Canterbury School is a Catholic, college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day

independent school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...

for students in grades 9-12 and

post-graduate Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...

. It is located in

New Milford, Connecticut New Milford is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town, part of Greater Danbury, as well as the New York Metropolitan Area, has a population of 28,115 as of the 2020 census. New Milford lies north of Danbury on the ...

, United States.

History

Canterbury was founded in 1915 on the aspiration of two men: Henry O. Havemeyer, scion of a wealthy family which made its fortune in sugar refining, and Nelson Hume, a Catholic schoolmaster. They intended to establish a Roman Catholic school where young men could be guided in their religion and be prepared to attend

Ivy League The Ivy League is an American collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference of eight Private university, private Research university, research universities in the Northeastern United States. It participates in the National Collegia ...

universities. The school was established in

, on the location of the former Ingleside School for Girls. Hume became the first headmaster of the school. From its start with 16 enrolled students, Nelson Hume guided the school through two world wars and the great depression until his death in 1948. He was succeeded as headmaster by Walter Sheehan, John Reydel in 1973, Roderick Clarke in 1978, Thomas Sheehy in 1990, and Rachel E. Stone in 2016. Canterbury became co-educational in the fall of 1971. The School now enrolls around 320 boarding and day students on its campus in New Milford. Canterbury School celebrated its centennial in 2015.

Facilities

Residential

Canterbury School has seven residence halls that provide housing for about 250 students. Each residence hall contains faculty apartments that range from the size of town houses to smaller one-bedroom suites. Canterbury also has built single family homes on campus, providing housing for some faculty, such as the Headmaster’s House, located on the corner of Aspetuck Avenue and Elkington Farm Road. Sheehan House at dusk

Academic

There are various academic buildings with classrooms and study spaces on campus, including the Steers Center, which houses the Coleman Digital Media Lab, Innovation & Design Lab, and D’Amour Center for Faith, Service & Justice; Robert M. Steele ’72 Hall, where the David C. Copley ’70 Library and Donovan Center for Learning are located; Nelson Hume Hall, which includes Maguire Auditorium; and Old Schoolhouse.

Religious

Chapel of Our Lady was built in 1928 and expanded in 1959. It can seat 300. Mass is celebrated every Sunday during the school year in the Chapel at 11:30 AM. The bottom floor of the chapel contains a classroom. Its stained glass windows have been recently restored. The chapel's carillon is named for alumnus Mel Ferrer '34. Chaplain’s Residence is the oldest building on campus and has had various uses, including acting as Canterbury’s first chapel.

Athletic

Outdoor facilities include 8 tennis courts, Hamilton Stadium (a multipurpose turf field and track), Sheehy Family Field (a multipurpose turf field), other multipurpose grass playing fields, and baseball and softball diamonds with dugouts.Canterbury School Campus Map
/ref> Canterbury Offers 19 Varsity Teams in Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Hockey, Lacrosse, Squash, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball, and Wrestling. All students participate in sports and Canterbury fields Junior Varsity, Thirds and Fourth teams in support of its varsity sports. The school competes in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC).

Notable alumni and faculty

* Joseph Campbell, mythologist, professor, author * David C. Copley, publisher * Richard Dickson Cudahy, judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit * Mike Dunham,

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

goaltender * Dominick Dunne, writer, investigative journalist, and producer * Tommy Edison, YouTuber, radio presenter and film critic *

Mel Ferrer Melchor Gastón FerrerAncestry Library Edition (August 25, 1917 – June 2, 2008) was an American actor, director, and producer, active in film, theatre, and television. He achieved prominence on Broadway before scoring notable film hits with ...

, actor and filmmaker * Frank C. Guinta, former Congressman representing New Hampshire * Gerard C. Smith, diplomat and chief negotiator of SALT I * Dan Rusanowsky, announcer for the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...

Cantuarian 1979 p 120 * William Randolph Hearst III, businessperson and philanthropist * Jimmy Lee (banker), investment banker * Sargent Shriver, diplomat, politician, and activist * Trevardo Williams, NFL linebacker * Jack Arute, sports announcer

References

External links

Official site

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
{{authority control Boarding schools in Connecticut Catholic boarding schools in the United States Catholic secondary schools in Connecticut Schools in Litchfield County, Connecticut Educational institutions established in 1915 New Milford, Connecticut 1915 establishments in Connecticut