Allendale Columbia School is an independent, co-educational college preparatory day school serving students from nursery through twelfth grade. Building on more than one hundred and twenty years of educational experience, Allendale Columbia fosters in students an appreciation for learning, emphasizing structure and disciplined work habits within a creative, liberal arts curriculum.

History

In September, 1890, Caroline Milliman and Alida Lattimore opened a school on Brighton Street, Rochestor, NY to thirteen students in the elementary grades. This was the beginning of the school that is now Allendale Columbia School. By 1895, they had outgrown their quarters and purchased land on North Goodman Street for what was now called the Columbia School, which gradually expanded to encompass grades K-12. Boys were included through grade 3, but Columbia School was primarily a women’s preparatory school. In 1905, Miss Lattimore sold her interest to Mary Milliman Woodbury, who joined her sister as co-proprietor.

In 1926, the Allendale School for Boys opened with an enrollment of 64 boys in grades four through nine on a 24-acre site on Allens Creek Road. It was founded by a group of Rochester businessmen on the “country day” philosophy – mornings in class, early afternoons in athletic participation, late afternoons completing homework under supervision. Gradually, Allendale became a college preparatory school like Columbia.

The Schools merged from 1936 to 1939 in response to the Depression and the ensuing drop in enrollment. They continued to exist on separate campuses, with Columbia moving to the Wareham Whitney Estate on South Goodman Street and Allendale remaining on Allens Creek Road. The merger dissolved in 1939.

On Thanksgiving night, 1966, a devastating fire destroyed all the original buildings on the Allendale campus. Only the Alumni Gym and courtyard building survived. The Phoenix Fund raised over $1,000,000 to rebuild the School.

Discussions through the late 1960’s regarding enrollment patterns and faculty needs resulted in a decision to merge the two schools. The Columbia Development Fund raised $2,000,000 to build a campus adjacent to the Allendale School. In 1971, the schools combined under one Board of Trustees; the following year Columbia School moved to the Allens Creek Road campus. James. R. Kolster was named first headmaster of the Allendale Columbia School.

A 1982 Long Range Plan led to facility renovations and additions, strengthening of the program and curriculum and establishment of an endowment fund to improve faculty salaries. Facility improvements since that time include construction of the Connector, Early Primary Building, Gleason Science Wing, Gannett Gymnasium and Curtis Performance Center, and renovation of the Alumni Gym, the Arts Building and the Rumsey Library. David Pynchon, named Headmaster in 1983, died suddenly in 1988 and was succeeded by our current headmaster, Charles Hertrick.

More recently, an ongoing effort to stay current with the latest technology has resulted in the complete networking and wireless capacity of campus, the addition of several computer labs, the issuance of laptops to all faculty, and the purchase of iBook mobile labs for classroom use. In 2002, the Courtyard was renovated and darkrooms were added to the Arts Building.

Now in its second century, Allendale Columbia continues to pursue the goals set many years ago – “Academic excellence, the preparation for leadership, and development of character.”

In Febuary of 2006, Seymour Nutts, Attourney, caught a sixth grade history and english teacher, Mr. Bone, robbing a local bank and screaming "B*tch F*cker F*ggot F*ce." He was consequently arrested and is awaiting trial. Once a week he makes a lovley video conference with his old friend, Tupac.

Sports teams

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
| Interscholastic Athletic Teams
|-
! Sport !! Level !! Season !! Gender
|-
|Baseball
| V, JV, M || Spring || Boys'
|-
|Basketball
| V, JV, M || Winter || Boys', Girls'
|-
|Cross-Country
| V, M || Fall || Boys', Girls', Coed (MD Only)
|-
|Golf
| V || Spring || Coed
|-
|Soccer
|V, JV, MD || Fall || Boys', Girls'
|-
|Softball
|V, JV, MD || Spring || Girls'
|-
|Swimming
|V, MD || Winter || Boys', Girls'
|-
|Tennis
|V, JV, M || Fall (Girls'), Spring (Boys') || Boys', Girls'
|-
|Track (indoor)
| V, JV || Winter || Boys', Girls'
|-
|Track (outdoor)
|V, JV, M || Spring || Boys', Girls', Coed (M Only)
|-
|Volleyball
|V, JV, M || Fall || Girls'
|}

V = Varsity, JV = Junior Varsity, M = Modified