A History for the Yearbook

The school published yearbooks in 1953 and 1954.  The tradition resumed in 1965 after the school instituted a high school and the students began publishing yearbooks. For the 1954 yearbook, George wrote a brief history of the earliest days of the school.

As Remembered By George and Annemarie

After retirement, the Roepers wrote a history of the school

Original Publication Date: 1984-1985

George retired from the school in June 1979 and Annemarie retired in June 1980. The school spent the next decade exploring how to be Roeper without the Roepers – a not uncommon predicament for institutions when charismatic founders retire.  As one part of that process, the school asked George and Annemarie to write a history of the school and to describe the development of the Philosophy, which were published in the school’s alumni magazine.  These are some of the most complete surviving descriptions written by the Roepers.  They wrote a history of the school that was published in two parts and is found here, and a history of the Philosophy that discusses both how they conceived it and how they implemented it.

Roeper Alumni News, Fall 1984

Note that at the top of page 3, the text says George and Annemarie taught at “Mt. Temple” school. This is a typo. They actually taught at Mt. Kemble School, which was located in Bernardsville, N.J., at the time. The school is now called Far Hills Country Day School and is located in Morrisville, NJ.

 

Roeper Alumni News, Spring 1985

Note that on the first page, George and Annemarie have reversed the order in which Sally Booth and Mariann Hoag came to the school.  Sally started first — in 1947 — and Mariann came a year later in 1948.

Lecture 1: The History As Told by Annemarie

To begin a lecture series, Annemarie recounted the history of the school

Original Publication Date: October 10, 1995

For many years, Annemarie would visit the school in October from her home in Oakland, California, taking advantage of the season that was her favorite Michigan season. She would meet with students, faculty, and administrators, catching up on the school and providing advice. During her 1995 visit, she delivered a series of four lectures on gifted child development.  The lectures were recorded and we have video and transcripts of the sessions.  This is the first lecture, a history of the school, and the second, third, and fourth lectures are also on this website.