History

Walden School's philosophy and curriculum are rooted in a program for creative music education developed by the late Grace Newsom Cushman, founder and director of the Junior Conservatory Camp, Walden's predecessor, which flourished from the 1940s until 1972. Mrs. Cushman held the conviction that creativity is the primary purpose of education, and that the most successful program is one through which students discover new materials and concepts for themselves and learn to think independently. An outgrowth of her original work, the Walden Musicianship Course is the cornerstone of Walden School's academic program.

Following Mrs. Cushman's death, the Walden School was founded in 1972 by the late David Hogan, Pamela Layman Quist, and Lynn Taylor Hebden. David Hogan and Pamela Layman Quist served as the school's first directors from 1972 until 1994.

In 1994 Pamela Quist and Lynn Hebden turned the operation of the school over to a group of their protégés. Stephen Coxe became the Executive Director, Patricia Plude the Academic Dean, Seth Brenzel, Director of Admissions, Anne Deane, Director of Development and Public Relations, and Laura Mehiel, Business Manager.

In 1996 Patricia Plude assumed the position of Executive Director, and she was assisted by a team that continued to include Anne Deane, Seth Brenzel, and Laura Mehiel. Under Patricia's direction the school formed a Board of Directors that was, for the first time in its history, separate from the administrative team. At that time Anne Deane and Laura Mehiel chose serve as members of the Board of Directors, and Tanja Gubser was hired to be Walden's Director of Development, a position in which she served from 1999 - 2003.

In 2003 Patricia Plude stepped aside and Seth Brenzel moved into the position of Executive Director. He is currently assisted in The Walden School office by an able team which includes Patricia Plude, Director, Teacher Training Institute; Esther Landau, Development Director; Bradley Evans, Office Manager; Amelia Lukas, Project Manager; and Malcolm Gaines, Data Base Manager.

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