✕
Our journey: The evolution of the Burroughs campus
Enrollment: 404 in 1960 & 501 in 1969
Distinctions: 40 National Merit Semifinalists & 4 Scholars
Distinctions: 40 National Merit Semifinalists & 4 Scholars
Program Highlights
- Several cooperative programs between Burroughs and area corporations were established including Monsanto and Ralston Purina. The companies supplied research questions routinely sent to consulting teams, and student-faculty teams at Burroughs tackled the questions as part of their classwork. Mr. Bruce Westling was instrumental in nurturing these partnerships, and his efforts were celebrated in 1971 when he received the second place award in an international competition sponsored by the National Science Teachers Association in Washington D.C.
- In 1960, four-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Guggenheim spoke at assembly. Later in the year, Stan Musial and Richard Amberg of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat also visited Burroughs (separately) to speak with students in assembly.
- The football Bombers of 1961 scored 400 points to average a point a minute; at the time, the fifth highest scoring team (by average) in Missouri history.
- In 1964, William G. Craig succeeded Leonard D. Haertter as head of school.
- In 1964, Dr. Neville Grant spoke about his 1954 stay with Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Africa. Later in the year, Senator Stuart Symington spoke in assembly.
- In 1964, our yearbook (The Review) was renamed The Governor to honor the legacy of Dr. Leonard D. Haertter who was head of school from 1935 - 1964.
- In 1965, a capacity crowd responded with a standing ovation to Headmaster William Craig’s talk about a year of change, which included the decision to enroll the school’s first African-American students, Stanley A. Gardner ’69 and R. Jerome Williams, Jr. ’69.
- Later in 1965, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Marquis Child, chief Washington correspondent for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, spoke on foreign affairs in morning assembly.
- In 1966, Stanley E. Sprague is named Acting Headmaster after Craig accepts a Presidential appointment to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Training for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
- In 1967, Edward W. Cissel was named head of school.
- In 1967, San Francisco longshoreman/social philosopher Eric Hoffer spoke in assembly.
- Also in 1967, August Days is launched by then students Debbie Deutch ’68 and Alice Lowenhaupt ’68.
- In 1968, the program of Senior May Projects is introduced.
- The Commission on Community Involvement is formed to “study ways in which the school could actively participate in integrated America.” Mrs. Dora Tickner, of the History Department, was made chairman. The Commission ultimately included students from all grade levels and in October 1968, a one week student exchange program launched between Burroughs and The Carr Lane School which was an 8th grade elective and ran for 14 weeks in the fall from 1968 through 1975.
- In 1969, the Mothers’ Council launched Potpourri.
- Gretchen Barrow ’69 was named a Presidential Scholar – the first Burroughs student to receive this award. (The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.)
Campus Highlights
- The Board secured the option to buy an additional 4.23 acres and what is now the head of school’s home. In addition, Burroughs acquired a portion of the property on the north side of campus with an option to purchase up to ten additional acres. The James Holloway Woods Foundation underwrote all of the improvements to the outdoor athletic enhancements made possible by the acquisition of these properties.
- In September 1965, the new library opened with 30,000 volumes. It was designed by architects Murphy and Mackey, and it was dedicated in February 1966.
- In October 1965, the greatly enlarged Art Gallery, an extension of the Little Gallery, was dedicated in honor of the late Arthur A. Bonsack, Jr., ’31.
- In November 1965, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to celebrate the construction of the science building to house five laboratories, five classrooms, a lecture hall, a greenhouse and animal room. The building opened in September 1966 and was designed by architects Murphy and Mackey. It cost approximately $365,000 which was largely underwritten by the Clifford Willard Gaylord Foundation.
Giving Highlights
- Four more endowed scholarships were established for a total of seven by the end of 1969.
- In 1960, Burroughs launched its Annual Fund with an initial goal of $75,000 to help meet the rising costs of operating the school. The school community ultimately donated $86,364. Compared to annual giving programs in 44 other independent schools in the country, 84.2% of Burroughs parents gave against an average of 45.9% of parents at the other schools.
- In 1968, an endowment committee was formed with a goal to raise $5 million dollars by the school's 50th Anniversary.
