History by the decades

Sanford School opened in 1930 as a home and school for five children. The founders based their school on a premise: it would be a school where “No Talent Lies Latent,” a school where children would know the love of learning, a school in which each child would play an integral part. Learn how those simple goals gave rise to one of the best independent schools in Delaware.

1930s

The great pines of Sanford are a hallmark of our school. For many years they lined a narrow, dirt, farm road that meandered across open fields, through an apple orchard, to a large Victorian farmhouse and its sizeable accompanying barn. Sanford and Ellen Sawin purchased the farm, then known as Pine Glen Farm, in 1929 as a home for their five children and for several other boys and girls who needed a home and a family. Sanford Sawin, Jr., the eldest son, had died in 1916, and it was in his memory that his parents founded a school, originally known as Sunny Hills School, on September 24, 1930.

Sunny Hills was a combination of home, school, and farm. Students and faculty attended on a 24-hours-a-day and 52-weeks-a-year basis. Through the years, the school added new buildings and dormitories and remodeled existing facilities to adapt to growth and changing needs. In 1937, the first class graduated from Sanford Preparatory School, which received accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools the following year.
1940s

Throughout the war years of the 1940s, the school experienced steady growth. Many war-burdened families needed a school like Sanford, and the number of foreign students increased. Building construction continued, with students and faculty performing much of the work.
1950s

The 1950s brought a period of self-examination. The surrounding community’s transformation from rural to suburban led to questioning the need for maintaining a boarding school at the elementary level. The school also committed to strengthen the academic program, improve faculty salaries, and continue to build new buildings and maintain existing ones.
1960s

The 1960s was a period of change. An era in Sanford history quietly ended with the death of its founder, Ellen Q. Sawin, in 1963. Her daughter, Nancy Sawin, assumed leadership of Sanford, knowing the school needed to expand its base and broaden its scope. Accordingly, the school changed its name to Sanford School in 1966. Seven buildings rose in as many years throughout this decade. A once small, family-oriented, country boarding school had evolved into a sizeable, resident and country day school.
1970s

The building that now houses our middle school opened in 1970. The decade also saw construction of a new stable for Sanford’s popular horseback riding program, and Sanford's first radio station went on the air for all to hear. Walter Davis, who went on to play at UNC and become an NBA Rookie of the Year, led Sanford’s boys’ basketball team to an undefeated season in 1973. In the mid-1970s, Nancy Sawin resigned, ending the school’s leadership by a member of the founder’s family; Rod Beach became Head of School. The board announced that Sanford would become only a day school, though high school students were allowed to continue to board until graduating.
1980s

The 1980s saw great change and growth under Head of School Gordon Schofield, while remaining true to Sanford’s roots and core values. Sanford’s reorganization into a full-fledged day school began with the end of the boarding school and riding programs. Sanford sold 55 acres of school-owned land in the mid-1980s, using the proceeds to begin an endowment fund. Unfortunately, in June of 1989, a tornado struck the campus, causing millions of dollars of damage and ending the endowment campaign that had begun after the sale of the land. The school recovered, and in so many ways turned a tragedy into another period of positive growth for the school.
1990s

Growth and stabilization best describe Sanford in the 1990s. While continuing to provide the quality education Sanford always has, the school welcomed a new Head of School, Kristi Kerins, and reorganized most administrative offices. There was a strong emphasis on collaborative leadership in areas that ranged from governance, budget building, and long-range planning, to nurturing professional growth and development. These improvements contributed to the successful kick-off of a multi-million dollar capital campaign. In 1998, Douglas MacKelcan, Jr. was appointed the Head of School.
2000s

The dawning of the new century brought a time of excitement and change to the Sanford campus. In 2001, Head of School MacKelcan announced the launch of a $10-million capital campaign, which represented the largest improvement project in the school’s history. The campaign goals were all about shaping Sanford’s future: significantly improving the school’s infrastructure, renovating historic classroom buildings, and constructing a new Upper School classroom building and a new wing on the Lower School. Indeed, having met these goals, Sanford is able to deliver a 21st-Century education amidst a beautiful campus that maintains the spirit of its history and traditions.
2010s

The Sanford community said goodbye to a retiring Chip MacKelcan in 2011 and seamlessly welcomed a new Head of School, Mark J. Anderson. Mr. Anderson continued Sanford's tradition of thoughtful leadership, dynamic education, forward thinking, and the same commitment to this being a place where "No Talent Lies Latent" was so important to the Sawin family.

During this time, our campus underwent significant changes. It became fully wireless, indoors and out. In addition to our three computer labs, we have the Pirnie STEM Lab and Tech Center, 3D printers, 1:1 devices for grades 1-12, and Swivl robots, which have enhanced remote teaching and learning.

We have made upgrades and campus improvements to:
Sanford Hall, du Pont Library, Quigley Hall, Middle School interior, exterior, and playground, The Lower School's Library, Yearsley Hall, Kidder Hall, and the Kenneth D. Jones Memorial Chapel. We had two significant renovations to our Geipel Center and Struthers' Family Sports Center.
2020s

Sanford will continue to grow its programs, people, and facilities in the coming years. Right now, we are planning a capital campaign to update the Nancy C. Sawin Math/Science Center, which will create outdoor space for environmental work, new lab spaces with modern tools, new classrooms, and light-filled common spaces for collaboration and new courses like Advanced Robotics, Marine Science, and more.

Focusing on our growing endowment will ensure that future generations benefit from Sanford's long history of providing outstanding learning opportunities to students.

Our DEI focus will also continue; Sanford lives our motto, "no talent lies latent," by valuing diversity of culture, ethnicity, race, spirituality, gender, sexual orientation, learning styles, socioeconomic status, and interests. Our work today illuminates the work we must continue to do to build a welcoming, empathetic community.

We are lucky to have a school with a rich legacy and a promising outlook.