The Wheeler School history

A building on Brook Street was purchased, in 1898, to house girls enrolled in the preparatory program for her Cabot Street School.

In 1900, adding an academic college preparatory curriculum to her art instruction, Mary Wheeler accepted ten female students as boarders and officially founded The Mary C. Wheeler School.

In 1910, Hope Building was constructed to provide living and dining facilities required by a growing student body and faculty.

In 1912, the original Fresh Air Building was completed, though it was later rebuilt.

Mary Helena Dey was hired in 1914 to reorder the school’s curriculum.

The first Wheeler Field Day was celebrated in 1915, and is the oldest continuously-celebrated tradition at the school.

In 1950, she was succeeded by S. Rowland “Rowly” Morgan, Jr.

In 1952, the Wheeler Annual Fund was established to support the school through donations by alumni, family and friends.

In 1968, Hugh A. Madden was named headmaster.

William C. Prescott, Jr. succeeded Hugh Madden as headmaster in 1980.

The Hamilton School at Wheeler opened in 1988 to its first group of 35 students in grades 1-6.

Wheeler was the Providence site of the Summerbridge National program in 1992.

WELH-FM (Wheeler's radio station at FM 88.1) went on the air in 1994 at the end of a 10-year process begun as an Aerie student project.

As of 2006, the station broadcasts Spanish-language programming in the morning and a golden oldies format in the afternoon, and the station streams via the internet.

Since October 8, 2011, WELH has broadcast programming from Rhode Island Public Radio.