History of the School
Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School is a coeducational parish day school located at the corner of Belvedere and Peabody in Central Gardens of midtown Memphis. Midtown is an historic residential district dating back to the early 1900's. Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School is a co-educational, pre-kindergarten to grade eight day school enrolling 490 students. Although GSL marks its founding from the year l 947, the beginnings of the institution actually go back to the year 1919. In that year, the Reverend Bartol B. Ramage, Rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, started a small parochial school in the little red clapboard Parish House that was on the present site of the school's auditorium. The Reverend Mr. Ramage was in charge of religious education, and Mrs. Ramage, his wife, was a teacher in the school. They began with an enrollment of approximately 15 children. Then in 1923 Miss Ethel Ramage, the Ramages' daughter, joined the teaching staff after her graduation from Columbia University. During that year, unfortunately, Mr. Ramage's health began to fail and the family moved to Gulfport, Mississippi, whereupon Miss Ramage closed the school in 1924.

In 1947 when St. Mary's Episcopal School for Girls closed its doors, Mrs. Griffin Walker opened the kindergarten at Grace-St. Luke's Church at the request of the Rector Dr. Charles Hale. From 1952 onward, grades were added. The name was changed from St. Mary's Kindergarten to Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Day School, and in 1954 the nursery class and junior kindergarten were added to the fledgling institution. In 1954 there were approximately 65 students in the kindergarten and first grade. Over the years the school has continued to grow in numbers of students and faculty and in expansion of facilities. The first class graduated from the high school in 1976. In 1979 grades ten through twelve were discontinued. In 1995 grade nine was discontinued.

The school facilities are adjacent to Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church; however, now the preschool division is housed in a recently built and very well equipped neighboring structure known as "Miss Lee's." The school also owns property approximately one mile to the east that is used for athletic fields. In the spring of 2001 the school completed a capital campaign to add restrooms, locker rooms, weight room, a concession area and paved parking at Snowden Athletic Field.

Philosophy
Promote the spiritual growth of each student through offering worship, service, and educational opportunities in a Christian tradition that respects the religious heritage of each student.

Lead each student in the development of basic concepts and learning skills needed for academic growth appropriate to individual levels of learning.

Initiate programs that will help each child to think critically and creatively, thus enhancing his/her ability to solve problems and to make value judgments.

Provide stimulating and creative experiences within the classroom that will enhance student motivation.

Develop an open, inquiring mind, the ability to form independent opinions, yet to maintain a tolerance for the opinions, thoughts, and feelings of others.

Nurture in each child a feeling of self-worth as an individual, as part of his/her family, and as part of his/her community.

Develop in each student an awareness of his/her duties and responsibilities to God, to country, to family, to fellow students, and to self.

Encourage community involvement of students as part of the curriculum.

Encourage the School, home, and community to work together for the total development of each child.

Develop in each student an appreciation of the arts.

Equip each student with current, technological skills.

Provide a variety of activities to encourage and promote healthy physical growth and competition.