An Inspired History

At the turn of the twentieth century, three immigrant sisters, Marthe, Louise, and Jeanne Maret, left their home in Geneva, Switzerland with a dream of creating a school that combined the best practices Europe had to offer with the fundamental principles of American democracy. In 1911, that dream took root in the nation’s capital, when the sisters opened their doors to their first class of culturally diverse students. Their legacy resonates today as we continue to provide an education that is authentic to every child and prepares them well for life beyond Maret.

Much of the following are excerpts from MARET SCHOOL: THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS—a publication written by presidential scholar Michael Beschloss and designed by The Magazine Group to commemorate Maret's centennial in 2011. For copies, please contact the Development Office at 202.939.8809.

Maret 2011 Centennial Celebration

This video showcases the tremendous community involvement at Maret School during our Centennial celebration year in 2011. The festivities concluded in October 2011, but the joyful spirit of connection and pride in our school will be felt for years to come.

Woodley Society

As part of National History Day 2019, Maret students in the Woodley Society did a research project on the theme of "Tragedy and Triumph." Their guiding question was whether or not the DC Emancipation and Compensation Act of 1862 achieved its goals for the emancipation of the DC enslaved population. They tracked the changes in the District as a result of the Act as well as the life of Lucy Berry, a formerly enslaved woman who was one of the last Woodley slaves prior to emancipation.
 
Woodley, the central building on Maret's campus, is a Federal-style house built in 1801. Woodley is registered with the Historic House Museum Consortium of Washington, DC.

MARET LEADERSHIP: A TIMELINE

Mlle Marthe Maret
1911–1945

Mlle Louise Maret
1911–1945

Mlle Jeanne Maret
1911–1945

Alice Carson
Principal
1945-1950

Margaret Williams
Principal
1950–1969

William Lanxner
Headmaster
1969–1971

William Layton
Headmaster
1971–1972

John Francis
Headmaster
1972–1973

Peter A. Sturtevant
Headmaster
1974–1994

Marjo Talbott

Marjo Talbott
Head of School
1994–Present