History

Park Tudor private school has been educating children since 1902. For more than 120 years, our ongoing goal has been to prepare students to be successful and compassionate citizens of the world.

The history of Park Tudor School begins in 1902 when a remarkable woman, Miss Fredonia Allen, and a community leader, The Reverend James Cumming Smith, founded Tudor Hall School for Girls at 16th and Meridian Streets in Indianapolis. Miss Allen was the first principal; the Reverend Smith (formerly pastor of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church) served as the school's first dean. Fredonia Allen named the school after her mother, Ann Tudor Allen.

Alma Whitford, headmistress of Tudor Hall from 1963-1970, recalled that one of the school's first visitors was President Theodore Roosevelt.

"One day shortly after [the school] opened, a couple of its young ladies were leaning over a wall looking down the street and here comes a briskly stepping man followed by a large crowd of people and when he got to the girls he said, 'What is this?' And they said, 'This is our brand new college preparatory school. Wouldn't you like to come in and see it, Mr. President?' And Teddy said, 'Yes, I think I would.' So Teddy Roosevelt was perhaps our first distinguished visitor."

Park School began in 1914 as The Brooks School for boys. When that school developed financial problems in 1920, seven Indianapolis businessmen purchased it and operated it as Boys Preparatory School. The School moved from its campus at 1545 N. Central Ave. to the former Carl Fisher estate on Cold Spring Road in 1923, and in 1929 the name of the school was changed to Park School.

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Historical Photos of Park Tudor
Park Tudor Through the Years

 

 

Tudor Hall for Girls founded in 1902
Tudor Hall for Girls

•Founded in 1902 by Miss Fredonia Allen

•Located at 16th and Meridian Street

Park School for Boys founded in 1914
Park School for Boys

•Originally called The Brooks School

•Founded in 1914

•Located near Tudor Hall at 15th and Central Ave.

Historical photos of Park Tudor's various campuses throughout the years
The Middle Years

•Tudor Hall moved slightly north to facilities near 32nd and Meridian Street

•Park School took over space on Cold Springs Road

Old Images of Foster Hall and the Lilly Family Apple Orchard
Foster Hall/Apple Orchard

•In 1966, Col. Eli Lilly gifts his family’s summer home and apple orchard to Park School and Marian University (where Park School is currently located)

timeline graphic of park tudor's history
Timeline of Park Tudor

 

 

Old news articles from when the merger happened
Merger

•1970-1971

•Park School and Tudor Hall merge into Park Tudor

Historical Photos of Park Tudor
Tudor Hall for Girls founded in 1902
Park School for Boys founded in 1914
Historical photos of Park Tudor's various campuses throughout the years
Old Images of Foster Hall and the Lilly Family Apple Orchard
timeline graphic of park tudor's history
Old news articles from when the merger happened

Both Park School and Tudor Hall were founded to provide the kind of education offered by Eastern preparatory schools of the era. The schools had operated country day school programs, and Tudor Hall also had offered boarding facilities. The students always enjoyed a close association, not only as participants in the programs of the two schools, but as neighbors. Both schools were first located near 16th Street — Park at Central Avenue and Tudor Hall at Meridian Street. Later, they occupied nearby campuses on Cold Spring Road. Park School moved to the current campus at 7200 N. College Avenue in 1967 on the former Lilly Orchard property donated by Eli Lilly Jr. and his brother Josiah K. Lilly Jr. The entire school, grades K-12, was housed in the current Lower School building, while Clowes Commons served as both dining hall and theatre.

When Tudor Hall merged with Park School in 1970 to become Park Tudor School, the Upper School was built and a small gymnasium was added to the larger gym. In 1976, the Fine Arts Building and Frederic M. Ayres Auditorium opened. In 1988, the Middle School was moved from the Upper School building into a facility of its own. The Ruth Lilly Science Center was completed in 1989, giving the school a state-of-the-art science facility. The year 1992 marked the opening of the expanded gymnasium complex.

The Lower School was renovated in 1997 and joined to the new Hilbert Early Education Center, which houses junior and senior kindergarten. In 2000, a new addition joining the Upper School to the Fine Arts Building and a total renovation of these two buildings, as well as a number of other campus improvements, were completed.

In 2021, the Irsay Family Sports Center for Health and Wellness opened, providing Park Tudor students with a brand new wellness and athletics facility and a place for the community to gather.

Traditions

Many traditions of our school are derived from our proud predecessors:

Leadership

Tudor Hall

Miss Fredonia Allen, 1902-1927
Miss Nell Farrar, 1927-1929
Miss Florence J. Morgan, 1929-1930
Miss Hazel McKee (acting), 1930-1931
Miss I. Hilda Stewart, 1931-1961
Miss Patricia J. Fulton, 1961-1962
Six-member administrative committee, 1962-1963
Miss Alma Whitford, 1963-1970

Park School

James T. Barrett, 1920-1928
Clifton O. Page, 1928-1939
E. Francis Bowditch, 1939-1941
John Caldow, 1941-1948
Dr. Norman Johnson, 1948-1952
Dr. Gaither Garrett, 1952-1957
Earl L. Kimber (acting), 1957-1958
Nathaniel H. Batchelder, Jr. 1959-1960
Richard M. Garten, 1960-1964
William A. McCluskey III, 1964-1970

Park Tudor School

William McCluskey, 1970-1972
William George Young, 1972-1986
Thomas E. Black, Jr. (acting), 1986-1987
Bruce W. Galbraith, 1987-2002
Douglas S. Jennings, 2002-2011
Dr. Matthew D. Miller, 2011-2016
Peter Kraft (interim), 2016-2017
Gareth Vaughan, 2017-2022
Dennis Bisgaard (interim), 2022-2023
Chris Front, 2023-present

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Notable Alumni

Park Tudor alumni are balanced, confident, and resourceful lifelong learners. Browse our gallery of graduates who have made—and continue to make—amazing contributions to Park Tudor and society.

browse alumni gallery

notable alumni