Kimball Union Academy  

History of the School

For nearly two centuries Kimball Union has been preparing young men and women to seek the highest achievements. The school was built to prepare young men for the ministry and, while we still look for students with that same self-discipline, we also strive to build the confidence that will lead others to it. In the nineteenth century Kimball Union was a co-educational school, with a social life that was integrated with the life of the village of Meriden, where many students were from local farming families. Our current students come from different parts of the world, but we still value our community of young men and women, and we still value our place in a small, friendly village. Kimball Union’s growth reflected its surroundings in a manner that significantly enhanced the character of the school. Through its first century, when the moral character and classical values of both the local and national culture helped to form the basis of our honor code and course curriculum, to the later years, when the arts blossomed in the Meriden community and simultaneously at the school, we have kept a close relationship to the community that surrounds Kimball Union. The school on a hilltop in Meriden, New Hampshire has come a long way from its beginnings in 1813. But one thing has not changed: we still offer the best in contemporary education. From a predominantly locally based student body to a school with no international constraints; From forty years as a single-sex institution to a return to coeducation; From seven students to over three hundred; we have grown as a school just as we expect and encourage our students to grow themselves. Because Kimball Union Academy has the experience of many years, but its mission is still young. We are very proud of our rich history as an educational institution and excited about Kimball Union’s future as we quickly approach our bicentennial celebration in the year 2013. The common thread running through our history has been our sense of place and community. We have always strived to educate the individual and expand their realm of experiences. Kimball Union’s history is what has allowed us to establish such strong traditions and programs. We have created such a strong foundation as a school that we hope you will join us for the exciting future we have in store.