Our History

The Association known as “Hellenic-American Educational Foundation” is established on August 13 and its charter is approved for the founding of an all-boys school.  The first HAEF Board of Directors is comprised of: Epaminondas Charilaos (Chairman), Bert Hodge Hill (Vice-Chairman), Stephanos Delta, (Treasurer), Stavros Papadakis (General Secretary), Emmanuel Benakis, Petros Calligas, Harold Jaquith, Nikolaos Kyriakides (members).

On October 18, the new School, named Athens College, is inaugurated.  Classes begin the following day in a rented mansion on Andros Street, in the center of Athens. Initially, fifteen (15) students enroll in the School, doubling in number by the end of the first month. Of these, eleven are refugees from Istanbul and Asia Minor, five from abroad, nine from the provinces, and five from Athens.

The Boarding School is launched at the same time as the School. The first student to enroll is temporarily housed in White House, a neighboring hotel, When the school relocates to Psychico in 1928, the Boarding Unit is quartered in the east wing of Benaki Hall and Ralph E. Kent is appointed its Director.  In 1932, Georgios Phylactopoulos succeeds Kent as Director. At the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War in 1940, the Boarding Unit ceases to operate, as does the School. It is not until 1946 that it reopens its doors to 132 boarders.  During the 1950s and early 1960s, the Boarding Unit witnesses tremendous growth, surpassing 230 boarders.  By then, it is accommodated in Tsolainos House, Glafka House, Capps Hall, Vasileia House, Davis House, and Lila House, which have been gradually constructed on the Psychico campus.  In 1970, Solon Zacharof undertakes the directorship of the Boarding Unit until 1983 when its operation is permanently shut down.

The Scholarship Fund is created. Its founders and first sponsors are Stephanos and Penelope Delta.  According to Davis, the Scholarship Program became virtually synonymous with the spirit and ideals of the College.  Thanks to the Program, hundreds of students whose families face financial hardships receive assistance and are able to attend the School.

On December 9, a provisional charter is issued by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, giving legal standing to the Board with the title: “Trustees of Athens College in Greece.”  The title is later changed to “Board of Trustees.” Its founding members are:  Edward Capps, Charles Howland, Ery Kehayia, John H. Finley, James T. Shotwell, Kenneth C. M. Sills, William G. Mather, Stephen P. Duggan. Albert Staub is appointed Executive Secretary.

Homer and Marjorie Davis play a crucial role in the opening and organization of the new school.  Homer Davis, originally Head of the English Department and Librarian of the School, is appointed Deputy Director in 1927.  In 1939, he takes over as Deputy Director, and in 1932 as Director/President. When World War II is declared, the couple departs for America. In 1946, they return and Davis once again resumes his duties as Director/President until 1960. In 1964, he is appointed Interim Director for another two years. For almost five decades, Davis leaves his mark on the shape, unique character, and development of Athens College.

The College’s landmark building, Benaki Hall, is inaugurated on May 25.  The inaugural ceremony is attended by the nation’s Prime Minister, Eleftherios Venizelos, who emphasizes the importance of private education during his address.  “…Private schools are where the greatest and most successful innovations may flourish: loosely supervised by the State and complying with broad State guidelines, private school enjoy the freedom which public schools lack and, therefore, may achieve great progress.  This is the kind of progress we expect Athens College to achieve. This, in my judgement, is the significance of the College…”

The College’s coat of arms and shield, designed by Director of the Boarding Unit, Georgios Phylactopouos, and teacher, Robert Shaffer, are approved by the Administration and HAEF BoD.  The four elements of the coat of arms symbolize the origin of the Greeks from the Cretan-Mycenaean era (axe), through classical antiquity (owl) and the Byzantine period (cross), to modern, reborn Greece (phoenix).

At the beginning of the Greek-italian War (October 28, 1940) all the schools in Greece are closed. Benaki Hall is taken over by the Ministry of War and operates as a military hospital. With the conquest of the city of Athens by German troops, Benaki Hall is used at first as a hospital for British captives, later as a care unit for German soldiers and finally as a German infantry barrack. During this period, the School is housed in a building on Akadimias Street in the center of Athens, provided by Lambros Eftaxias, a member of the HAEF BoD.  At the same time, a two-storey house is rented on Parnithos Street in Psychico, where students living in the northern suburbs attend classes.

At the initiative of alumni, under the auspices of SAKA, the parents, and friends of the College, money is collected for the construction of the west wing of Benaki Hall, as well as the third floor (attic), which is completed in 1952.

The College’s Student Community decides to actively participate in the general effort to rebuild the war-torn country and takes initiatives to cover the construction costs of damaged schools in the Greek provinces, starting with a school in Kampia, Fthiotida. The students raise money, chiefly from a Christmas Fundraiser organized by the Student Council and through simple meals, supported by the Administration, faculty, parents and alumni of the College.

The Athens College Student Community continues its social outreach program in the years that follow. Until 1972, it reconstructs, equips, and maintains more than 20 schools in remote areas of Greece. In 1962, the Academy of Athens awards it for its national and charitable contributions. Today, the School Student Communities continue this tradition through the annual Expedition and other philanthropic and social well-being activities.

The Teaching Fellows program, known today as the Fulbright Fellowship Program of Athens College, is established, bringing recent graduates from universities in the United States to the College to act as ambassadors and provide a cross-cultural educational experience. Fellows undertake auxiliary teaching tasks and collaborate with students in the capacity of counselors, coaches, and more.  The College today hosts the largest number of Fulbright Fellows of any institution in Greece.

Thanks to a gift of the US Agency for International Development from the American People, the Central Library and Science Building, later renamed International Baccalaureate Building, are constructed.   From the very first years of the College, the Library complements the educational process by providing students with the environment, materials and equipment necessary to develop and practice research skills. On the other hand, the Science Building, which at the time of its construction is equipped with pioneering laboratories and safety tools, gives new impetus to the teaching of science courses across all grade levels.

On September 19, Bodossakeio Building in Kantza, donated by Bodossakis Athanasiadis to accommodate Athens College Elementary School, opens its doors.  In 1978, the American Institute of Architects (AIA Chicago) presents this leading edge building with the Distinguished Building Award.

After 52 years of operation as an all-boys school, Athens College becomes a co-educational.  Its first female students, 69 in number and equivalent to 25% of the student population, graduate at Commencement 1988.

Psychico College is established.  The new school, initially just a primary school, is housed on the Psychico campus, in buildings with underused capacity due to a shrinking Boarding Unit.  Psychico College eventually completes its structure by adding a Junior High School (Gymnasium) and High School (Lyceum), which are also accommodated on the Psychico campus.

The new College Theater in Psychico is built through a grant of the US Agency for International Development from the American People. Apart from its primary role in the operation of the School, the Theater serves as an educational and intellectual center and contributes to the cultural life of Athens by hosting a series of events.

The Adult Programs come into being, at first serving the College community and eventually the greater public.  They offer a broad selection of courses in the sciences, culture, foreign languages, arts, sports and dance. Each year, new courses are introduced, which are taught by renowned professionals in their respective fields.  They are the oldest and largest Adult Education Program offered in Greece.

On October 11, Latseio Building in Kantza is inaugurated, a donation by the family of Ioannis Latsis “to education and to Greek youth.” The building accommodates Psychico College Elementary School. 

The International Baccalaureate Programme is successfully implemented into Athens College, aimed at students who wish to continue their tertiary studies abroad.  Since academic year 2000-2001, the IB Programme is administered by Psychico College High School. Today, the Psychico College IB Diploma Programme is the largest in Greece and among the largest in Europe.

Τhe restructuring-renovation and upgrading of Benaki Hall is completed in May 2010, with absolute respect for its traditional architectural features. The project is executed in four phases, starting in November of 2008, without any disruption to the operation of the School.

The "George Economou Informatics Center" is established through a donation from George Economou ΄72, to promote technology in education, utilizing state of the art equipment. As of 2014, the Informatics Center operates on the 2nd floor of the newly built Alexandra Martinou building.

After a donation by Fotini Livanou and Alexandra Voureka-Petala in memory of their father, John M. Carras x36, the model, dual language "John M. Carras" Kindergarten is built and begins its operation at the Psychico campus. In its first year of operation, it is certified as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum building by the US Green Building Council.

Athens College and Psychico College are authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB) as IB World Schools for the Middle Years Programme (MYP), which is implemented in Junior High School and 1st grade of High School.