Cardigan Mountain School

Cardigan Mountain School was founded in 1945 by two men whose vision and belief in their goal were unshakable. Harold P. Hinman, a Dartmouth College graduate, and William R. Brewster, then headmaster of Kimball Union Academy, joined forces with legendary Dartmouth president E. M. Hopkins to obtain the land that is now the site of Cardigan Mountain School’s campus. Cardigan Mountain School opened with 24 boys, and, in 1954, upon merging with the Clark School of Hanover, New Hampshire, the School as it is known today began to emerge. Since that time, the School has grown to its current enrollment of more than 200 boys in grades six through nine, while the philosophy and objectives set forth by the founders have remained unchanged.

Cardigan was built upon an educational experience that emphasized rigorous academics and study habits, as well as spiritual guidance, physical training, and social orientation. In order to accomplish this purpose, Cardigan’s program was tailored to each boy so that he made the best possible use of his potential in these areas. Thus, every boy had a balanced and well-rounded life: physically, mentally, and spiritually. This philosophy is the same today as it was in 1945.

Cardigan's founding fathers (please see sidebar to the right) possessed a deep interest in education and foresaw the need for single-sex schooling for this age group. As set forth in the School Charter, they were bound to “provide non-sectarian instruction for boys in literature, arts, sciences, and all manner of learning; to promote the spiritual, mental, and physical welfare of its students.” The founders made sure that the educational philosophy would not stop with the “three R’s.” Therefore, equal emphasis was placed on good citizenship, character development, leadership, and social graces, as well as sports, culture, and recreation.