60TH ANNIVERSARY

A Chronological History of Forsyth School

1961

• Forsyth School, founded by Mary Dunbar, opens with 14 preschool students in the Unity School of Christianity building at 6214 Forsyth Boulevard.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 3, 1961: New Nursery School in Former Home

1963

• An adjoining garage is converted into a classroom for 15 children ages 5–7. 

1965

• The Fillmore Foundation buys the house at 6224 Forsyth Boulevard for Forsyth with the understanding that the school will eventually purchase it from them.
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 19, 1965: Forsyth School to Expand to Six Grades

1968

• Forsyth School purchases Fillmore House, its first property, and continues to lease the Unity School of Christianity building through 1971.

1970

• Forsyth School’s enrollment reaches nearly 275 students.

1974

• Forsyth receives accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS).

1977

• Forsyth acquires Dunbar House at 6235 Wydown Boulevard for Grades 2–6, named in honor of Forsyth’s founder upon her retirement.
• Barbara Skimming is named the new Head of School.

1982

• A two-story addition to Dunbar House is completed. 
• The Main Office is relocated to Dunbar House, where it remains to this day.

1985/86

• Additions to Fillmore House and playground improvements are completed. 
• An art studio is established in the current Falcon’s Nest building. 
• Rebecca Glenn, Ph.D., is named Head of School.

1989

• The Forsyth community raises $550,000 to purchase and renovate New House at 6226 Forsyth Boulevard.

1995

• Forsyth purchases and renovates Gerdine House at 6244 Forsyth Boulevard.

1996

• Forsyth purchases and renovates Last House at 6245 Wydown Boulevard.

1997

• The Rand Center for Performing Arts & Athletics is built. (Hastings & Chivetta Architects)

1998/99

• A four-classroom addition to the north end of Last House is completed.
• The Sport Court is built.

2001

• Forsyth School purchases former church property at 305 S. Skinker Boulevard.
• The New House Lunchroom is renovated, and the current Main Office location is created in Dunbar House. (Studio|Durham Architects)

2003

• The Gerdine House Lunchroom and third floor are renovated. (Studio|Durham Architects)

2004

• The campus swimming pool is removed. 
• The Fillmore House Science Lab is renovated. (Studio|Durham Architects) 
• New House is renovated, and the Williams Walled Garden is built. (SWT Design, Trivers)

2005

• The New House Arts Center addition is completed. (Trivers)

2006

• The Adventure Center, with a high ropes course, climbing wall, and high beam (built in 1998), is constructed in the Rand Center (Industrial Steel Fabricators).

2006/07

• Forsyth School’s enrollment reaches an all-time high of nearly 400 students.

2007

• The Rebecca Glenn Playground is built in the center of campus, named for Forsyth’s longest-serving Head of School upon her retirement. (SWT Design)
• Michael Vachow is named the new Head of School.

2011

• Forsyth School purchases a ½-acre lot from St. Louis Hillel at Washington University and sells the church property at 305 S. Skinker Boulevard.

2012

• Forsyth purchases Next House at 6255 Wydown Boulevard.

2013

• Last House and Next House are renovated. (Lawrence Group Architects) 
• The Hillel lot is transformed into the Big Backyard.

2014

• Forsyth School launches the Back to Our Roots native plant landscaping project.

2015

• Fillmore House is fully renovated. (Lawrence Group Architects) 
• Forsyth installs a campus-wide emergency alarm and public address system.

2017

• Timothy Burns, Ph.D., is named Interim Head of School upon the resignation of Michael Vachow.

2018

• Daniel Hildebrand is named the new Head of School.

2020

• The stand-alone Science Center adjacent to Fillmore House is transformed into the current Falcon’s Nest for Forsyth’s new Eyas Program for ages 2–3. (Mackey Mitchell Architects)
• The Science Center is relocated to a newly renovated Science Lab on the third floor of New House.

2021

• The Forsyth Boulevard parking lots are renovated.
• Robert Butler, Jr., is named Head of School upon the retirement of Daniel Hildebrand.