McGehee School
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| Louise S. McGehee School | |
|---|---|
 The Louise S. McGehee School | |
| Address | |
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2343 Prytania Street , 70130 | |
| Coordinates | 29°55′55.33″N 90°4′54.46″W / 29.9320361°N 90.0817944°W |
| Information | |
| Type | private, nondenominational, all-girls' college preparatory school |
| Denomination | Non-denominational |
| Established | 1912 |
| Founder | Louise S. McGehee |
| Head of school | Hannah Dietsch (interim)[1] |
| Faculty | 102 (2015) |
| Grades | PK – 12 |
| Gender | Girls |
| Age range | 2-18 |
| Number of students | 515 (2015) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 8:1 |
| Colour(s) | Red and grey |
| Song | "Hail Ms. McGehee" |
| Athletics conference | Louisiana High School Athletic Association |
| Sports | volleyball, soccer, golf, basketball, tennis, softball, swimming, track, cross country, gymnastics |
| Mascot | Hawks |
| Nickname | McGehee |
| Team name | McGehee Hawks |
| Accreditation | Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, National Association of Independent Schools, National Coalition of Girls' Schools |
| Yearbook | Spectator |
| Website | http://www.mcgeheeschool.com |
The Louise S. McGehee School is an all-girls private, independent school in the Garden District in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.[2] The McGehee campus, which is one city block, has ten buildings and at least 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of space.[3]
History
[edit]The school, founded by Louise McGehee, opened in September 1912. It was originally called Mrs. Chapman's School. It later moved into a mansion in the Garden District.[4] The 1938 Works Progress Administration New Orleans City Guide described it as one of the most popular private schools in New Orleans.[5] In 1973 Eli N. Evans wrote in The Provincials that "For decades McGehee has been the institution by which the elite in New Orleans shield their young women from the blacks, the Jews, the poor, and the different, protecting them from ideas and associations that might lure them from their manifest destiny."[6] Historically many graduates of McGehee matriculated to H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College of Tulane University.[7]
McGehee is one of the few private, secular schools in New Orleans. It, in 2024, strives to educate its students about multiple faiths, and to foster inclusivity.
Louise S. McGehee School was founded in 1912 by Louise S. McGehee and opened in September of that year at 1439 Louisiana Avenue with 30 students. In 1929, Miss McGehee's School moved to the current location at 2343 Prytania Sreet. and became a corporation known as the Louise S. McGehee School. In the fall of 1929, there were 209 students and classes began with the fifth grade. In the 1950s, the school added grades Kindergarten through fourth grade. In 1962, a new Lower School building was dedicated for Kindergarten through Sixth Grade and in 1973, the first Pre-Kindergarten class started at the school. In the 1990s, McGehee started an Early Childhood Program "Little Gate" which is a co-educational program for children aged one through four.[8]
Before Hurricane Katrina the school had about 500 students. After Katrina hit in August 2005, the school resumed classes in October, and by November 2005 the school was down to about half of its pre-Katrina enrollment.[9]
Facilities
[edit]The school, as of 2014, takes up almost all of the 2300 block of St. Charles Avenue. The original building, from 1872, is the Bradish Johnson House (2343 Pyritania Street). As of 2014[update] the school headquarters, library, and high school classrooms are in this building. Additionally, as of 2014, the school had acquired six residences in different years.[10]
In 1996 it took control of 1528 Philip Street, and in the following year, it took control of what is now Paulette de la Vergne Stewart '57 Alumnae House (2336 St. Charles Avenue). As of 2014[update] the latter has the public relations department while the former has language and performing arts courses. In 2003 it took control of what is now Adelaide Wisdom Benjamin '50 Hall (2338 St. Charles Avenue). As of 2014[update] it has middle and high school classes.[10] The Henry Howard-designed Abby Hall, which was constructed in the 1870s,[11] opened as a school property in 2010. The building was named in the memory of a McGehee student.[12] The last building, at 2318 St. Charles Avenue, which became the school's property in 2014, was to be made into a preschool facility.[10]
Culture and student body
[edit] | This section's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. The reason given is: The information itself is sourced to proper sources, but it is important to find new secondary sources from the 2020s that describe the culture of this school. Keep in mind that such secondary sources may not exist. Be careful with using primary sources and do not draw conclusions from primary sources, as we don't want "Original research". Please do not remove historical information, but instead, just add new information sourced from secondary sources.. (July 2025) |
In 1973 Evans, described the school as "[t]he debutante West Point, the playing fields of Eton, the New Orleans version of Choate-Chapin-Cordon Bleu all rolled into one".[6] Evans had interviewed an ex-teacher, who described McGehee students as "steel butterflies" who had strong work ethics and who were dominant in relationships despite projecting images of "helpless femininity".[6]
As of 1973, the school ensured the design of each graduation dress was different.[6]
Athletics
[edit]McGehee School athletics competes in the LHSAA.
Academics
[edit]McGehee’s rigorous academic program spans pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, with a curriculum designed to inspire curiosity, intellectual risk-taking, and a lifelong love of learning. The school offers a comprehensive liberal arts education, emphasizing STEM, humanities, and the arts while incorporating Advanced Placement (AP) courses and experiential learning opportunities.[13] The all-girls environment fosters confidence in traditionally male-dominated fields such as engineering, computer science, and mathematics. McGehee’s commitment to low student/teacher ratios and individualized instruction ensures that each student receives the support needed to excel.
References
[edit]- Evans, Eli N. The Provincials: A Personal History of Jews in the South. University of North Carolina Press, 1973; rpt. 1977, 2005. ISBN 0807876348, 9780807876343.
- Merrill, Ellen C. Germans Of Louisiana. Pelican Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1455604844, 9781455604845.
- New Orleans City Guide (1938) Works Progress Administration. Re-published by the Garrett County Press, 2011. ISBN 189105340X, 9781891053405.
Notes
[edit]- ^ "About the Interim Head". McGehee School. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ "Garden District Historic District." (Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine) City of New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission. Retrieved on March 30, 2013.
- ^ "Campus". McGehee School. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
- ^ Merrill, p. 235.
- ^ New Orleans City Guide, p. 77. "New Orleans has had a number of private schools, only a few of which, however, survived the depression. The Louise S. McGehee School for Girls, an accredited elementary and high school founded in 1912, is one of the most popular in the city."
- ^ a b c d Evans, p. 209.
- ^ Evans, p. 213
- ^ Smith, Sarah Caskey. The Past, The Present, The Promise, 2011 (ISBN 978-1-4507-9656-9)
- ^ Williams, Mike. "Few school bells ringing in this city Already plagued by bad scores, decrepit buildings, district has made little progress on repairs." The Austin American-Statesman. November 25, 2005. News p. A36. Retrieved on March 31, 2013. "At the Louise S. McGehee School, a private prep school for girls in New Orleans' lightly touched Garden District, classes resumed in October, and enrollment has climbed to about half of the pre-Katrina level of about 500 students." Available on LexisNexis. Clipping at Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Langenhennig, Susan (October 10, 2014). "A 19th-century St. Charles Avenue mansion will soon become home to Louise S. McGehee preschool". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved July 15, 2025. - Some content is in an image gallery, which is captured in the archive in the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Langenhennig, Susan (December 13, 2013). "Take a tour of a St. Charles Avenue mansion renovated for use as Louise S. McGehee's middle school (video)". The Times Picayune. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ "History". McGehee School. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ "All Girls, Private High School in New Orleans | Independent Prep School". www.mcgeheeschool.com. Retrieved February 7, 2025.