Perched on Bloomfield Avenue, The Watkinson School is situated adjacent to the University of Hartford. Its roots trace back to a bequest by businessman David Watkinson, leading to the establishment of the Watkinson Juvenile Asylum and Farm School in 1880. Currently, the school enrolls 240 students from 37 towns across the Greater Hartford and Pioneer Valley area. It serves students from 6th through 12th grade and offers The Academy at Watkinson, a postgraduate option for recent high school graduates.
The school is a founding member of the Coalition of Essential Schools and is one of only five schools named a Lead School for the coalition. The campus covers about 36 acres and includes nine buildings. Feringa Hall, the oldest academic building on the campus, was built in 1894-5 in a Queen Anne design attributed to Francis Goodwin. The campus was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
The Watkinson School served as an inspiration for the 2023 film The Holdovers, which reflects the atmosphere of the school. Notable alumni include professional soccer player Rashawn Dally and actor Molly Glynn.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Leroy
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