Longevity in Education

Dwight has been igniting the spark of genius in every child since 1872. Not long after its founding, Dwight quickly made its mark as a premier private school in New York City, providing a classical education and preparing students to attend prestigious colleges.

In a 1888 correspondence with our School, President of Yale University — our namesake Timothy Dwight V — wrote:

“The success which the School has already had in its works, as shown by the thorough preparation of the pupils who have come from it to our University, gives most hopeful promise for the future: and as you are now preparing, as I understand, to move forward with enlarged facilities and with matured plans for your coming work, I cannot doubt that those who enjoy the advantages of your institution will be well prepared for their subsequent studies and their college life.”

As Dwight moved forward, our commitment to personalized learning — the first of our three pillars today — was resolute, as this 1890 Annual Report attests: “The number of pupils in the school is limited, as the plan of instruction does not admit of large classes. In every department the pupils are under the immediate supervision of the principals, and the greatest care is taken in all departments to avoid mere routine work.”

One-on-one attention and academic excellence continued to be hallmarks of Dwight, even as it grew and expanded in ensuing decades, under the direction of eminent educators of their day. The School’s illustrious alumni included leaders in every industry, ranging from finance, law, medicine, journalism, and the arts, to public service, the military, and the highest levels of government. They left their marks on the world, just as our alumni continue to do today.

We have numerous proud traditions that are steeped in our 150-year history, which includes the last 56 under the stewardship of Chancellor Stephen Spahn during which Dwight has been on the forefront of the IB and a pioneer in global education. Today, our network with campuses in New York, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai, Hanoi, and online draw on Dwight’s deep strength as a long-standing leader, but don’t rest on those laurels. Each one drives forward with a commitment to innovation — and together, the future of our global family of Schools truly knows no bounds.