Since its origins around a sewing circle in the home of Samuel and Eliza Butterfield on Main Street in 1848, Proctor Academy’s existence has been intricately intertwined with the Town of Andover, New Hampshire. For 175 years, Proctor has helped educate the children of the Town and has served as the largest employer in town. In return, the Town of Andover has supported Proctor’s growth and evolution as a school, while providing valuable services to the school and its employees.
In so many ways, Proctor is Andover, and Andover is Proctor because of the relationship that exists between the two entities. In order to fully understand Proctor’s history, one must study it within the context of Andover’s history. In our most recent publication, the 2023 Proctor Magazine, we dove deeply into researching and visualizing the history of Proctor Academy within the context of the Town of Andover. Browse the images within this blog in more detail HERE to learn about Proctor’s history.
In 2001, then Head of School Steve Wilkins and members of the faculty and administration partnered with town officials to form a Proctor/Andover Liaison Committee that would seek to share information and troubleshoot shared issues facing the communities. After a three year hiatus triggered by Covid-19, this committee reformed this past summer with new representatives from the local community, Proctor, Town leadership, and school leadership.
The goal of the quarterly meetings of this group of invested citizens is to ensure that Proctor remains a good neighbor, does its best to share its resources with the Town, and find ways for students and employees to meaningfully engage in the life of the Town, while also sharing with members of the local community a more complete understanding of Proctor’s educational and financial models.
Living and working in a small town requires open lines of communication, collaboration, and appreciation for the complexities of how lives intersect in Andover. We are excited to continue to be the best possible resident of Andover that we can be, and understanding the history of our school within the context of the town is a great place to start.
Read more about Proctor's history HERE!
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