Webb School of Knoxville

Robert Webb, a “third generation school man,” founded the Webb School of Knoxville in September 1955. From his grandfather and uncles, who established schools in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and Claremont, California, Webb acquired a distinctive educational vision that emphasized academic excellence, a strong foundation in liberal arts, and the building of character and leadership. After a modest start as an independent secondary school for boys, Webb School of Knoxville has grown steadily and broadened its traditional commitments. In 1957 a separate girls’ school was opened. Two years later the two schools moved to the current 115-acre campus. After the boys’ and girls’ schools merged in 1968, the new coeducational Webb School adopted an upper and middle school structure. Throughout his tenure as the school’s head, Robert Webb was an influential figure in southern preparatory school circles; he is particularly remembered for his 1969 challenge to the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools to more actively promote racial integration. Since Webb’s retirement in 1984, four presidents have served Webb School: Douglas Peterson, William Pfeifer, Arthur Scott, and Scott L. Hutchinson. Webb alumni have attended the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities and have made significant contributions in many endeavors. In 1996-97, 730 students enrolled in grades five through twelve; a new Webb Lower School opened in the fall of 1998. Thus, with the recent program expansions, Webb School of Knoxville enters the twenty-first century with over 1,000 students and almost one hundred full-time faculty members.