Our History

Kurn Hattin was founded in 1894 by Reverend Charles Albert Dickinson, then pastor of Boston's Berkeley Temple. Reverend Dickinson was a man before his time; he believed that young children in need or orphans could be cared for in a nurturing rural setting rather than the urban childcare institution which existed at the time.

Kurn Hattin is an unusual name and stems from the Hebrew name for the mountain range in Palestine where Christ is said to have recited the Beatitudes.

Some ninety percent of the students are placed by their families who, for whatever reason, are unable to keep their children at home. Three to five years is the typical length of stay at Kurn Hattin.

Kurn Hattin's 280-acre campus offers many opportunities. The Kurn Hattin farm, which in earlier years depended on student labor, is today an academic venue where learning relates to everyday life. Students tap maple trees and produce syrup in the sugar house, blaze trails in the woods, and plant and tend vegetable gardens.

Individual and group counseling plays a key role in every student's program. Kurn Hattin also provides excellent medical care services staffed by full-time nurses and a consulting physician.

After graduation, more than seventy-five percent of the students attend high school in their home towns. Others enroll at independent boarding schools. Graduates know that they can always turn to Kurn Hattin staff for advice and encouragement. Thanks to the generosity of Kurn Hattin supporters, scholarships are also available. Indeed, financial contributions and in-kind donations from Kurn Hattin's legion of loyal donors, as well as sound stewardship of resources, have enabled the Home to maintain a comprehensive, quality program for over one hundred years.

Today boys and girls from throughout the Northeast live year-round in cottages with houseparents. No child is denied admission for financial reasons; Kurn Hattin is a charitable home and school dedicated to helping children grow up to become happy, productive members of society.