Welcome to Governor Dummer Academy
America's oldest independent boarding school.

One Elm Street Byfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. 508-465-1763 Voice 508-462-1278 Fax Home: www.gda.org

An Overview

Founded in 1763 under the will of Massachusetts Bay Colony Lieutenant Governor William Dummer, GDA today embodies both 229 years of tradition and an ageless capacity for innovation. It is at once linked with great historical figures including John Hancock (who signed the Academy's charter), Paul Revere (who struck its seal) and John Quincy Adams (who recorded its first six years of trustees minutes), and devoted to pioneering programs including its SCIENCE 2000, which is redesigning science curricula for the nation's secondary schools.

Under the aegis of its first celebrated headmaster Samuel Moody, the Academy educated several heroes of the American Revolution, congressional leaders and Samuel Phillips, founder of the Phillips academies at Andover and Exeter. In the two centuries since its founding, Governor Dummer Academy has prepared thousands of students for success in college and later life by adhering to its essential boarding school tradition of fostering close student-teacher relationships.

Peter W. Bragdon, appointed the Academy's 26th headmaster in 1983, oversees a "community of learners" that includes both teachers and students who are always seeking to answer the fundamental question, "How do people learn?" This emphasis and constant re-examination helps keep Governor Dummer's curriculum at the forefront of American education. Through the framework of liberal arts, GDA students are inculcated with essential information, inspired by their teachers' enthusiasm and then encouraged to explore their corollary interests in the spirit of continuing discovery. This process, which prepares students to meet and benefit from opportunities throughout their lives, is achieved through adherence to two abiding precepts of Governor Dummer Academy, maintained throughout the centuries: small classes and individual attention.

Consistent with the teachings of Master Moody, Governor Dummer Academy today shapes its academic mission within the doctrine that character and conduct are significant aspects of a secondary education. The Academy's Cooperative Learning concept, athletic competition and extracurricular activities all encourage group work among students to develop and promote team skills that are critical in future schooling and careers.

The Academy also places great importance on cultural, sociological and ethnic diversity among its students. At present, the 340-member student body represents 18 U.S. states and 16 countries worldwide. The Academy maintains active national and international outreach programs designed to locate prospective students from various regions and backgrounds. An equally active scholarship program provides that diversity is not inhibited by economic circumstances.

Governor Dummer Academy's location on the ancestral 600-acre Dummer farm, 33 miles north of Boston, offers students myriad opportunities. The Academy is linked to the ocean, five miles due east, by the Parker and Mill rivers that border the campus. The surrounding forests, marshes and nearby Plum Island Wildlife Refuge provide both a natural laboratory for scientific exploration and numerous recreational possibilities.

The Academy's proximity to Boston, one of America's cultural centers, also contributes significantly to a GDA education. Teachers and students regularly make the 40-minute drive to Boston to attend the theatre, ballet, opera, symphony and other arts and entertainment events.

Another key to Governor Dummer Academy's extraordinary longevity and success is its tradition of adherence to balanced budgets. The fact that the Academy has operated within a balanced budget for more than 20 years has allowed it to maintain and expand the academic offerings and facilities that benefit students most. The Academy's strong financial standing -- which includes a healthy and steadily growing endowment - also makes it possible for GDA to embark on major academic building projects currently in their planning stages.

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