Student Celebration Planned for Founders' Day
As the commemoration of Barstow's 140th year draws to a close, students will celebrate the School's history, traditions and community on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
All students are encouraged to wear their green and white spirit wear to mark the day. Lower, middle and upper school pep clubs plan a special morning greeting, followed by an all-school assembly before lunch.
Through the Years
The Barstow School was founded by Wellesley College graduates Mary Louis Barstow and Ada Brann in 1884. The School opened at 1204 Broadway and moved to several Quality Hill locations before moving to Westport in 1898. Miss Barstow retired in 1923 after 39 years at the helm. The School became a non-profit corporation run by a board of trustees, formally named The Barstow School.
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Through the Years
The Barstow School was founded by Wellesley College graduates Mary Louis Barstow and Ada Brann in 1884. The School opened at 1204 Broadway and moved to several Quality Hill locations before moving to Westport in 1898. Miss Barstow retired in 1923 after 39 years at the helm. The School became a non-profit corporation run by a board of trustees, formally named The Barstow School.
Barstow began classes at 50th and Cherry Street in the fall of 1924. After a drop in enrollment during the Great Depression, Barstow rebounded in growing numbers, reaching 170 students by 1944. But by 1960, Barstow was beginning to outgrow the location and looked south for a place to build a new campus. The School purchased 40 acres in south Kansas City for $100,000 and began building Barstow's current home on State Line Road.
The new campus was dedicated on May 5, 1962, bringing along many beloved traditions and beginning new ones that continue today. The Agathon student literary magazine was established in 1966.
Barstow’s first coeducational class graduated in 1972. Students celebrated Tree Day, participated in the Junior-Senior Ring Ceremony and performed with The Pretenders. They also enjoyed what is now called Harvest Festival (originally Country Fair), Kindergarten-Senior Celebration, the fifth grade Washington D.C. trip, musicals and concerts, Senior Walk and numerous other annual events.
A New Era
Shane Foster assumed leadership of the School in 2008, and an era of growth and innovation followed. A first-of-its-kind 1:1 technology program was initiated in 2012, followed by the establishment of signature and global programs, record enrollments reaching nearly 800 students, the construction of the Dan & Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space for STEAM learning, and the addition of grade levels and facilities, including the Foster Athletic Center which opened in September.
Founders' Day
Parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the school will mark Barstow's history at the Green & White Gala on Saturday, Oct. 19. Founders' Day is an opportunity for the students to do the same, remembering our past, looking forward to Barstow's future — and celebrating our present as one united community at the best independent school in the Kansas City area.
A New Era
Shane Foster assumed leadership of the School in 2008, and an era of growth and innovation followed. A first-of-its-kind 1:1 technology program was initiated in 2012, followed by the establishment of signature and global programs, record enrollments reaching nearly 800 students, the construction of the Dan & Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space for STEAM learning, and the addition of grade levels and facilities, including the Foster Athletic Center which opened in September.
Founders' Day
Parents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the school will mark Barstow's history at the Green & White Gala on Saturday, Oct. 19. Founders' Day is an opportunity for the students to do the same, remembering our past, looking forward to Barstow's future — and celebrating our present as one united community at the best independent school in the Kansas City area.
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The Quality Hill Years
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The Cherry Street Years
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The Barstow School Today
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