Summary of the Proceedings of the Gifted Child Institute

The gifted child program developed by invited experts

Original Publication Date: June 1956

The Gifted Child Institute, held at Roeper June 18-22, 1956, led to a plan that encompassed the identification of gifted children, a discussion of the meaning of learning, and the organizing principles of the curriculum. The participants were interesting in developing motivation (how to nurture a love of learning) and self-awareness (how to have a healthy emotional balance). The curriculum was summarized overall as a study of “people and their problems.” It was a broad approach, studying cultures around the world through their myths, technology, and aesthetics using writing, experimentation, critical thinking, and hands-on projects. The explicit goal was to understand the complexity of the world and to find a means of contributing to its betterment.  Attention was paid to heightening awareness of gifted girls and expanding their social and professional options, as well as ensuring that students of all races and ethnicities would be identified and admitted to the school.

After the Institute, the Proceedings were collected and printed, thanks to the generous assistance of the Birmingham (MI) Public School district, and made available to anyone who was interested.

How Roeper Became a School for Gifted Children

Behind the commitment was a well-developed plan and broad support

Original Publication Date: Spring 2017

The Roeper School, known then as City & Country School, had only been in existence for 15 years when George and Annemarie made their substantial decision to focus exclusively on gifted child education. They had a strong base of local supporters, however, and reached out to nationally known figures in gifted education to help design the program. The success of their plan has made The Roeper School the oldest independent school for the gifted in the United States, and led George and Annemarie to become prominent advocates for the awareness that the emotional complexity of gifted children is as significant a part of their identity as their cognitive abilities. 

Citation: Ruff, M. (2017). “The People and the Ideas Behind Making Roeper a School for Gifted Children,” Keeping in Touch: The Roeper School Community Magazine, Bloomfield Hills, MI, Vol. 10:3, pp 7-11.