When one of The Storm King School’s earliest graduates (c. the 1860s) – New York banker James Jewitt Stillman – chose to settle in the Hudson Highlands with his family, no one could predict how much his legacy, and that of his son Ernest, would shape the history of the area and of the School.

Like many of his business associates of the time including William Rockefeller, Edward Harriman, and J.P. Morgan, James Stillman was drawn to the area’s natural beauty where he wished to build a family estate in a community that rivaled Tuxedo Park, NY. To realize his vision, he began to purchase large tracts of land surrounding Storm King Mountain including homesteader’s farms and areas used for logging. Upon his death in 1918, this property around Storm King remained undeveloped and reverted to his youngest son, Ernest, who was then practicing medicine in the village of Cornwall.

 

 

It is from this land that Dr. Ernest G. Stillman created Black Rock Forest in 1929, designating it as a resource for forest research and demonstration. Dedicated to science, Dr. Stillman expanded the original parcel of land to encompass more than 3,800 contiguous acres, personally funded numerous scientific experiments within the Forest and saw to its longevity by endowing Black Rock and bequeathing it to his alma mater, Harvard University after his death in 1949. Harvard later sold the Forest in 1989 to Willian T. Golden, who founded the 15-member Black Rock Forest Consortium which manages the Forest today and includes The Storm King School as a founding member.

Today, Black Rock Forest is a living laboratory for field-based research and education, encompassing native terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that are increasingly rare in the region. The 3,838-acre Forest features dramatic topography, more than 1,000 feet of relief, numerous lakes and streams, and high species and habitat diversity. This has always been a great advantage for The Storm King School, which has benefited from its shared history and its close proximity to Black Rock since its founding in 1867.

 

 

Along with his stewardship of the Forest, Dr. Stillman was always a strong supporter of The Storm King School. He was elected to the School’s Board of Trustees in 1926 and served as the Board Chair from 1932 until 1941. Even after his retirement from the Board, it is said that Dr. Stillman visited campus often. According to a 1950s edition of The Quarry: “All through Dr. Stillman’s long contact with the Storm King School, he consistently promoted the highest standards of education. As a result of his work, hundreds of young men have benefited and in turn, are serving their communities and their country. Because of his faith and his policies, The Storm King School is recognized by educators as one of the fine preparatory schools of the eastern seaboard.” To acknowledge the important contributions Dr. Stillman made to the School, the Stillman Science Building on the Storm King campus was dedicated in his memory by Headmaster Warren Leonard in 1961.

 

 

Dr. Stillman’s legacy continues through many aspects of academic and student life at Storm King. Lasting SKS traditions such as Mountain Day, first instituted by Headmaster Anson Barker in 1932, sent Storm King students on a maze-like trek through Black Rock Forest. Countless alumni and current students have enjoyed hikes under the tunnel and through the woods (even when the 9W highway didn’t yet exist), and time spent reflecting at Black Rock’s pristine reservoirs. Storm King’s innovative curriculum which highlights experiential learning encourages the use of the Forest during outdoor classroom activities, scientific experiments, and environmental studies. In the spirit of being a good neighbor, the School’s Community Service Program also coordinates many hours of service in the Forest clearing trails, participating in wildlife and foliage studies, and helping to prevent erosion.

 

 

Another way The Storm King School strives to be a good neighbor is through fundraising activities to benefit research and education at Black Rock. In May 2018, the SKS Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) organized a group of fellow students and faculty to “Take the Plunge” into the icy waters of the Hudson River for the third year in a row to raise money for their cause. The event, which is another tradition at the School involving Black Rock, is the culmination of a year-long, student-led campaign which also included hot dog sales, pool tournaments, and other fundraising activities on campus. At the conclusion of the 2017-2018 school year, NHS students presented Dr. William Schuster, Executive Director of Black Rock Forest Consortium, with a check for $2,908.25 resulting from their efforts. Headmaster Jonathan Lamb summarized Storm King’s relationship in a few words during the ceremony: “Our school has always had a great partnership with Black Rock. The Storm King School wouldn’t be what it is today without the Forest and the use of all of its great facilities.”

 

 

 

Sources:
1) http://blackrockforest.org/
2) Black Rock’s Hidden Past: A History of Land Use Practices Prior to the Creation of Black Rock Forest, Dr. Neil Maher- Assoc. Professor of History, Rutgers University; http://blackrockforest.org/files/blackrock/content/MaherHistoryCompleteText.pdf
3) The Storm King School archives
4) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24561760/james-stillman
5) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/105472832/ernest-goodrich-stillman
3) The Cornwall Local, 1962