Looking back, the school year of September 1970- June 1971 represents our Program’s first year in Madison.
The National A Better Chance Program started in the 1960’s at Dartmouth College based on the idea that both public high schools and private preparatory schools could provide A Better Chance to small groups of academically talented boys and girls from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. A small group of committed people felt this program was the right thing to bring to Madison.
It was in September of 1970 when our first ten ABC students came to Madison to live together in the Roby House and attend classes at DHHS. Our first students were from all parts of the country and unlike today, the Roby House was a seasonal rental near the beach. Supporters of Madison ABC were embarking on new territory and at the time, the town wasn’t sure the ABC Program was going to be a positive addition to the community. In actuality, what we saw was that the character, scholarship and achievement of our scholars changed that perception over time and Madison ABC is acknowledged as one of the most successful public school programs in the country.
Our past scholars made significant contributions while they were at DHHS and as you can see from our newsletter, our current scholars continue that tradition. We are proud to celebrate our 40th Anniversary of providing A Better Chance to an outstanding group of bright, talented and motivated young men who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to reach their goals of academic success through secondary and college levels of education.