Our History
In 1929, Elizabeth Sage Hare, a woman of extraordinary vision and compassion, convinced a group of friends to join her in founding the Fountain Valley School of Colorado. They shared the belief that a boarding school dedicated to traditional standards of excellence and progressive ideals of individual dignity and creative promise would thrive in the great American West.
With the help of Colorado Springs entrepreneur and philanthropist Spencer Penrose, Hare convinced the School's first headmaster, Francis Mitchell Froelicher, to come West to start the School, and commissioned architect John Gaw Meem to use the Pueblo Revival Style architecture model for its design. The site chosen for the School was a large ranch, known as Lazy B Ranch, belonging to Jack Bradley, and the School's first building was Bradley's spectacular 1927 home designed by Addison Mizner. The house, known as Casa Serena and commonly referred to as the Hacienda, was surrounded by a polo field, stables and some small residences for ranch hands.
Hare purchased the Lazy B Ranch and all of its amenities for $150,000 in November of 1929. The School opened as a boarding school for boys in September of 1930. Original faculty members included F. Martin Brown, who taught science, Alexander S. Campbell (English), Roswell C. Josephs and Robert C. Langdon (mathematics), Ernest Kitson (music), C. Dwight Perry (French), and Boardman Robinson (art). Froelicher, a nationally recognized progressive educator, was the leader behind incorporating the environment into Fountain Valley's programs. FVS became co-educational in 1975.
The Contributions of Julie and Spencer Penrose
Among the earliest and most significant champions of Fountain Valley School were Julie and Spencer Penrose. Spencer, whose entrepreneurial ventures shaped Colorado Springs, lent his influence and resources to ensure the School’s founding success. His wife, Julie Villiers Lewis McMillan Penrose—later remembered as the “Queen of Colorado Springs”—was equally devoted to the School’s growth. For sixteen years, she served on the Board of Trustees, offering not only generous financial gifts but also her steady friendship and active participation in school affairs.
Julie Penrose’s support left a lasting impact on campus life. She funded the gymnasium, oversaw the renovation of the auditorium, and established the Penrose History Prize. Her concern for the faculty was deeply personal: she insisted on renovations to make their homes more livable, ensuring that teachers could thrive alongside their students. She carried forward Spencer’s vision after his death, and together they created a legacy of philanthropy through the founding of the El Pomar Foundation in 1937. Today, El Pomar has distributed more than $650 million to Colorado nonprofits, sustaining the Penroses’ commitment to education, culture, and community.As the Class of 1956 wrote in dedicating its yearbook to her memory: “She was always not only a generous donor but also a loyal and interested friend… more, however, will she be remembered for her keen interest and active participation in the affairs of the school.”
Early funders, in addition to Hare, Penrose, and Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms, included Hagner Holme and Alfred Cowles. The School has had the following headmasters throughout its history: Froelicher served from 1930 to 1950 and was succeeded by Henry B. Poor (1951–1958), Lewis Perry Jr (1958–1978), Timothy Knox (1978–1987), Eric S. Waples (1987–1995), John E. Creeden (1995–2007), Craig W. Larimer Jr. '69 (2007-2013), William V. Webb (2013-2022), and Megan Harlan (2022–present).
