McDonogh’s Archives and Special Collections was established in 1989 by Frayda Salkin, and is the official repository for the School’s institutional records. It collects, appraises, preserves, and makes accessible non-current, inactive records of permanent value that document the history, mission, and organization of the School from 1873 to the present day.
Over the past four decades, the archival collection has grown from a random assortment of items stored on the top floor of the Memorial Field House to a state-of-the-art resource center. The premier collection exists because of the wisdom, foresight, and diligence of those who saw value in the historical objects and were willing to advocate for their preservation.
Housed in Jane Bay Dormitory and the former Headmaster’s House on Riding Hall Road over the years, the Archives and Special Collections are now conventiently located in the center of campus on the second floor of Lyle Building.
The renovated space, which officially opened in October of 2023, is now the Wilson | Young Archives and Special Collections. It is named in remembrance of two important figures from the past—Josepha Young, school matron from 1873-1907, and Eddie Wilson, a staff member from 1957-1985. In the words of Jon Aaron ‘72, “Josepha and Eddie—decades apart—both cajoled, both consoled, and both helped shape McDonogh not only as our school on the hill but as our home on the hill.”
Within the new space, students, teachers, and alumni engage with McDonogh’s history and extensive collection of institutional records, manuscripts, photographs, art, and artifacts. At the opening ceremony, Head of School Dave Farace ‘87 proudly noted, “The scope and depth of our archives and special collections is an asset that is rare in kindergarten to twelfth grade schools. It rivals many collegiate or even corporate environments.”
