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Fall
1980

Five RadioShack TRS-80 computers come to BB&N

Fall
1987

The MS and US libraries institute online searching for the first time

September
2001

The new LS Lehner Center features a full technology classroom

March
2020

BB&N moves to remote learning in response to the COVID-19 epidemic

Fall
1983

The Lower School acquires ten Apple IIe computers for students to use

Technology

The color cover of a Radio Shack catalog, with the Radio Shack logo in red and white in the upper right corner. In the foreground, two computers are set up on desks at an angle. In the background is a large model or image of the earth. Text on the front of the catalog reads: "The Expanding World of TRS-80"

In Fall 1979, faculty member Richard Emmet attended Harvard's Conference on Microcomputers in Education and reported back to his cohort: "At present BB&N has one microcomputer, in the Upper School, and offers one semester elective that is open to Classes XI and XII ...we should give serious thought to including in our Lower School and Middle School curriculums some sequential exposure to the computer." In June 1980, Business Manager Andy Leighton ordered five TRS-80 computers from Radio Shack to add to the Middle School. 

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At the Lower School, teacher Howard Worona remembers the first computer being "under the eaves [in] this tiny little closet." In August 1983, Lower School Director Mary Alice Brennan Crosby wrote a letter to families announcing the addition of ten Apple IIe computers to the Lower School.

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Left: The cover of the 1980 Radio Shack catalog which featured the TRS-80 microcomputers. 

In 1987, the libraries conducted a feasibility study to determine whether or not to install online searching capabilities: "With such a system, faculty, students, and administrative personnel will be able to access a wide range of bibliographic databases via a computer in the library." The Middle and Upper School libraries installed the "Info Trac" system following the study. 

A black and white photo of a student sitting and looking at a computer screen, with the camera looking toward the screen. On the screen, a program title screen reads "InfoTrac". The student is typing and looking at a card set up in front of the computer titled "How to Use InfoTrac".
A black and white photo of high school students sitting in front of computers. The photo is taken from the side, with students along the left looking at the computers on the right.

Above: Sarah Hodder '85 and Adam Gladstone '84 use one of the library's TRS-80 computers to work out a problem.

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Left: A student learns to use the new Info Trac system on a library computer.

In 2001, the Lower School's new Lehner Center featured a new computer lab. 

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Right: Jacqueline Stipo '08 checks out the computers at the Lehner Center's opening:

"It's really cool!"

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Below: LS technology coordinator Colm Eliet working with Beginners in the renovated Morse Building, 2009.

A color photo of a teacher showing two young students how to use the computer in the Beginners suite.
A color photo of a student with pigtails and a pink tank top typing on a keyboard, with the computer screen out of frame. She is smiling.
A color headline of a website, with the headline reading "BB&N Online Learning Hub."

During March Break in 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic spread worldwide and BB&N joined other schools in moving to a remote learning environment. The technology team created the BB&N Online Learning Hub to provide students and faculty with resources to continue classes during the pandemic. 

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After the first year of remote learning, BB&N moved to a hybrid schedule, and the Online Learning Hub evolved. 

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Above and right: screenshots from the Online Learning Hub, April 2020. 

A color screenshot of the BB&N Online Learning Hub website. The headline at the top reads "Conneting with Students"; below that are icons for Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Powerschool Learning, followed by two video thumbnails for how to join online meetings with the various services.

For a description of BB&N's current approach to technology as part of the academic program, click here.

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