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The Admissions Office was established in the 1960s. Before this time, admissions work was presided over by the headmaster and his support staff. This record group encompasses all admissions material, both from before the establishment of an Admissions Office and after. Included in the record group are office files created in the process of admissions work as well as related publications such as school brochures and enrollment material. Individual admissions files are not kept in the archives.
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The Alumni Office is the central office for alumni affairs. It works with the Alumni Association and organizes alumni gatherings as well as serving as a means for keeping in touch with alumni. Included in this record group are office files, correspondence with alumni, and publications of the Alumni Office and the Alumni Association. Scrapbooks and files of published works by and about alumni are kept. Students who attended Sidwell Friends but did not graduate are considered alumni and are represented in this record group. Early records of the Alumni Association are also found in the Frances Haldeman Sidwell box in the Thomas W. Sidwell collection.
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Athletics have been an important part of the curriculum since the school's inception. Included in this record group are clippings, scorebooks, schedules, and related material concerning both boys and girls athletics. Early athletic material can be found in the TWS Record Group.
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Contained in this record group are various audio as well as visual recordings relating to the school. There are recordings of meetings and lectures, school events, and some oral histories. The boxes have been subdivided by the record groups used for the entire archives.
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The Board of Trustees undertook the running of the school after the death of Mr. Sidwell in 1936. The Board was formed when the school was incorporated in the early 1930s, but it only became a functioning body after 1936. This record group contains minutes of Board and committee meetings, materials on issues discussed by the Board, and information on and papers of individual board members.
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The Business Office handles all of the financial affairs of the school. Until his death, all business matters were handled by Mr. Sidwell, and early financial records are in the TWS record group. This record group primarily contains ledgers (many oversized) but also includes office files and auditor's reports.
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The Chinese Studies Program was begun in the early 1980s and was the first high-school level program of its kind. The Chinese Studies Office acts as a center for learning and also arranges trips to China, student exchange programs, and the annual Zeidman Lecture. It also coordinated the visit of the Chinese Premier Zhao in 1984. This record group contains files relating to all these facets of the program, as well as a collection of books given to the school by Premier Zhao. Commemorative plate, flags, and banners pertaining to the Chinese Studies Office are found in the MEM record group.
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This record group contains material related to the curriculum of the school. Included are copies of the curriculum, information and plans for individual departments, evaluations of the school, records of textbooks used in classes, and report card forms.
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The Development Office coordinates the fundraising and the building campaigns for the school. It also plans major events such as the celebration of school anniversaries and the annual Auction to raise funds for Financial Aid. Included in this record group are office files related to these activities, and brochures produced by the office.
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This record group contains records of faculty and staff meetings, issues of interest to the faculty and staff, and information on individuals including works by or about faculty and staff.
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Since Mr. Sidwell's death in 1936, there have been 10 Headmasters/Heads of School: Albert Rogers, Edwin Zavitz, Robert Lyle, John Colbaugh, Frank Barger (acting), Robert Smith, Earl Harrison, Bruce Stewart, Stephen Barker (interim), and Tom Farquhar. This record group contains their files, publications put out by their office, and information on the search for the Headmasters/Heads of School.
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Several histories have been written about the school, both published and unpublished. Rod Cox and Henry Dater each did historical research, and their notes and chapters can be found here. William and Mary Anne MacKaye wrote a history of the school for the Centennial, and their notes and finished book are here, as is the student history also written for the Centennial. The record group also contains material of historical interest concerning the school.
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This record group contains artifacts related to the School such as china, uniforms, jewelry, signs, and personal possessions of Thomas and Frances Haldeman Sidwell.
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All of the photographs in the archives are concentrated in this record group. Included are photos, slides, and negatives of all aspects of school life: individuals, events, buildings, etc. For convenience, it has been subdivided into the same areas as the record groups of the entire archives.
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The school has undergone a great deal of change in its facilities. Originally, it was located on I Street between 18th and 19th Streets, N.W. In 1938, the School officially moved to the present site on Wisconsin Avenue, to buildings that it had already been making use. The original buildings on the Wisconsin Avenue campus have largely been replaced by newer buildings. In 1963, the Lower School moved to Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda, Maryland. This record group contains the deeds, plans, and records of all of these moves and renovations. Also included is material on valuable things owned by the school.
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The Parents Association is organized to represent the parents and act as a means by which they can be involved in the school. The Parents Association sponsors a bazaar, organizes the Student Exchange Program, and publishes a newsletter. The record group contains records of the Association meetings, of the planning for the bazaar and Student Exchange, and copies of the newsletter. Also included are files on subjects of interest to the parents.
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This record group includes material relating to school activities, commencement, clubs, and publications. Materials concerned with issues of interest to students will also be found here.
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Special Collections are distinct collections that have been contributed to the Sidwell Friends Archives. They are generally collections of materials of or related to alumni. Also included is a collection of famous signatures that were among the archival material and were collected here for better preservation.
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School Sponsored Programs are programs held at the school but not exclusively for the students of Sidwell Friends. Included in this record group are materials relating to the Continuing Education Program, various summer activities, schools, and camps, as well as outreach and exchange programs.
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Thomas Sidwell was the moving force behind the school from its founding until his death in 1936. Mr. Sidwell owned the school, and there was no board of trustees until a few years before his death, at which time the school was finally incorporated. As a result, while he was alive it is difficult to distinguish between his personal matters and matters of the school. So for the most part, this arrangement does not attempt to do so. Furthermore, he was such a strong presence his activities and decisions defined the school. Therefore, all printed materials in the archives that date from 1883 to 1936 are contained in this record group. Photographs are in photo archive.
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Records pertaining to the office of the Upper School Principal from 1974-1987 can be found in this record group.
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