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Hewitt's Origins

Our Beginning

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The Hewitt School’s story begins with the birth of Caroline Hewitt on May 14, 1872 in the English village of Barford. Miss Hewitt came from a family of wealthy tailors who valued education. When she was young, she attended Barford Elementary, the local grammar school, but it is unknown where she continued her education at a secondary school, only its location in Warwick. At the age of nineteen, Miss Hewitt left home to teach and care for children in London at the household of John Dickinson.

 

Her first recorded voyage to New York City was in 1907 where she is listed as “Caroline Hewitt, Carhart Governess.” She traveled frequently between her employment in New York City and her birthplace of England. She distinguished herself as a talented and passionate teacher in the eyes of her employer as she rose from governess to teacher and eventually to headmistress. Other New York prominent families began to take notice and soon she was teaching groups of children.

 

By 1908 she was officially listed as a teacher by Immigration officials. She resided with William V. Hoffman’s family in their Manhattan home located on 51st Street. This was a temporary residence for her but nevertheless she grew her students as her reputation as an excellent teacher spread through the close knit families of New York City. Miss Hewitt quickly realized that she could create a school based on her passions, including theater. Having been born so close to Shakespeare’s birthplace, she had an affinity for his works and theater in general. With her various connections, Miss Hewitt began to search for “patrons," as she called them, to help transform her classes into an institution. Her financial and supportive patrons included the Astors, Biddles, Vanderbilts, Whitneys, Schieffelins, Hoffmans, and Bakers. The location of the school was determined by the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. John Rogers who lent some rooms in their home on Park Avenue and 79th Street.

 

By 1920 it became clear that there was a need for a building dedicated to education. Her patrons helped fund a private kindergarten for girls and boys in six rented rooms at the David Mannes School of Music located on 157 East 74th Street. In the early years the school was called "Miss Hewitt's Classes in Association With the Da­vid Mannes Music School." Miss Hewitt felt that the name represented exactly what the institution was at the time informal and cozy classes, not a fully fledged school yet.

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Miss Hewitt distinguished herself and her classes by providing a well rounded education in core academics that adapted to a flexible student schedule. She was also described as a sort of moral compass in an era that highlighted loose behavior in women. In 1923 the success of Miss Hewitt’s Classes pushed her to purchase a new space with the help of her patrons. A brownstone located at 68 East 79th Street was purchased to teach the children that no longer fit in the Mannes School of Music. In only two years, Miss Hewitt knew that to house all the promising students that applied she would have to sell the newly purchased building and build a modern school in a new location. While the 68 East 79th Street location was ideal in terms of its geographical location, it lacked essential school facilities such as assembly rooms, science laboratory, gymnasium, or art studio. Her dream of a more modern school would have to wait another two years. She purchased the two neighboring brownstones at 72 and 74 East 79th Street. Miss Hewitt continued to advocate for her students and implemented lessons and curriculum that she believed achieved this. She also found a community that helped in every way they could. With the acquisition of the buildings parents helped furnish and carpet while students helped move books and other materials. The nurturing feeling of home and community that Miss Hewitt established has never changed.

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Miss Hewitt's Legacy

 

In an article published in The New York Times, Miss Hewitt was remembered and her legacy was solidified. She died at the age of 89 in New York in 1961 after being ill for a long time. She was headmistress of the school until 1942 when she retired. To respect her wishes, the administration changed the name of the school from Miss Hewitt's Classes to The Hewitt School only after her death. The location of the school also moved soon after her retirement to its current location of 45 East 75th Street. Her legacy lives on in many different ways. Her love for Shakespeare and the theater is still felt in our drama department and our English curriculum. Our own mascot, Harriet the Hawk, honors Caroline’s mother. Commemorating the extraordinary achievements of our founder, each student continues to cherish and embrace her enduring motto "by faith and courage.

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Page by Viviana Barberi

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Miss Hewitt in her eighties, circa 1950

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