our history
50 years of Waldorf education in Chicago
The Chicago Waldorf School opened in 1974 with a kindergarten class in a rented classroom at the Church of the Three Crosses in Lincoln Park. There were five children and one teacher. Three years later, in 1977, a 1st Grade was added, and the school began to grow at a rate of one grade per year until the first nine-member 8th Grade graduated in 1985. The school remained at eight grades until 1994 when a 9th and 10th Grade were added. The first nine 12th Grade seniors graduated from the school in 1997.
Today, with a full 12-year curriculum and an enrollment of over 270 students, the school is the largest Waldorf school in the midwest. In terms of growth and stability, it has come a long way from that fledgling kindergarten class started with ambitious vision, strong parental support and little in the way of resources. That independent parent-motivated effort continues today with the school's latest expansion; The Parent-Child program, begun in 1992 to provide education and care for toddlers and their parents, has grown to be a unique and vibrant Waldorf program with full classes and waiting lists for enrollment.
The Chicago Waldorf School is fully accredited by the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and is recognized by the State of Illinois. The school is also an active member of the Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools.
lyman trumbull elementary
In 2018, the Chicago Waldorf School moved into our permanent home in the former Lyman Trumbull Elementary.
Architect Dwight H. Perkins
Built in 1908 and opened in 1909, Trumbull elementary was the first Prairie School public school in history. Designed by architect Dwight H. Perkins, the school was revolutionary in its day, emphasizing natural light and built entirely around a communal gathering space: the beautifully-domed, two-floor auditorium.
The school was named after Illinois Senator Lyman Trumbull, who co-authored the 13th Amendment and, later in his career, advocated for the rights of impoverished Illinoisans.
Trumbull was shuttered in 2013, during the mass closing of over 50 Chicago Public Schools. The building sat vacant until 2018, when it was purchased and reopened by the Chicago Waldorf School.
further Resources
Lyman Trumbull Elementary (Chicago Historic Schools)
Ghosts in the Schoolyard - Eve L. Ewing
An undated postcard featuring Lyman Trumbull Elementary and a view of the Ashland/Foster intersection.
An elementary school class in 1961.
Lyman Trumbull Elementary circa 1920.
The school circa 1940.
Lyman Trumbull Elementary has a sister school on the West Side of Chicago, called George W. Tilton Elementary.
shikaakwa
The Chicago Waldorf School sits on land stolen from the Potawatomi, Miami, Ottawa, Ojibwe, and Sac and Fox people.
This land was inhabited exclusively by Indigenous people until the 1780s, when Jean Baptiste Point du Sable and his wife Kitihawa established a trading post near the mouth of what is now called the Chicago River. Following their arrival, the site grew into a prosperous trade hub, leading to the city’s formal establishment in 1833.
The name ‘Chicago’ is derived from the Algonquin word, ‘shikaakwa’, which described the famously odorous wild onions that once covered the region.
Chicago in 1820. Looking at the path of the river, you can see the layout of the Loop. Note that this was long before the mouth of the river was straightened to ease access.
Chicago in 1831, with Fort Dearborn across the river from du Sable's home and trading post.
Many of the streets that cut through the city's grid system were originally Indigenous paths.
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the first permanent non-Indigenous settler of the area we now call Chicago.
Members of the Chippewa, Pueblo and Winnebago tribes look out over Chicago’s skyline from the roof of the Hotel Sherman.