Heely Scholars Study the Gilded Age

What was it like to be at (and around) Lawrenceville during the Gilded Age? Lawrenceville’s Heely Scholars - Fifth Formers Ellis Addleman, William Atkinson, Amelia Devine, Isabelle Lee, Eleni Lefakis, Grayson Miller, Eric Morais, Ndeye Thioubou, Jupiter Huang, and Jasper Zhu - are digging into the School’s Stephan Archives to find out.

The program, aptly described by Huang, “seeks [Lawrenceville’s] most passionate and skilled young historians and provides them with an opportunity to expand their knowledge from the classroom into some high-quality research work. Furthermore, the program instills a deeper sense of belonging towards the Lawrenceville community, as old Lawrenceville documents are utilized yearly for research, as well for the surrounding era, be that Princeton or Trenton.”

Each year, Heely Scholars examine a particular portion of the Stephan Archives collection, allowing them to place Lawrenceville within the historic context of national and global events. History teacher and Heely Scholars Director Anne-Louise Smit explained that the Gilded Age is a very critical point in history to study, because the second industrial revolution and rise of capitalism allow for an investigation of key socio-economic shifts in the United States. Even more important, she said, are the political theories and policies that emerge to address the critical issue related to industrialization and urbanization. “Particular to Lawrenceville, it is a significant point when we transform from a proprietarily owned academy to an endowed institution, governed by trustees. This was a time when our campus and curriculum were being designed to meet the changing times, asking what was deemed necessary for young men to know at that time?”

Devine explained, “Through our research, we learned that Lawrenceville only began writing a formal curriculum during the Gilded Age, when it became focused on producing scholars who would earn wages in the world.”

While Scholars would ordinarily spend two summer weeks on campus, delving into the Stephan Archives, they’ve made the most of their virtual studies. “Although I was really looking forward to working with the other Heely Scholars, the internet nowadays is filled with resources, and my peers are just a call away!” Lee said.

With the Stephan Archives as the jumping-off point for research, Heely Scholars are also drawing upon resources at the Trenton Public Library, the New Jersey State Archives, and Trent House. Scholars have been particularly interested to learn more about Frederick Law Olmsted, the man considered the father of landscape architecture. Best known for the creation of New York City’s Central Park, Olmsted also designed Trenton’s Cadwalader Park - built at the height of the city’s industrial expansion and rise of the middle class. “Trenton provides a wonderful microcosm [to examine] national and global trends,” said Smit.

For Lawrentians, Olmsted’s most important design was the Lawrenceville School campus. “Not only did we read about Olmsted’s work in landscape architecture within the context of the social environment and economic landscape of the Gilded Age, we also analyzed a correspondence between Headmaster Mackenzie and Frederick Olmsted regarding the design of the Circle and its surrounding academic buildings,” noted Huang. “Among the more interesting topics they discussed were sightlines from different points of the Circle, as well as the placement of the Head Master’s House and the orientation of Memorial Hall.”

Grayson Miller said that while he knew the campus layout was unique, he’d never before considered the reasons why.  “When I reflected, I saw the connection between Olmsted's letters and Individualism, an important value in the Gilded Age. I now see the places on our campus that echo these values, connecting Olmsted's intentions to my experiences there,” he explained.

When they return to campus next month, Heely Scholars will be part of an advanced research seminar, where they will refine and direct their personal interests into an individual thesis.

Miller, inspired by his Olmsted studies, will dive deeper into urban planning and renewal for his thesis. “Many urban planning projects like Olmsted's parks were touted as spaces for all, but when you look below that surface-level claim, it is clear that that is not the case,” he explained. “I would like to investigate the intentions behind these urban planning projects, and how our sense of belonging in a public space can differ so much based on its design."

Lefakis was intrigued to learn that many of the School’s arts programs began during the Gilded Age. “Although the period is known as a time when efficiency and scientific management were prized, and is the time in which the school's curriculum became standardized, Lawrenceville's administration was making time for the arts. I really want to look into the arts at that time and what their importance was to the school.”

Morais, a co-sports editor at The Lawrence, enjoyed reading issues of the paper from the Gilded Age and may center his research around that.  “It will certainly be a challenge to write such an extensive research paper on this topic, but I am looking forward to getting started and doing it!” he said. Zhu concurred, saying, “I'm looking forward to getting back on campus and being able to spend time together with the rest of the Heely Scholar group.”

For additional information, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of Public Relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.