The influence of the ideas of progressive educator John Dewey (1859–1952) resulted in the development not only of the Laboratory School at the University of Chicago, but also of a series of private or independent schools, many of which are still in operation today. Among the most interesting is the Park School of Buffalo, New York.

In 1911, having learned about Dewey's educational ideas, Nina Bull, a socially prominent Buffalonian, went to New York City to try to convince Dewey to help establish a school based on his ideas in Buffalo, New York. Dewey suggested that Bull meet with Mary Hammett Lewis, a teacher at the Horace Mann School, which was affiliated with Teachers College, Columbia University. Lewis had come to New York from Cleveland to ...