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Why Gunn
About
The Frederick Gunn School has always been a place for students to take risks. We want you to push yourself because you are the kind of student, the kind of person, who can achieve remarkable things. We will challenge you and will insist that you push yourself. We don’t believe in letting students default to a comfort zone. You will learn just how much you can accomplish. And you will be astonished.

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Admissions
Students at The Frederick Gunn School spend their high-school years growing up, growing wiser, and growing more confident. They form lasting friendships by supporting each other as they step outside of comfort zones alongside faculty who truly believe in them. Coming to Gunn is a choice to dig a little deeper, to get past the shiny surface of so much that surrounds us. We would love for you to become a Highlander.
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Academics
The Frederick Gunn School prepares students for college and global citizenship by integrating academic learning with the immersive experiences of boarding school life. By extending education beyond the classroom, we equip students with the leadership skills needed to thrive in an interconnected world.

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Arts
At The Frederick Gunn School, we invite our students to be creators and makers. Whether you are interested in the visual or performing arts, you will have the chance to leave your mark on the world, to challenge others to see the world in a new way, and to express your perfectly unique point of view.

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Athletics
Inspired by Frederick Gunn’s belief that athletics builds both "muscle and character," our program offers 36 teams across 16 sports. Whether you are a high performing athlete or a beginner, this is where you can master new skills, discover new passions, and contribute to the tradition of being a Highlander, in and out of competition.

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Student Life
At The Frederick Gunn School, the best moments often happen between the bustle of academics and co-curriculars. Whether it’s sharing lunch, hosting a movie night, or sledding behind Teddy House, you will find opportunities to gather, relax, and build lasting friendships across our campus. It's why students and alumni refer to Gunn as home.

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Giving
From experiential learning opportunities and faculty development, to student life activities, athletics, and financial aid, gifts of all sizes — from alumni, friends, faculty and staff, students, and families — collectively ensure the school can maintain our standards of excellence and improve where needed.

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In this section

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Burgess Ayres

1969-1977

Burgess Ayres assumed the headship following Ogden D. Miller’s retirement.

A 1938 graduate of Choate, he went on to Harvard University, where he received an S.B. degree in 1942 and an A.M. in 1950. He played varsity football, hockey and baseball at both Choate and Harvard and served as an executive officer in the U.S. Navy from December 1942.
He was assistant leader of the Choate Russian seminar program, visiting the Soviet Union in 1962 and 1964.
He became headmaster of Shattuck School in Minnesota in 1964, introducing new courses in Afro-Asian Studies, Art, and Russian language and beginning a comprehensive building program.
Ayres arrived at The Gunnery during a most tumultuous period during the 1960s. His tenure coincided with the civil rights era, the assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, protests over the Vietnam War, and the rise of the feminist movement.
He initiated the coordination of classes and students with Wykeham Rise, the nearby girls school. By 1976, most of the visual and performing arts and language classes were held on the Wykeham campus while The Gunnery hosted math, English, science and history classes, and most of the athletic co-curriculars. Buses ran between the two campuses.
Also during his tenure, Ned Swigart P'82, who taught biology and served as Director of the Outdoor Club, was teaching the principles of archaeology when his students made a terrific discovery. The Outdoor Club is credited with finding some of the oldest American Indian remains in New England, which led to the establishment of the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington.