, motto_translation = Not for school, but for life we learn , founder = Clara B. Spence , tuition = $60,880 (2022-2023) , chair = , head_label = , head = , principal_label = Head of School , principal = Ellanor "Bodie" Brizendine , viceprincipal_label = , viceprincipal = , viceprincipal_label1 = , viceprincipal1 = , viceprincipal_label2 = , viceprincipal2 = , streetaddress = 56 East 93rd Street (Lower School)
22 East 91st Street (Middle/Upper School) , city =

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

(

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

) , state =

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...

, country = U.S. , zipcode = 10128 , campus =

Urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of peo ...

, faculty = 210 (2014–15) , class = , enrollment = 736 , enrollment_as_of = 2014–15 , ratio = 7:1 , grades = K– 12 , accreditation = NYSAIS , nickname = Sabers , colors = Blue, Gold and White , mascot = , conference = AAIS (most sports)
NYSAISAA , newspaper = , yearbook = , affiliations = New York Interschool , coordinates = , free_label = , free_text = , free_label1 = , free_text1 = , free_label2 = , free_text2 = , homepage = The Spence School is an American all-girls

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

in New York City, founded in 1892 by Clara B. Spence.

Overview

Spence has about 740 students, with grades K-4 representing the

Lower School Three-tier education refers to those structures of schooling, which exist in some parts of England, where pupils are taught in three distinct school types as they progress through the education system. Terminology In a three-tier local educa ...

, 5-8 representing the

Middle School A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary schoo ...

, and 9-12 representing the

Upper School Upper schools in the UK are usually schools within secondary education. Outside England, the term normally refers to a section of a larger school. England The three-tier model Upper schools are a type of secondary school found in a minority o ...

. Lower school average class sizes are 16-18 and middle and upper school average class sizes are 13-14. The student: teacher ratio is 7:1 and students of color in all grades make up approximately 33 percent of the student body. For the 2017-18 academic year, tuition and fees total $49,980 for all grades. Its sister schools are the all-girls Brearley School, the all-girls Chapin School and the all-boys Collegiate School, all in New York City. ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

'' magazine ranked Spence ninth on its "America's Best Prep Schools" list in 2010.

History

The Spence School was founded in 1892 by Clara B. Spence, who was its head for 31 years. The school's

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. ...

is "non scholae sed vitae discimus" (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

for "Not for school, but for life we learn"). The first building was located on New York City's West 48th Street. The school once had a boarding option, but all current girls are day students. Clara B. Spence described her school as: "A place not of mechanical instruction, but a school of character where the common requisites for all have been human feeling, a sense of humor and the spirit of intellectual and moral adventure." The school has been located on East 91st Street since 1929.

Academics

Spence offers a liberal arts and science curriculum, including programs in the arts and foreign languages. In a ''Worth'' magazine study, out of the 31,700 private and public high schools in the United States, Spence ranked the sixth most successful school in the country in placing its graduates in

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

and

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

Athletics

Softball The Varsity Softball Team won the AAIS Tournament 2015, 2017, and 2018 and were regular season AAIS Champions in 2018. Tennis The Varsity Tennis team won the 2011 Athletic Association of Independent Schools of New York City (AAIS) Tournament Championship during the 2010-2011 school year, and went undefeated and won the 2012 AAIS League Championship during the 2011-2012 school year. Volleyball Spence captured the AAIS championship in 2013 and 2014, and finished as league runner-up in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and 2018. In 2013, Spence finished the season 21-0, capturing numerous titles: AAIS regular season champion, AAIS tournament champion and NYSAISAA champion. Spence also won the 2009 and 2010 NYSAISAA state championships, advanced to the state quarterfinal in 2011 and 2015, and advanced to the state semi-finals in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017. Indoor Track The Spence Indoor Track team captured back-to-back AAIS Champions in 2018 and 2019. Outdoor Track In 2019, the Sabers’ Varsity Track and Field Team won their fifth AAIS title in the last 6 years, scoring a league record of 210 points. In 2018, Spence finished 1-2-3 in the 100m, making league history. The Sabers finished 3rd at the 2019 NYSAISAA State Championship, earning gold in the 4x100m Relay and the 4x400m Relay, sending both teams and a freshman individual athlete in the shot put to represent Spence at the NY State Federation Track and Field Championship, where the 4x100m relay team set a new school record with a time of 50.23sec and finished 4th in Division II. The team also finished 4th at the 2018 NYSAISAA State Championships. In 2016, the team claimed second in the AAIS, 5th in the NYSAISAA, and put two individual medalists on the podium at the NY State Federation Track Championship. 2018 marked the seventh consecutive year the team has had multiple student-athletes qualify for the NY State Federation Track and Field Championship. At the 2015 NYSAISAA Federation State Championship, the 4x400m relay team set a school record, breaking the magical four-minute mark. Squash In 2018-19, the Spence squash team finished 20-1, en route to winning 4 titles; AAIS Regular Season and Tournament Championship, the NYSAIS Coaches' Association Championship and the HEAD US Squash Division II High School Girls National Team Championship, capturing the first National Championship in school history.

Campus

The Spence School campus is currently located in three buildings in the

Carnegie Hill Historic District Carnegie Hill is a neighborhood within the Upper East Side, in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Its boundaries are 86th Street on the south, Fifth Avenue (Central Park) on the west, with a northern boundary at 98th Street that continue ...

on the

Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the boroughs of New York City, borough of Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 96th Street (Manhattan), 96th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 59th Street (Man ...

. The Upper School (9–12) and Middle School (5–8) are housed a half block from

Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated 4 ...

/5th Avenue at 22 East 91st Street, next to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum. The Lower School (K–4) is housed in the renovated landmark building William Goadby Loew House on East 93rd Street between Park Avenue and Madison Avenue. On April 28, 2008, the Spence School announced the acquisition of a third building through the purchase of the Wanamaker Munn townhouse at 17 East 90th Street, directly behind the Upper and Middle School facility. The new townhouse is connected to the main 91st Street building. On September 16, 2011, the Spence School announced the purchase of a fourth building, the Spence School athletic and educational facility—Spence 412—at 412 East 90th Street. It is currently under construction and slated for opening in fall 2020. The facility features a regulation-size gymnasium for volleyball and basketball; nine squash courts, including an exhibition court; a multipurpose room for the performing arts; as well an ecology center.

Notable alumnae

Serena Altschul Serena Altschul (born October 13, 1970) is an American broadcast journalist, known for her work at MTV News and CBS. Early life and education Altschul was born in New York City, a daughter of author and botanist Siri von Reis and Arthur Altschul ...

, broadcast journalist *

Madeleine Astor Madeleine Talmage Astor (''née'' Force; later Dick and Fiermonte; June 19, 1893 – March 27, 1940) was an American socialite and a survivor of the . She was the second wife and widow of businessman John Jacob Astor IV. Early life Madeleine ...

, ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unit ...

'' survivor * Maiken Baird, Academy Award-winning film producer * Frances Baldwin, artist *

Edith Bouvier Beale Edith Bouvier Beale (November 7, 1917 – January 14, 2002), nicknamed Little Edie, was an American socialite, fashion model, and cabaret performer. She was a first cousin of Jacqueline Onassis and Lee Bouvier Radziwill. She is best known for ...

socialite A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditi ...

* Georgina Bloomberg, equestrienne, daughter of

Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ...

* Doris Caesar, sculptor * Eleanor A. Campbell, M.D., physician and founder,

Judson Health Center Judson Health Center, founded in 1921, was an early New York City Community Health Center inspired by the Rev. Alonzo Ray Petty of the Baptist Judson Memorial Church located at 55 Washington Square South. Petty appealed to fellow Baptist and p ...

* Huguette M. Clark, artist and philanthropist * Melissa Doi, businesswoman * Lady Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton, philanthropist and anti-communist * Elisabeth C. Draper, interior decorator * Ruth Wales du Pont, socialite, philanthropist, and classical composer *

Dawn French Dawn Roma French (born 11 October 1957) is a British actress, comedian, presenter and writer. French is known for writing and starring on the BBC comedy sketch show ''French and Saunders'' with her best friend and comedy partner, Jennifer Saund ...

, British comedian, star of ''

French and Saunders ''French and Saunders'' is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders that originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1987 to 1993, and later on BBC One until 2017. It is ...

'' and ''

The Vicar of Dibley ''The Vicar of Dibley'' is a British sitcom which originally ran on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2007. It is set in a fictional small Oxfordshire village called Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1992 changes ...

'' * Helen Clay Frick,

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

and art collector * Caroline Gorman, singer *

Francine du Plessix Gray Francine du Plessix Gray (September 25, 1930 – January 13, 2019), was a French-American Pulitzer Prize–nominated writer and literary critic. Early life and education She was born on September 25, 1930, in Warsaw, Poland, where her father, ...

, author and literary critic * Janet Hobhouse, novelist and biographer * Nancy Hopkins, molecular biologist * Jade Jagger, jewelry designer *

Bonnie Jenkins Bonnie Denise Jenkins (born in Queens, New York) is an expert on arms control and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and currently serves as the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. During t ...

, public service * Jill Kargman, actress, author, writer * Jane Kim, politician *

Margaret Carnegie Miller Margaret Carnegie Miller (March 30, 1897 – April 11, 1990) was the only child of industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and Louise Whitfield, and heiress to the Carnegie fortune. A native of Manhattan, New York City, from 1934 to ...

, philanthropist *

Alley Mills Allison Mills (born May 9, 1951), also known as Alley Bean, is an American actress best known for her role as Norma Arnold, the mother in the coming-of-age series ''The Wonder Years'', her role as Pamela Douglas, the sister of the late Forres ...

, actress *

Elizabeth Montgomery Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery (April 15, 1932 – May 18, 1995) was an American actress whose career spanned five decades in film, stage, and television. She is best remembered for her leading role as the witch Samantha Stephens on the televis ...

, actress * Alicia Munnell, Peter F. Drucker Professor of Management Sciences at Boston College * Sara Wiborg Murphy, socialite * Dorothy Klenke Nash, neurosurgeon *

Gwyneth Paltrow Gwyneth Kate Paltrow (; born ) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Paltrow gained notice for her early work in films ...

, actress * Mary Ellis Peltz, music critic, poet, and first chief editor of ''

Opera News ''Opera News'' is an American classical music magazine. It has been published since 1936 by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, a non-profit organization located at Lincoln Center which was founded to engender the appreciation of opera and also suppo ...

'' * Karen Polle, equestrian * Marjorie Post, philanthropist * Sally Pressman, actress * Louise Goff Reece, politician * Evette Rios, lifestyle expert * Emmanuelle Grey "Emmy" Rossum, actress * Natalie Mai Vitetti, socialite *

Kerry Washington Kerry Marisa Washington (born January 31, 1977) SidebarCertificate of Live Birth: Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha(County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health). Gives Kerry Washington birth dateArchivedfrom the original on May 2, 2016.Note: Fi ...

, actress * Electra Havemeyer Webb, arts patron * Caroline Beaumont Zachry, psychologist

Affiliated organizations

National Coalition of Girls' Schools Founded in 1991, the International Coalition of Girls' Schools (ICGS) is a non-profit membership association serving Pre-K through 12th-grade single-sex girls’ schools across the globe. Its members are independent, public, charter, and religi ...

New York State Association of Independent Schools The New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) is an association of 201 independent schools and organizations, ranging from nurseries to high schools, in New York State. Founded in 1947, NYSAIS is the second largest state associ ...

* New York Interschool

Spence in film and television

The main building of the Spence School (the Upper and Middle School) is on East 91st Street, one half block from 5th Avenue/

, adjacent to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum (originally the Andrew Carnegie mansion), and across the street from the

Consulate General A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...

of Russia. The location (5th Avenue and 91st Street) has been used as a backdrop in several movies and television shows including * ''The Anderson Tapes'' (1971, starring

Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origi ...

): This movie was directed by

Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award: four for Best Director for '' 12 Angry Men'' (1957), '' Dog Day Afternoon'' (1975), '' Network'' (19 ...

who later sent his eldest daughter (Amy Lumet) to Spence. She graduated from Spence in 1982. * ''Marathon Man'' (1974, starring

Dustin Hoffman Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. As one of the key actors in the formation of New Hollywood, Hoffman is known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and emotionally vulnerable characters. He is t ...

): the opening car chase ends in a ball of fire that was filmed directly in front of Spence. * ''Arthur'' (1981, starring

Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...

and

Dudley Moore Dudley Stuart John Moore CBE (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. Moore first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writ ...

): The Cooper-Hewitt Museum played the role of Arthur's family mansion, and there is a good view of Spence in the background. * ''Working Girl'' (1988, starring

Melanie Griffith Melanie Richards Griffith (born August 9, 1957) is an American actress. She began her career in the 1970s, appearing in several independent thriller films before achieving mainstream success in the mid-1980s. Born in Manhattan, New York City, ...

Sigourney Weaver Susan Alexandra "Sigourney" Weaver (; born October 8, 1949) is an American actress. A figure in science fiction and popular culture, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Gramm ...

and

Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...

): Melanie Griffith and Harrison Ford crash a wedding filmed in the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, but Spence is clearly visible. * ''

A Perfect Murder ''A Perfect Murder'' is a 1998 American crime thriller film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen. It is a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film ''Dial M for Murder'', though the characters ...

'' (1998, starring Michael Douglas and (Spence alumna) Gwyneth Paltrow). Their residence is the building across the street, but Spence is visible in some shots. During filming Gwyneth visited Spence and a photo of her embracing her HS advisor was printed in the NY newspaper. * ''Uptown Girls'' (2003, starring

Brittany Murphy Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack (; November 10, 1977 – December 20, 2009) was an American actress and singer. Born in Atlanta, Murphy moved to Los Angeles as a teenager and pursued a career in acting. Her breakthrough role was as Tai Fras ...

and Dakota Fanning): the exterior serves as Dakota Fanning's character's school. * ''

Gossip Girl ''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six ...

'' (2008–2011): the exterior serves as a backdrop to many episodes of the television series, and, as the producers of the show have noted, many aspects of the Spence School have been highly influential in the creation of the show, including the green plaid jumpers and blue skirts, which are the official Spence uniform styles for the Lower and Middle schools, respectively. * '' Riverdale'' (2017-): the main character

Veronica Lodge Veronica Cecilia Lodge is one of the main characters in the Archie Comics franchise, and is the keyboardist and one of the three vocalists of rock band The Archies. She is from New York but currently resides in the town of Riverdale, with her ...

recounts her past experiences at Spence throughout the show, though the school itself has not appeared. * '' Hawkeye'' (2021): A Spence diploma is seen on Kate Bishop's bedroom wall in Episode 6 of the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by M ...

show.

References

External links

Official Spence School Web site
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1892 Girls' schools in New York City Preparatory schools in New York City Private K-12 schools in Manhattan Upper East Side 1892 establishments in New York (state)