen-Stevenson and dances.
* [http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2002/03/11/020311ta_talk_birnbach?printable=true]
* A legal battle being waged that could have a major impact on how community facilities - schools, churches and doctors' offices - are built in New York City's residential neighborhoods - 1987
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3DB1131F933A15757C0A961948260&sec=&spon=&&scp=7&sq=Desmond%20Cole&st=cse]
* Parents Protesting the End of Standardized Testing at Private Schools
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E2D6163FF936A25756C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&&scp=13&sq=Allen-Stevenson%20School&st=cse]
* 4 article about private school tuition [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404EED7143EF933A25750C0A9629C8B63&sec=health&spon=&&scp=19&sq=%22Allen-Stevenson%20school%22&st=cse]

Timelines

* https://www.allen-stevenson.org/ftpimages/163/download/download_group10615_id368147.mov
* https://www.allen-stevenson.org/ftpimages/163/download/download_group10615_id334573.mov
* https://www.allen-stevenson.org/ftpimages/163/download/download_group10615_id334273.mov