History & Mission

History

Dr. Frederick Luther Gamage, the widely respected Headmaster of St. Paul's School in Garden City, Long Island, founded the Pawling School in 1907. He left St. Paul's determined to create a new institution that embodied his own educational philosophy-one grounded on the idea that effort across the board is the foundation on which all achievement ultimately rests. "Whether a boy succeeds in the first instance at all he attempts is irrelevant," Dr. Gamage used to say. "Over time, effort inevitably yields achievement. The only time a boy truly fails is when he fails to try."

Spend some time on campus and you'll see for yourself that Dr. Gamage did indeed create the school of which he dreamed. Located on 150 acres high on a hill overlooking the Hudson River Valley, Trinity-Pawling boasts stately brick architecture, sweeping green fields and a picture postcard view. If T-P is beautiful on the outside, experience it from the inside and its magic truly becomes apparent. We instill the confidence you need to tap your talents while teaching you the skills you need to capitalize on them.

Mission

• To continue the tradition started in 1907 whereby Trinity-Pawling is an all-male college preparatory school serving primarily boarding students. The young men of Trinity-Pawling are encouraged to reach their full potential, and the faculty is committed to upholding the highest standards of learning.
• To instill a value system, steeped in the Judeo-Christian tradition and reflected in the chapel experience, which prepares Trinity-Pawling boys to face the challenges of a multicultural world, to be leaders who strive for justice for all people, and to be contributing members of society.
• To provide a foundation which enables a student to think and act as an independent and responsible person.
• To foster a sense of community based upon a boarding school tradition - boys living with peers and faculty families. Respect for others, a dress code, family-style meals, and appropriate behavior are hallmarks of this community.
• To promote a school culture that embraces diversity and recognizes the uniqueness of each individual.
• To develop close student-teacher relationships with a special concern for the personal development of the whole student: intellectual, creative, spiritual, moral, social, and athletic.
• To encourage within each boy a love of learning, the ability to think analytically and to develop the skills necessary to continue learning as a life-long experience.
• To support faculty excellence in teaching, coaching, and mentoring of students.
• To value equally effort and achievement - a boy is judged not only by academic and extracurricular accomplishments, but also by his efforts to excel to the best of his abilities.