History

Established in 1913 and originally named the Anne L. Page Memorial School in honor of Anne Lemist Page, a prominent 19th-century early childhood educator, the Child Study Center was one of the first laboratory schools in the United States. The Center was part of the so-called Progressive Movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the basic tenets of that movement was the notion that the mind and body worked together and, thus, both needed nurturance to develop well. Wellesley College itself was founded with many of the same Progressive ideals and has, from its inception, fostered both strong physical and intellectual nurturance of its students. In 1968, the school was renamed the Child Study Center and placed under the auspices of the Psychology Department.

Since then, the Child Study Center has maintained the highest standards of early childhood education in accordance with established principles of child growth and development. We view the preschool years as an exciting, optimistic time in life and feel privileged to be professionally involved with the education of young children in this historic yet up-to-date setting.

Read more about the Child Study Center’s fascinating history:

• Anne Lemist Page and the Founding of the Page School, Martin Padley, Former President, Wellesley Historical Society

• The Quiet Reformer, Professor Thomas M. Page, Grand-nephew of Anne Lemist Page

• The History of the Child Study Center, Shara Collins, Wellesley College Class of 2006