X
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies.
About

History

Over fifty years of leading lives of passion and purpose.

    • Derryfield 50th Anniversary

The Derryfield School was founded in 1964 by thirty-nine visionary families in the greater Manchester community as a coeducational day school designed to offer an outstanding, traditional coeducational college preparatory education to students in grades 7-12. A talented, dedicated and caring faculty, a rigorous academic program, small classes, and rich opportunities in visual and performing arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities, were designed to promote intellectual, personal and ethical development, and a lifetime commitment to community.

In September, 1965, 102 students in grades 7-10 launched Derryfield’s first academic year meeting in leased quarters in downtown Manchester, with grades eleven and twelve added in the two successive years. In March, 1967, Derryfield moved to its present campus and celebrated its first commencement in 1968. Enrollment, curricula and co-curricular programs and the physical facility grew steadily with the addition of a gymnasium in 1974. The school developed its identity as it expanded its outreach into area communities, developed pride in the increasingly demanding academic program, and planned the construction of a new library, additional classrooms and administrative offices. The 1980’s was characterized by new opportunities for student leadership, new Advanced Placement classes, expansion of athletic facilities and fields, the Performing Arts Auditorium, Summerbridge-Manchester (now known as Breakthrough Manchester), and increased cultural diversity in the student body. Derryfield’s momentum continued in the 1990’s with the acquisition of 72 adjacent acres. A middle school building, tennis courts, additional library, technology, classroom and athletic field space, and the addition of the sixth grade followed. Today, with an enrollment of 388, an outstanding faculty and dedicated trustees, Derryfield is poised to meet the educational challenges of the 21st century.

Timeline

List of 6 items.

  • 1964-1974

    1964:
    • The Derryfield School Founded
    • R. Philip Hugny appointed Headmaster
    • Peter Freedman, Chairman, Board of Trustees
    1965:
    • Derryfield opens with 102 students, grades 7-10 at the Manchester Boy's Club and Institute of Arts and Science
    • 10 acre Morrison property on North River Road purchased
    • Student Steering Committee established, Kathy Worrelll, Chair
    • Draft constitution for a student council written
    1966:
    • Construction of new school building on Morrision property begins
    • Grade 11 added
    • Volume 1, No. 1 of The Derryfielder published, Dana Edwards, editor-in-chief
    1967:
    • School moves to North River Road campus
    • Grade 12 added
    • First Headmaster’s Day
    1968:
    • First Commencement
    1969:
    • Headmaster Hugny’s untimely death
    • Ralph Scozzafava appointed Acting Headmaster
    • First athletic award banquets
    • Vol. 1, No. 1 of the Lamplighter (successor to The Derryfielder) William Partlan, editor
    • First drug education program
    • First winter carnival
    • William Tallman, elected Chairman of Board of Trustees
    • Derryfield joins the NHIAA in Class S
    1970:
    • Ralph Scozzafava appointed Headmaster
    • Senior privileges introduced
    • Trimester schedule adopted
    • Expanded elective classes for grades 11 and 12
    • Lamplighter receives Columbia Press Award, 2nd place
    • Earth Day
    • Class of 1970 Athletic Award established
    • Lamplighter Athletic Achievement Award for Improvement established
    • First Derryfield Day Festival - grows into Arts and Awards Day, and then Awards Day
    1971:
    • First ski team
    • “Out-of-School Program” - precursor of ISP
    • No winter carnival
    1972:
    • Boys' basketball team makes the state tournament
    • Derryfield Planning Committee established
    • First golf team
    • Six-week English electives offered for juniors and seniors
    1973:
    • 7th and 8th grade boys soccer added
    • Debate added
    • Excerpt resurrected
    • $282,000 Capital Campaign to construct a gym
    1974:
    • Groundbreaking for the gym
    • Modern dance class added

  • 1975-1985

    1975:
    • Gym opened
    • Girls' basketball added
    • Director of Development and Planning position established
    1976:
    • Day-long symposium on Seabrook/ Nuclear energy
    • First fall Country Fair
    1978:
    • William Pfeifer appointed Headmaster
    1980:
    • First Founders' Day
    1981:
    • Plans for building additions developed
    1982:
    • Marcus Hurlbut appointed Headmaster
    • Milne Library, classrooms, administrative offices, Student Forum, connection between the main building and the gym planned
    1984:
    • New construction completed

  • 1985-1995

    1986:
    • Lower playing field constructed
    1988:
    • Summerbridge-Manchester founded
    1989:
    • Performing Arts Auditorium added
    • Expansion of gym facilities
    1994:
    • Charles Sanborn appointed Interim Headmaster
    • Nancy Boettiger appointed Head of School

  • 1995-2005

    1997:
    • Acquire 72 acres from New Hampshire College
    1998:
    • Add middle school building, upper athletic fields, athletic training room, Lyceum, renovate cafeteria, expand library, new technology center
    1999:
    • Sixth grade added
    2002:
    • Randle Richardson appointed Interim Head of School
    2003:
    • Randle Richardson appointed Head of School

  • 2005-2015

    2006:
    • Jennifer Melkonian appointed Interim Head of School
    2007:
    • Craig Sellers appointed Head of School
    2008:
    • Turf field built
    2011:
    • Gateway building built
    2012:
    • iPad program launched
    • Partnership with Malone Scholars Program initiated
    • Mary Halpin Carter appointed Interim Head of School
    2013:
    • Mary Halpin Carter appointed Head of School
    • Membership in Malone Schools Online Network adds online classes to curriculum

  • 2015-Present

    2019:
    • New Athletic & Wellness Center built, Berk Tennis Complex built, and old gym converted to Science & Innovation Center.

Derryfield Founders

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Bartlett
Mr. and Mrs. Philip K. Chaplain
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold J. Cohen
Mr. and Mrs. Zvi R. Cohen
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey A. Cuddy, Jr.
The Hon. and Ms. Shane Devine
Mr. and Mrs. Bernard L. Ekman
Dr. and Mrs. Channing E. Eluto
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Eshoo
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin G. Feins
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Fishman
Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. Fleisher
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph A. Fletcher
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Georgopoulos
Ms. Madeleine Girolimon
Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Green
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hirshberg
Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Keller, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Krentzel
Dr. and Mrs. Samuel C. May
Dr. and Mrs. George A. Meyer
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Millimet
Mr. and Mrs. John G. Nelson, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Donn Randall
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Reilly, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Allan H. Richardson, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Rudnick
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Shaer
Mr. and Dr. Saul Sigel
Mr. Morris Silver
Dr. and Mrs. David B. Snow
Dr. and Dr. David G. Stahl
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Tallman
Mr. and Mrs. Mervin J. Weston
Dr. and Mrs. Seymour J. White
Mr. and Mrs. Richard I. Winneg
Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Woods

The Derryfield School

2108 River Road, Manchester, NH 03104     p: 603.669.4524     f: 603.625.9715
Located in Manchester, NH,  The Derryfield School is a private day school for grades 6-12. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine and performing arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.