Founded in 1948 by a coalition of parents striving to provide cooperative, inter-racial, low cost preschool education, LCNS is one of the oldest cooperative preschools in the United States. The Lawrence Community Nursery School, the second oldest cooperative preschool in the nation, was established April 17, 1948, by parents who wanted to provide low-cost, cooperative, racially integrated day care. Today, member fees and several fundraising efforts, including the annual Fall Arts and Crafts Fair, finance the school. For our first six years, LCNS met in various church basements. In 1956, members had raised enough funds to purchase a building at 645 Alabama, where the red building is now a familiar fixture in the neighborhood. Through the hard work and dedication of our members, LCNS has remained well equipped to meet the needs of children for 50 years. It is through these members that LCNS is dedicated to bringing a high standard of childcare to the community.
