HAWKEN SCHOOL was founded in 1915 with the motto "That the better self shall prevail and each generation introduce its successor to a higher plane of life." Originally located at 1572 Ansel Rd. in Cleveland, Hawken was a boys' elementary school with 19 students and 3 teachers. The school strongly reflected the educational philosophy of its founder, James A. Hawken, who believed that it was as important for a boy of 14 to have a vigorous and active body, mind, and conscience as it was to pass a college entrance exam. Values such as truthfulness, initiative, courage, and sincerity were emphasized. Hawken's distinguishing pedagogical method was small class size, which would allow for the intimate teaching of the individual student. Not only grades were given, but assessments of the boys in terms of their individuality. As the school grew new quarters were needed. In 1922 Hawken moved to a site on Clubside Rd. in LYNDHURST donated by Mr. and Mrs. CHESTER BOLTON. In 1960 land in Chesterland was donated to the school by the Walter C. White family, and an upper school was permanently added on County Line Rd. in the fall of 1961. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Hawken continued to expand, adding additional academic and athletic facilities on both campuses to accommodate increasing enrollment. In 1993 Hawken added a preschool to complete its early childhood program.
Ellis, William D. and Nancy A. Schneider. The Hawken Book (1990).