Lawrenceville School announced and The New York Times reported (At a New Jersey School, a $60 Million Bequest) that “Janie Woods, who died at age 87 in 2007, and her husband, Henry C. Woods Jr., had bequeathed the school $60 million, the largest donation in its 200-year history.”

Lawerencville’s head, Liz Duffy stated in a school press release, “We are extremely grateful to the Woods for their extraordinary gift to the School. Lawrenceville was Henry’s and Janie’s family. They were beloved members of the community throughout their lives. It’s wonderful that through their bequest, their legacies at Lawrenceville will endure in perpetuity. We’re thrilled to receive this historic gift as we celebrate the School’s Bicentennial.”

More from the Lawrenceville’s announcement:

“…The Woods were very generous to Lawrenceville during their lifetimes too. Prior gifts, totaling nearly $10 million, provided support for endowed teaching chairs, faculty professional development, student prizes in critical writing and science, art acquisitions for the School’s museum, building and athletic field renovations, the campus day care center, and the School Camp for children from underserved communities. Their final $60 million gift (in unrestricted funds) will endow student scholarships, a faculty sabbatical and intern program, faculty chairs, and professional development opportunities and provide support for the maintenance of the School’s campus. In honor of their generosity, Memorial Hall, an iconic campus building at the center of campus, will be renamed Woods Memorial Hall. Mr. Woods taught in that building for 34 years…”

Don’t miss the history in NYT writer Winnie Hu’s article. She does a nice job of shinning a light on the important roles that women, and especially faculty wives, like Janie Woods, played (and continue to play in boarding schools):

“The “Ladies of Lawrenceville,” as some alumni fondly remember them, were the devoted wives of housemasters and faculty members who in the 1950s and ’60s held coffee breaks for students including Huey Lewis, before he added the News, and Michael D. Eisner, who went on to lead Disney. The ladies also played the female roles in school plays, rallied for concerts and football games, and in their own quiet way, were as much a part of the place as their husbands.” (NYT)

Photo credit: Lawrence Historical Society