A Brief History

In 1869, the Female Normal and High School was established to educate young women who were preparing for the teaching profession. One year later, the name was changed to The Normal College of the City of New York; the school encompassed both high school and college level courses. Hunter College Model School (an elementary school) was established in 1870 as an integral part of the Teacher Education Program of the Normal College.

In 1903, the high school and college courses were separated. In 1914, the High School and the College were named for their first president, Dr. Thomas Hunter. The High School was officially designated as a laboratory school for the education of intellectually gifted girls in 1955. In 1974, boys were admitted for the first time.

When the New York City Board of Education closed its experimental school for gifted students in 1940, Hunter College recognized a unique opportunity to create an experimental and demonstration center for intellectually gifted pupils. The Hunter College Model School restructured by transferring the seventh and eighth grades to Hunter College High School and by adding a nursery program. In the Fall of 1941, the name of the reorganized school was changed from The Hunter College Model School to Hunter College Elementary School.

Until 1973, Hunter College Elementary School and Hunter College High School were located at the Hunter College campus at 68th Street and Lexington Avenue. Since 1977, the Hunter College Campus Schools have been located on 94th Street between Park and Madison Avenues.