From its inception, SAS was a little piece of America for expats in China. In the era following the Qing dynasty, expats were not only business executives but also missionaries who wanted their children to stay connected to the land of their nationality.
On September 17, 1912, the first campus of Shanghai American School opened its doors to 38 day and boarding students in a Victorian residence on North Sichuan Road in Hongkou, with the original gate shown here on the right. A place you’d love to go back in time and see, except for the lack of air conditioning and running hot water.